java.lang.Object
- net.sf.eBus.messages.EMessageObject
- - net.sf.eBus.messages.EField
  - - net.sf.eBusx.time.EInterval

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable
```
public final class EInterval
extends EField
```
Implements a time interval from one Instant to another. EInterval guarantees that begin time is ≤ end time. Each end point may be separately configured to be inclusive or exclusive. If begin time equals end time then both ends must be marked as inclusive.
EInterval extends EField so that it can be used in an eBus message. This means that EInterval.Builder must be used to create an EInterval instance.

EInterval is immutable and thread-safe.

Allen's Interval Algebra

Allen's temporal reasoning calculus is based on 13 base relations. Since 12 of these relations are simply inverses of each other (for example the inverse of x precedes y is y is preceded by x) only 7 relations are implemented in EInterval which are:
1. : interval 1 precedes interval 2 if interval 1 end time < interval 2 begin time.
2. : interval 1 meets interval 2 if if interval 1 end time equals interval 2 begin time.
3. : interval 1 overlaps interval 2 if interval 1 begin time < interval 2 begin time and interval 1 end time < interval 2 end time.
4. : interval 1 contains interval 2 if interval 1 begin time < interval 2 begin time and interval 1 end time > interval 2 end time.
5. : interval 1 starts interval 2 if interval 1 begin time equals interval 2 begin time and interval 1 end time < interval 2 end time.
6. : interval 1 finishes interval 2 if interval 1 begin time > interval 2 begin time and interval 1 end time equals interval 2 end time.
7. : interval 1 begin and end times equal interval 2 begin and end times.
Note: interval algebra methods below are based solely on the end point times and do not take clusivity into account.
Author:

Charles W. Rapp

See Also:

Serialized Form

Nested Class Summary

Nested Classes
Modifier and Type	Class	Description
`static class`	`EInterval.Builder`	`EInterval` instances may be created only by using a `Builder` instance.
`static class`	`EInterval.Clusivity`	Specifies whether an end point is inclusive or exclusive.
`static class`	`EInterval.TimeLocation`	Denotes if a timestamp denotes the past, current time, future, or future on-going.

Field Summary

Fields
Modifier and Type	Field	Description
`EInterval.Clusivity`	`beginClusivity`	Interval begin time clusivity.
`EInterval.TimeLocation`	`beginLocation`	Interval begins at this time location.
`java.time.Instant`	`beginTime`	Interval begin time.
`EInterval.Clusivity`	`endClusivity`	Interval end time clusivity.
`EInterval.TimeLocation`	`endLocation`	Interval ends at this time location.
`java.time.Instant`	`endTime`	Interval end time.

Method Summary

All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`static EInterval.Builder`	`builder()`	Returns a new `EInterval` builder instance which is used to create an `EInterval` object.
`boolean`	`contains(EInterval interval)`	: Returns `true` if: `this EInterval` begin time < `interval` begin time and `this EInterval` end time > `interval` end time.
`boolean`	`equals(java.lang.Object o)`	: Returns `true` if: `o` is the same `EInterval` instance as `this` interval or `o` is a non-`null EInterval` instance with the same end points and clusivities as `this EInterval` instance.
`boolean`	`finishes(EInterval interval)`	: Returns `true` if this interval starts after `intervaL` buts ends at the same time.
`int`	`hashCode()`	Returns hash code based on end point times and clusivities.
`boolean`	`meets(EInterval interval)`	: Returns `true` if `this EInterval` end time equals `interval` begin time.
`boolean`	`overlaps(EInterval interval)`	: Returns `true` if: `this EInterval` end time is > `interval`'s begin time, `this EInterval` end time is < `interval`'s end time, and `this EInterval` begin time is < `interval`'s begin time.
`boolean`	`precedes(EInterval interval)`	: Returns `true` if `this EInterval` end time is < `interval` begin time.
`boolean`	`starts(EInterval interval)`	: Returns `true` if this interval starts at the same time as `interval` but ends before.
`java.lang.String`	`toString()`	Returns textual representation of end point times and clusivities.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

