MAXON API Interfaces

The interface system of the MAXON API is a powerful toolset to define public APIs and to hide implementation details. Most components of the MAXON API are based on such interfaces.

Basic Interface Usage

• Interface Declaration
• Using Interfaces

See Interface Basics.

Interface Implementation

• Interface Implementation
• Interface Methods
• Component Bases

Advanced Topics

• Interface Annotations
• Interface Inheritance
• Reference Types
• Factories

Base Interfaces

An interface can be based on existing interfaces. The most used basic interfaces are:

• maxon::ObjectInterface, see Object Interface
• maxon::ObserverObjectInterface, see Observables
• maxon::DataDictionaryObjectInterface, see DataDictionary Manual
• maxon::HierarchyObjectInterface, see HierarchyObjectInterface Manual
• maxon::DataDescriptionObjectInterface, see DataDescriptionObjectInterface Manual

See Base Interfaces.

Registries

Registries are used to register specific implementations of a given interface. An implementation that is registered in such a registry can be accessed with a specific ID from anywhere in the application.

• Registry Declaration
• Registry Registration
• Registry Usage

See Registries.

Published Objects

A published object is a specially registered object that is globally available. Individual implementations of interfaces are typically presented this way. But also any other object that is a MAXON data type can be shared as a published object.

• Published Objects Declaration
• Published Objects Implementation
• Published Objects Usage

See Published Objects.

Data Description

Data descriptions define attributes of MAXON API data types.

Basic data definitions are stored as:

• maxon::DataDescriptionDefinitionInterface: Defines a "raw" DataDescription with commands like "define", "include" etc.
• maxon::DataDescriptionDefinitionDatabaseInterface: Database for definitions.

Resolved descriptions based on the definitions are generated at runtime:

• maxon::DataDescriptionInterface: Is the resolved DataDescription of a data type.
• maxon::DataDescriptionDatabaseInterface: Database of resolved descriptions.
• maxon::DataDescriptionWithUIAndString: Tuple of all three descriptions.
• maxon::DataDescriptionEntry: An alias for maxon::DataDictionary

See Data Descriptions.