# LocationFactoryI.pm,v 1.5 2005/07/05 12:08:36 heikki Exp
#
# BioPerl module for Bio::Factory::LocationFactoryI
#
# Cared for by Hilmar Lapp <hlapp at gmx.net>
#
# Copyright Hilmar Lapp
#
# You may distribute this module under the same terms as perl itself

#
# (c) Hilmar Lapp, hlapp at gnf.org, 2002.
# (c) GNF, Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, 2002.
#
# You may distribute this module under the same terms as perl itself.
# Refer to the Perl Artistic License (see the license accompanying this
# software package, or see http://www.perl.com/language/misc/Artistic.html)
# for the terms under which you may use, modify, and redistribute this module.
# 
# THIS PACKAGE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
# WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
# MERCHANTIBILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
#

# POD documentation - main docs before the code

=head1 NAME

Bio::Factory::LocationFactoryI - A factory interface for generating locations from a string

=head1 SYNOPSIS

 # Do not use directly, see Bio::Factory::LocationFactory for example
 use Bio::Factory::FTLocationFactory;
 my $locfact = Bio::Factory::FTLocationFactory->new();
 my $location = $locfact->from_string("1..200");
 print $location->start(), " ", $location->end(), " ", $location->strand,"\n";

=head1 DESCRIPTION

An interface for Location Factories which generate Bio::LocationI
objects from a string.

=head1 FEEDBACK

=head2 Mailing Lists

User feedback is an integral part of the evolution of this and other
Bioperl modules. Send your comments and suggestions preferably to
the Bioperl mailing list.  Your participation is much appreciated.

  bioperl-l@bioperl.org              - General discussion
  http://bioperl.org/MailList.shtml  - About the mailing lists

=head2 Reporting Bugs

Report bugs to the Bioperl bug tracking system to help us keep track
of the bugs and their resolution. Bug reports can be submitted via the
web:

  http://bugzilla.bioperl.org/

=head1 AUTHOR - Hilmar Lapp

Email hlapp at gmx.net

=head1 APPENDIX

The rest of the documentation details each of the object methods.
Internal methods are usually preceded with a _

=cut


# Let the code begin...


package Bio::Factory::LocationFactoryI;
use vars qw(@ISA);
use strict;
use Carp;
use Bio::Root::RootI;

@ISA = qw( Bio::Root::RootI );

=head2 from_string

 Title   : from_string
 Usage   : $loc = $locfactory->from_string("100..200");
 Function: Parses the given string and returns a Bio::LocationI implementing
           object representing the location encoded by the string.

           Different implementations may support different encodings. An
           example of a commonly used encoding is the Genbank feature table
           encoding of locations.
 Example :
 Returns : A Bio::LocationI implementing object.
 Args    : A string.


=cut

sub from_string{
    my ($self,@args) = @_;

    $self->throw_not_implemented();
}
