--- /dev/null
+package jalview.io;
+
+import jalview.datamodel.AlignmentI;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+public interface FileFormatI
+{
+ AlignmentFileReaderI getReader(FileParse source) throws IOException;
+
+ AlignmentFileWriterI getWriter(AlignmentI al);
+
+ boolean isComplexAlignFile();
+
+ /**
+ * Answers the display name of the file format (as for example shown in menu
+ * options). This name should not be locale (language) dependent.
+ */
+ String getName();
+
+ /**
+ * Returns a comma-separated list of file extensions associated with the
+ * format
+ *
+ * @return
+ */
+ String getExtensions();
+
+ /**
+ * Answers true if the format is one that Jalview can read. This implies that
+ * the format provides an implementation for getReader which can parse a data
+ * source for sequence data. Readable formats are included in the options in
+ * the open file dialogue.
+ *
+ * @return
+ */
+ boolean isReadable();
+
+ /**
+ * Answers true if the format is one that Jalview can write. This implies that
+ * the object returned by getWriter provides an implementation of the print()
+ * method. Writable formats are included in the options in the Save As file
+ * dialogue, and the 'output to Textbox' option (if text format).
+ *
+ * @return
+ */
+ boolean isWritable();
+
+ /**
+ * Answers true if the format is one that Jalview can output as text, e.g. to
+ * a text box
+ *
+ * @return
+ */
+ boolean isTextFormat();
+
+ /**
+ * Answers true if the file format is one that provides 3D structure data
+ *
+ * @return
+ */
+ boolean isStructureFile();
+}