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 *
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 * copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
 * in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
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 *
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 */

package org.jf.dexlib2.iface.reference;

import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
import javax.annotation.Nullable;

This class represents a reference to a type.
When possible, elsewhere in the interface, a type is referenced directly as a String. A TypeReference is only used
in those cases where a generic Reference is needed
The type being referenced is represented as a String in the format of a TypeDescriptor, as defined by the dex file
specification.
This type also acts as a CharSequence wrapper around the TypeDescriptor string. As per the CharSequence contract,
calling toString() on a TypeReference yields the type descriptor as a String. This is the same value returned by
getType()
/**
 * This class represents a reference to a type.
 *
 * When possible, elsewhere in the interface, a type is referenced directly as a String. A TypeReference is only used
 * in those cases where a generic Reference is needed
 *
 * The type being referenced is represented as a String in the format of a TypeDescriptor, as defined by the dex file
 * specification.
 *
 * This type also acts as a CharSequence wrapper around the TypeDescriptor string. As per the CharSequence contract,
 * calling toString() on a TypeReference yields the type descriptor as a String. This is the same value returned by
 * getType()
 */
public interface TypeReference extends Reference, CharSequence, Comparable<CharSequence> {
    
Gets the string representation of the referenced type.
The returned string will be a TypeDescriptor, as defined in the dex file specification
Returns:
The string representation of the referenced type./**
     * Gets the string representation of the referenced type.
     *
     * The returned string will be a TypeDescriptor, as defined in the dex file specification
     *
     * @return The string representation of the referenced type.
     */
    @Nonnull String getType();

    
Returns a hashcode for this TypeReference.
This is defined to be getType().hashCode()
Returns:
The hash code value for this TypeReference/**
     * Returns a hashcode for this TypeReference.
     *
     * This is defined to be getType().hashCode()
     *
     * @return The hash code value for this TypeReference
     */
    @Override int hashCode();

    
Compares this TypeReference to another TypeReference, or more generally to another CharSequence for equality.
This TypeReference is equal to a CharSequence iff this.getType().equals(other.toString()).
Equivalently, This TypeReference is equal to another TypeReference iff this.getType().equals(other.getType()).
Params:
o – The object to be compared for equality with this TypeReference
Returns:
true if the specified object is equal to this TypeReference/**
     * Compares this TypeReference to another TypeReference, or more generally to another CharSequence for equality.
     *
     * This TypeReference is equal to a CharSequence iff this.getType().equals(other.toString()).
     *
     * Equivalently, This TypeReference is equal to another TypeReference iff this.getType().equals(other.getType()).
     *
     * @param o The object to be compared for equality with this TypeReference
     * @return true if the specified object is equal to this TypeReference
     */
    @Override boolean equals(@Nullable Object o);

    
Compare this TypeReference to another TypeReference, or more generally to another CharSequence.
The comparison is defined to be this.getType().compareTo(other.toString())
Params:
o – The CharSequence to compare with this TypeReference
Returns:
An integer representing the result of the comparison/**
     * Compare this TypeReference to another TypeReference, or more generally to another CharSequence.
     *
     * The comparison is defined to be this.getType().compareTo(other.toString())
     *
     * @param o The CharSequence to compare with this TypeReference
     * @return An integer representing the result of the comparison
     */
    @Override int compareTo(@Nonnull CharSequence o);
}