- Field Detail
  - beginLocation
```
public final EInterval.TimeLocation beginLocation
```
    Interval begins at this time location. This is needed when for relative times like EInterval.TimeLocation.NOW and EInterval.TimeLocation.ON_GOING.
  - beginTime
```
public final java.time.Instant beginTime
```
    Interval begin time.
  - beginClusivity
```
public final EInterval.Clusivity beginClusivity
```
    Interval begin time clusivity.
  - endLocation
```
public final EInterval.TimeLocation endLocation
```
    Interval ends at this time location. This is needed for relative times like EInterval.TimeLocation.NOW and EInterval.TimeLocation.ON_GOING.
  - endTime
```
public final java.time.Instant endTime
```
    Interval end time.
  - endClusivity
```
public final EInterval.Clusivity endClusivity
```
    Interval end time clusivity.
- Method Detail
  - toString
```
public java.lang.String toString()
```
    Returns textual representation of end point times and clusivities. Uses default Instant time format.
    
    Overrides:
    
    toString in class java.lang.Object
    
    Returns:
    
    interval as text.
  - equals
```
public boolean equals(java.lang.Object o)
```
    : Returns true if:
    
    o is the same EInterval instance as this interval or
    
    o is a non-null EInterval instance with the same end points and clusivities as this EInterval instance.
    
    Otherwise returns false.
    Overrides:
    
    equals in class java.lang.Object
    
    Parameters:
    
    o - comparison object.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if o is a non-null EInterval instance whose end points are equal and have the same clusivities.
  - hashCode
```
public int hashCode()
```
    Returns hash code based on end point times and clusivities.
    
    Overrides:
    
    hashCode in class java.lang.Object
    
    Returns:
    
    hash code based on end point times and clusivities.
  - precedes
```
public boolean precedes(EInterval interval)
```
    : Returns true if this EInterval end time is < interval begin time.
    Note that this comparison is based only on time and does not take clusivity into account.
    
    Parameters:
    
    interval - comparison time interval.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if this EInterval precedes interval and false otherwise.
  - meets
```
public boolean meets(EInterval interval)
```
    : Returns true if this EInterval end time equals interval begin time.
    Note that this comparison is based only on time and does not take clusivity into account.
    
    Parameters:
    
    interval - comparison time interval.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if this EInterval meets interval and false otherwise.
  - overlaps
```
public boolean overlaps(EInterval interval)
```
    : Returns true if:
    
    this EInterval end time is > interval's begin time,
    
    this EInterval end time is < interval's end time, and
    
    this EInterval begin time is < interval's begin time.
    
    Note that this comparison is based only on time and does not take clusivity into account.
    Parameters:
    
    interval - comparison time interval.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if this EInterval overlaps interval and false otherwise.
  - contains
```
public boolean contains(EInterval interval)
```
    : Returns true if:
    
    this EInterval begin time < interval begin time and
    
    this EInterval end time > interval end time.
    
    In short, this interval contains the given argument interval.
    Note that this comparison is based only on time and does not take clusivity into account.
    Parameters:
    
    interval - comparison time interval.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if this interval begins before interval and ends after.
  - starts
```
public boolean starts(EInterval interval)
```
    : Returns true if this interval starts at the same time as interval but ends before. That is:
    
    this EInterval begin time equals interval begin time and
    
    this EInterval end time < interval end time.
    
    Note that this comparison is based only on time and does not take clusivity into account.
    Parameters:
    
    interval - comparison time interval.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if this interval starts at the same time as interval but ends before.
  - finishes
```
public boolean finishes(EInterval interval)
```
    : Returns true if this interval starts after intervaL buts ends at the same time. That is:
    
    this EInterval begin time > interval begin time and
    
    this EInterval end time equals interval end time.
    
    Note that this comparison is based only on time and does not take clusivity into account.
    Parameters:
    
    interval - comparison time interval.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if this interval starts after intervaL buts ends at the same time.
  - builder
```
public static EInterval.Builder builder()
```
    Returns a new EInterval builder instance which is used to create an EInterval object. It is recommended that a new builder be used when creating an EInterval instance and not re-use a previously created Builder to create multiple intervals.
    
    Returns:
    
    interval builder instance.

Class EInterval

Allen's Interval Algebra

Nested Class Summary

Field Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Field Detail

beginLocation

beginTime

beginClusivity

endLocation

endTime

endClusivity

Method Detail

toString

equals

hashCode

precedes

meets

overlaps

contains

starts

finishes

builder