diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/Template.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/Template.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..6ea484ada7d5fa83df69e9090d0d37265b787dae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/Template.java
@@ -0,0 +1,333 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2008 ETH Zuerich, CISD
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+/**
+ * A little template engine. Usage example:
+ * <pre>
+ * Template template = new Template("Hello ${name}!");
+ * template.bind("name", "world");
+ * String text = template.createText();
+ * </pre>
+ * The method {@link #bind(String, String)} throws an exception if the placeholder name is unknown.
+ * The method {@link #createText()} throws an exception if not all placeholders have been bound.
+ * <p>
+ * Since placeholder bindings change the state of an instance of this class there is method {@link #createFreshCopy()}
+ * which creates a copy without reparsing the template. Usage example:
+ * <pre>
+ * static final Template TEMPLATE = new Template("Hello ${name}!");
+ *
+ * void doSomething()
+ * {
+ * Template template = TEMPLATE.createFreshCopy();
+ * template.bind("name", "world");
+ * String text = template.createText();
+ * }
+ * </pre>
+ *
+ * @author Franz-Josef Elmer
+ */
+public class Template
+{
+ private static final char PLACEHOLDER_ESCAPE_CHARACTER = '$';
+ private static final char PLACEHOLDER_START_CHARACTER = '{';
+ private static final char PLACEHOLDER_END_CHARACTER = '}';
+
+ private static final String createPlaceholder(String variableName)
+ {
+ return PLACEHOLDER_ESCAPE_CHARACTER + (PLACEHOLDER_START_CHARACTER + variableName) + PLACEHOLDER_END_CHARACTER;
+ }
+
+ private static interface IToken
+ {
+ public void appendTo(StringBuilder builder);
+ }
+
+ private static final class PlainToken implements IToken
+ {
+ private final String plainText;
+
+ PlainToken(String plainText)
+ {
+ assert plainText != null : "Unspecified plain text.";
+ this.plainText = plainText;
+ }
+
+ public void appendTo(StringBuilder builder)
+ {
+ builder.append(plainText);
+ }
+ }
+
+ private static final class VariableToken implements IToken
+ {
+ private final String variableName;
+
+ private String value;
+
+ VariableToken(String variablePlaceHolder)
+ {
+ assert variablePlaceHolder != null : "Unspecified variable place holder.";
+ this.variableName = variablePlaceHolder;
+ }
+
+ public void appendTo(StringBuilder builder)
+ {
+ builder.append(isBound() ? value : createPlaceholder(variableName));
+ }
+
+ String getVariableName()
+ {
+ return variableName;
+ }
+
+ boolean isBound()
+ {
+ return value != null;
+ }
+
+ void bind(String v)
+ {
+ this.value = v;
+ }
+ }
+
+ private static enum State
+ {
+ PLAIN()
+ {
+ @Override
+ State next(char character, TokenBuilder tokenBuilder)
+ {
+ if (character == PLACEHOLDER_ESCAPE_CHARACTER)
+ {
+ return STARTING_PLACEHOLDER;
+ }
+ tokenBuilder.addCharacter(character);
+ return PLAIN;
+ }
+ },
+
+ STARTING_PLACEHOLDER()
+ {
+ @Override
+ State next(char character, TokenBuilder tokenBuilder)
+ {
+ switch (character)
+ {
+ case PLACEHOLDER_ESCAPE_CHARACTER:
+ tokenBuilder.addCharacter(PLACEHOLDER_ESCAPE_CHARACTER);
+ return PLAIN;
+ case PLACEHOLDER_START_CHARACTER:
+ tokenBuilder.finishPlainToken();
+ return PLACEHOLDER;
+ default:
+ tokenBuilder.addCharacter(PLACEHOLDER_ESCAPE_CHARACTER);
+ tokenBuilder.addCharacter(character);
+ return PLAIN;
+ }
+ }
+ },
+
+ PLACEHOLDER()
+ {
+ @Override
+ State next(char character, TokenBuilder tokenBuilder)
+ {
+ if (character == PLACEHOLDER_END_CHARACTER)
+ {
+ tokenBuilder.finishPlaceholder();
+ return PLAIN;
+ }
+ tokenBuilder.addCharacter(character);
