BeanInfo


1   /*
2    * @(#)BeanInfo.java    1.28 03/12/19
3    *
4    * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
5    * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
6    */
7   
8   package java.beans;
9   
10  /**
11   * A bean implementor who wishes to provide explicit information about
12   * their bean may provide a BeanInfo class that implements this BeanInfo
13   * interface and provides explicit information about the methods,
14   * properties, events, etc, of their  bean.
15   * <p>
16   * A bean implementor doesn't need to provide a complete set of
17   * explicit information.  You can pick and choose which information
18   * you want to provide and the rest will be obtained by automatic
19   * analysis using low-level reflection of the bean classes' methods
20   * and applying standard design patterns.
21   * <p>
22   * You get the opportunity to provide lots and lots of different
23   * information as part of the various XyZDescriptor classes.  But
24   * don't panic, you only really need to provide the minimal core
25   * information required by the various constructors.
26   * <P>
27   * See also the SimpleBeanInfo class which provides a convenient
28   * "noop" base class for BeanInfo classes, which you can override
29   * for those specific places where you want to return explicit info.
30   * <P>
31   * To learn about all the behaviour of a bean see the Introspector class.
32   */
33  
34  public interface BeanInfo {
35  
36      /**
37       * Gets the beans <code>BeanDescriptor</code>.
38       * 
39       * @return  A BeanDescriptor providing overall information about
40       * the bean, such as its displayName, its customizer, etc.  May
41       * return null if the information should be obtained by automatic
42       * analysis.
43       */
44      BeanDescriptor   getBeanDescriptor();
45      
46      /**
47       * Gets the beans <code>EventSetDescriptor</code>s.
48       * 
49       * @return  An array of EventSetDescriptors describing the kinds of 
50       * events fired by this bean.  May return null if the information
51       * should be obtained by automatic analysis.
52       */
53      EventSetDescriptor  [] getEventSetDescriptors();
54  
55      /**
56       * A bean may have a "default" event that is the event that will
57       * mostly commonly be used by humans when using the bean. 
58       * @return Index of default event in the EventSetDescriptor array
59       *      returned by getEventSetDescriptors.
60       * <P>  Returns -1 if there is no default event.
61       */
62      int getDefaultEventIndex();
63  
64      /**
65       * Gets the beans <code>PropertyDescriptor</code>s.
66       * 
67       * @return An array of PropertyDescriptors describing the editable
68       * properties supported by this bean.  May return null if the
69       * information should be obtained by automatic analysis.
70       * <p>
71       * If a property is indexed, then its entry in the result array will
72       * belong to the IndexedPropertyDescriptor subclass of PropertyDescriptor.
73       * A client of getPropertyDescriptors can use "instanceof" to check
74       * if a given PropertyDescriptor is an IndexedPropertyDescriptor.
75       */
76      PropertyDescriptor  [] getPropertyDescriptors();
77  
78      /**
79       * A bean may have a "default" property that is the property that will
80       * mostly commonly be initially chosen for update by human's who are 
81       * customizing the bean.
82       * @return  Index of default property in the PropertyDescriptor array
83       *      returned by getPropertyDescriptors.
84       * <P>  Returns -1 if there is no default property.
85       */
86      int getDefaultPropertyIndex();
87  
88      /**
89       * Gets the beans <code>MethodDescriptor</code>s.
90       * 
91       * @return An array of MethodDescriptors describing the externally
92       * visible methods supported by this bean.  May return null if
93       * the information should be obtained by automatic analysis.
94       */
95      MethodDescriptor  [] getMethodDescriptors();
96  
97      /**
98       * This method allows a BeanInfo object to return an arbitrary collection
99       * of other BeanInfo objects that provide additional information on the
100      * current bean.
101      * <P>
102      * If there are conflicts or overlaps between the information provided
103      * by different BeanInfo objects, then the current BeanInfo takes precedence
104      * over the getAdditionalBeanInfo objects, and later elements in the array
105      * take precedence over earlier ones.
106      *
107      * @return an array of BeanInfo objects.  May return null.
108      */
109     BeanInfo  [] getAdditionalBeanInfo();
110 
111     /**
112      * This method returns an image object that can be used to
113      * represent the bean in toolboxes, toolbars, etc.   Icon images
114      * will typically be GIFs, but may in future include other formats.
115      * <p>
116      * Beans aren't required to provide icons and may return null from
117      * this method.
118      * <p>
119      * There are four possible flavors of icons (16x16 color,
120      * 32x32 color, 16x16 mono, 32x32 mono).  If a bean choses to only
121      * support a single icon we recommend supporting 16x16 color.
122      * <p>
123      * We recommend that icons have a "transparent" background
124      * so they can be rendered onto an existing background.
125      *
126      * @param  iconKind  The kind of icon requested.  This should be
127      *    one of the constant values ICON_COLOR_16x16, ICON_COLOR_32x32, 
128      *    ICON_MONO_16x16, or ICON_MONO_32x32.
129      * @return  An image object representing the requested icon.  May
130      *    return null if no suitable icon is available.
131      */
132     java.awt.Image   getIcon(int iconKind);
133      
134     /**
135      * Constant to indicate a 16 x 16 color icon.
136      */
137     final static int ICON_COLOR_16x16 = 1;
138 
139     /**
140      * Constant to indicate a 32 x 32 color icon.
141      */
142     final static int ICON_COLOR_32x32 = 2;
143 
144     /**
145      * Constant to indicate a 16 x 16 monochrome icon.
146      */
147     final static int ICON_MONO_16x16 = 3;
148 
149     /**
150      * Constant to indicate a 32 x 32 monochrome icon.
151      */
152     final static int ICON_MONO_32x32 = 4;
153 }
154
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