package giny.model;

import java.util.*;


public interface Node extends GraphObject {

	/**
	 * If a Node is a meta-parent of any other nodes and edges,
	 * then it contains those nodes and edges
	 * in a <code>GraphPerspective</code>.  This method returns such
	 * a GraphPerspective.
	 * @deprecated Don't use this method because the behavior of the returned
	 *   GraphPerspective with respect to changing meta-children of this Node
	 *   is ill-defined; use RootGraph.getNodeMetaChildIndicesArray(int) and
	 *   RootGraph.getEdgeMetaChildIndicesArray(int) instead.
	 * @see RootGraph#getNodeMetaChildIndicesArray(int)
	 * @see RootGraph#getEdgeMetaChildIndicesArray(int)
	 */
	public GraphPerspective getGraphPerspective ();

	/**
	 * This method adds all Nodes and Edges contained in the specified
	 * GraphPerspective as children of this Node.
	 * The return value of this method is undefined and should not be used.
	 * @deprecated Don't use this method because the behavior of the
	 *   input GraphPerspective with respect to changing meta-children of
	 *   this Node is ill-defined; use RootGraph.addNodeMetaChild(int, int) and
	 *   RootGraph.addEdgeMetaChild(int, int) instead.
	 * @see RootGraph#addNodeMetaChild(int, int)
	 * @see RootGraph#addEdgeMetaChild(int, int)
	 */
	public boolean setGraphPerspective ( GraphPerspective gp );

	/**
	 * Assign a graph perspective reference to this node.
	 */
	public void setNestedNetwork(final GraphPerspective graphPerspective);

	/**
	 * Return the currently set graph perspective (may be null) associated with this node.
	 *
	 *  @return a network reference or null.
	 */
	public GraphPerspective getNestedNetwork();

} // interface Node