+ return PLACEHOLDER;
+ }
+ };
+
+ abstract State next(char character, TokenBuilder tokenBuilder);
+ }
+
+ private static final class TokenBuilder
+ {
+ private final Map<String, VariableToken> variableTokens;
+ private final List<IToken> tokens;
+ private final StringBuilder builder;
+
+ TokenBuilder(Map<String, VariableToken> variableTokens, List<IToken> tokens)
+ {
+ this.variableTokens = variableTokens;
+ this.tokens = tokens;
+ builder = new StringBuilder();
+ }
+
+ public void addCharacter(char character)
+ {
+ builder.append(character);
+ }
+
+ public void finishPlainToken()
+ {
+ if (builder.length() > 0)
+ {
+ tokens.add(new PlainToken(builder.toString()));
+ builder.setLength(0);
+ }
+ }
+
+ public void finishPlaceholder()
+ {
+ String variableName = builder.toString();
+ if (variableName.length() == 0)
+ {
+ throw new IllegalArgumentException("Nameless placeholder " + createPlaceholder("") + " found.");
+ }
+ VariableToken token = variableTokens.get(variableName);
+ if (token == null)
+ {
+ token = new VariableToken(variableName);
+ variableTokens.put(variableName, token);
+ }
+ tokens.add(token);
+ builder.setLength(0);
+ }
+ }
+
+ private final Map<String, VariableToken> variableTokens;
+ private final List<IToken> tokens;
+
+ /**
+ * Creates a new instance for the specified template.
+ *
+ * @throws IllegalArgumentException if some error occurred during parsing.
+ */
+ public Template(String template)
+ {
+ this(new LinkedHashMap<String, VariableToken>(), new ArrayList<IToken>());
+ assert template != null : "Unspecified template.";
+
+ TokenBuilder tokenBuilder = new TokenBuilder(variableTokens, tokens);
+ State state = State.PLAIN;
+ for (int i = 0, n = template.length(); i < n; i++)
+ {
+ state = state.next(template.charAt(i), tokenBuilder);
+ }
+ if (state != State.PLAIN)
+ {
+ throw new IllegalArgumentException("Incomplete placeholder detected at the end.");
+ }
+ tokenBuilder.finishPlainToken();
+ }
+
+ private Template(Map<String, VariableToken> variableTokens, List<IToken> tokens)
+ {
+ this.variableTokens = variableTokens;
+ this.tokens = tokens;
+ }
+
+ /**
+ * Creates a copy of this template with no variable bindings.
+ */
+ public Template createFreshCopy()
+ {
+ LinkedHashMap<String, VariableToken> map = new LinkedHashMap<String, VariableToken>();
+ ArrayList<IToken> list = new ArrayList<IToken>();
+ for (IToken token : tokens)
+ {
+ if (token instanceof VariableToken)
+ {
+ String variableName = ((VariableToken) token).getVariableName();
+ VariableToken variableToken = new VariableToken(variableName);
+ map.put(variableName, variableToken);
+ list.add(variableToken);
+ } else
+ {
+ list.add(token);
+ }
+ }
+ return new Template(map, list);
+ }
+
+
+ /**
+ * Binds the specified value to the specified placeholder name.
+ *
+ * @throws IllegalArgumentException if placeholder is not known.
+ */
+ public void bind(String placeholderName, String value)
+ {
+ assert placeholderName != null : "Unspecified placeholder name.";
+ assert value != null : "Unspecified value for '" + placeholderName + "'";
+
+ VariableToken variableToken = variableTokens.get(placeholderName);
+ if (variableToken == null)
+ {
+ throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown variable '" + placeholderName + "'.");
+ }
+ variableToken.bind(value);
+ }
+
+ /**
+ * Creates the text by using all placeholder bindings.
+ *
+ * @throws IllegalStateException if not all placeholders have been bound.
+ */
+ public String createText()
+ {
+ return createText(true);
+ }
+
+ /**
+ * Creates the text by using placeholder bindings.
+ *
+ * @param complete If <code>true</code> an {@link IllegalStateException} will be thrown if not all
+ * bindings are set.
