1 files changed, 36 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.compare/plugins/org.eclipse.compare/compare/org/eclipse/compare/internal/IViewerDescriptor.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.compare/plugins/org.eclipse.compare/compare/org/eclipse/compare/internal/IViewerDescriptor.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f22578149
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.compare/plugins/org.eclipse.compare/compare/org/eclipse/compare/internal/IViewerDescriptor.java
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed Materials - Property of IBM,
+ * WebSphere Studio Workbench
+ * (c) Copyright IBM Corp 2000, 2001
+ */
+package org.eclipse.compare.internal;
+
+import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Composite;
+
+import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.Viewer;
+import org.eclipse.compare.CompareConfiguration;
+
+/**
+ * A factory object for creating a <code>Viewer</code>s from a descriptor.
+ * <p>
+ * It is used when registering a viewer for a specific type
+ * in <code>CompareUIPlugin.registerContentViewerDescriptor</code> and
+ * in <code>CompareUIPlugin.registerStructureViewerDescriptor</code>.
+ *
+ * @see org.eclipse.compare.structuremergeviewer.IStructureCreator
+ * @see CompareUIPlugin
+ */
+public interface IViewerDescriptor {
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new viewer from this descriptor under the given STW parent control.
+	 * If the current viewer has the same type as a new viewer
+	 * the implementation of this method is free to return the current viewer instead.
+	 *
+	 * @param currentViewer the current viewer which is going to be replaced with a new viewer.
+	 * @param parent the SWT parent control under which the new viewer has to be created.
+	 * @param config a compare configuration the new viewer might be interested in.
+	 * @return a new viewer or the current viewer.
+	 */
+	Viewer createViewer(Viewer currentViewer, Composite parent, CompareConfiguration config);
+}