org.springframework.ldap.filter

## Interface Filter

- All Known Implementing Classes:
    AbsoluteFalseFilter, AbsoluteTrueFilter, AbstractFilter, AndFilter, BinaryLogicalFilter, CompareFilter, EqualsFilter, GreaterThanOrEqualsFilter, HardcodedFilter, LessThanOrEqualsFilter, LikeFilter, NotFilter, NotPresentFilter, OrFilter, PresentFilter, WhitespaceWildcardsFilter

      public interface Filter

  Common interface for LDAP filters.
  Author:
    Adam Skogman
  See Also:
    RFC 1960: A String Representation of LDAP Search Filters

- - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `String` | `encode()` Encodes the filter to a String.
    `StringBuffer` | `encode(StringBuffer buf)` Encodes the filter to a StringBuffer.
    `boolean` | `equals(Object o)` All filters must implement equals.
    `int` | `hashCode()` All filters must implement hashCode.

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### encode

          String encode()

      Encodes the filter to a String.
      Returns:
        The encoded filter in the standard String format

    - #### encode

          StringBuffer encode(StringBuffer buf)

      Encodes the filter to a StringBuffer.
      Parameters:
        `buf` - The StringBuffer to encode the filter to
      Returns:
        The same StringBuffer as was given

    - #### equals

          boolean equals(Object o)

      All filters must implement equals.
      Overrides:
        `equals` in class `Object`
      Parameters:
        `o` -
      Returns:
        `true` if the objects are equal.

    - #### hashCode

          int hashCode()

      All filters must implement hashCode.
      Overrides:
        `hashCode` in class `Object`
      Returns:
        the hash code according to the contract in `Object.hashCode()`