+ */
+ public String createText(boolean complete)
+ {
+ if (complete)
+ {
+ assertAllVariablesAreBound();
+ }
+ StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
+ for (IToken token : tokens)
+ {
+ token.appendTo(builder);
+ }
+ return builder.toString();
+ }
+
+ private void assertAllVariablesAreBound()
+ {
+ StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
+ for (Map.Entry<String, VariableToken> entry : variableTokens.entrySet())
+ {
+ if (entry.getValue().isBound() == false)
+ {
+ builder.append(entry.getKey()).append(' ');
+ }
+ }
+ if (builder.length() > 0)
+ {
+ throw new IllegalStateException("The following variables are not bound: " + builder);
+ }
+ }
+}
diff --git a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/TemplateTest.java b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/TemplateTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..abba46a01e37100df4c02c60e7e6c699f7128bf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/TemplateTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2008 ETH Zuerich, CISD
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+
+import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.assertEquals;
+import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.fail;
+
+import org.testng.annotations.Test;
+
+/**
+ *
+ *
+ * @author Franz-Josef Elmer
+ */
+public class TemplateTest
+{
+ @Test
+ public void testEmptyTemplate()
+ {
+ assertEquals("", new Template("").createText());
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testWithoutPlaceholders()
+ {
+ assertEquals("hello", new Template("hello").createText());
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testWithOnePlaceholder()
+ {
+ Template template = new Template("hello ${name}!");
+ template.bind("name", "world");
+ assertEquals("hello world!", template.createText());
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testWithTwiceTheSamePlaceholder()
+ {
+ Template template = new Template("hello ${name}${name}");
+ template.bind("name", "world");
+ assertEquals("hello worldworld", template.createText());
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testWithTwoPlaceholders()
+ {
+ Template template = new Template("hello ${name}, do you know ${name2}?");
+ template.bind("name", "world");
+ template.bind("name2", "Albert Einstein");
+ assertEquals("hello world, do you know Albert Einstein?", template.createText());
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testWithEscaping()
+ {
+ Template template = new Template("hello $${name}. I have 25$.");
+ assertEquals("hello ${name}. I have 25$.", template.createText());
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testNamelessPlaceholderInTemplate()
+ {
+ try
+ {
+ new Template("hello ${}");
+ fail("IllegalArgumentException expected.");
+ } catch (IllegalArgumentException e)
+ {
+ assertEquals("Nameless placeholder ${} found.", e.getMessage());
+ }
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testUnfinishedPlaceholderInTemplate()
+ {
+ try
+ {
+ new Template("hello ${name");
+ fail("IllegalArgumentException expected.");
+ } catch (IllegalArgumentException e)
+ {
+ assertEquals("Incomplete placeholder detected at the end.", e.getMessage());
+ }
+ try
+ {
+ new Template("hello ${");
+ fail("IllegalArgumentException expected.");
+ } catch (IllegalArgumentException e)
+ {
+ assertEquals("Incomplete placeholder detected at the end.", e.getMessage());
+ }
+ try
+ {
+ new Template("hello $");
+ fail("IllegalArgumentException expected.");
+ } catch (IllegalArgumentException e)
+ {
+ assertEquals("Incomplete placeholder detected at the end.", e.getMessage());
+ }
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testBindUnknownPlaceholder()
+ {
+ Template template = new Template("hello ${name}!");
+ try
+ {
+ template.bind("blabla", "blub");
+ fail("IllegalArgumentException expected.");
+ } catch (IllegalArgumentException e)
+ {
+ assertEquals("Unknown variable 'blabla'.", e.getMessage());
+ }
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testIncompleteBinding()
+ {
+ Template template = new Template("${greeting} ${name}!");
+ try
+ {
+ template.createText(true);
+ fail("IllegalStateException expected");
+ } catch (IllegalStateException e)
+ {
+ assertEquals("The following variables are not bound: greeting name ", e.getMessage());
+ }
+
+ template.bind("greeting", "hello");
+ assertEquals("hello ${name}!", template.createText(false));
+ try
+ {
+ template.createText(true);
+ fail("IllegalStateException expected");
+ } catch (IllegalStateException e)
+ {
+ assertEquals("The following variables are not bound: name ", e.getMessage());
+ }
+ }
+
+ @Test
+ public void testCreateFreshCopy()
+ {
+ Template template = new Template("hello ${name}!");
+ Template template1 = template.createFreshCopy();
+ template1.bind("name", "world");
+ assertEquals("hello world!", template1.createText());
+ assertEquals("hello ${name}!", template.createText(false));
+
+ Template template2 = template.createFreshCopy();
+ template2.bind("name", "universe");
+ assertEquals("hello universe!", template2.createText());
+ assertEquals("hello world!", template1.createText());
+ assertEquals("hello ${name}!", template.createText(false));
+ }
+}