/*
 * @(#)Stroke.java	1.19 00/02/02
 *
 * Copyright 1996-2000 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 * 
 * This software is the proprietary information of Sun Microsystems, Inc.  
 * Use is subject to license terms.
 * 
 */

package java.awt;

/**
 * The <code>Stroke</code> interface allows a 
 * {@link Graphics2D} object to obtain a {@link Shape} that is the 
 * decorated outline, or stylistic representation of the outline, 
 * of the specified <code>Shape</code>.
 * Stroking a <code>Shape</code> is like tracing its outline with a
 * marking pen of the appropriate size and shape.
 * The area where the pen would place ink is the area enclosed by the
 * outline <code>Shape</code>.
 * <p>
 * The methods of the <code>Graphics2D</code> interface that use the 
 * outline <code>Shape</code> returned by a <code>Stroke</code> object
 * include <code>draw</code> and any other methods that are 
 * implemented in terms of that method, such as 
 * <code>drawLine</code>, <code>drawRect</code>, 
 * <code>drawRoundRect</code>, <code>drawOval</code>,
 * <code>drawArc</code>, <code>drawPolyline</code>, 
 * and <code>drawPolygon</code>.
 * <p>
 * The objects of the classes implementing <code>Stroke</code>
 * must be read-only because <code>Graphics2D</code> does not 
 * clone these objects either when they are set as an attribute 
 * with the <code>setStroke</code> method or when the 
 * <code>Graphics2D</code> object is itself cloned.
 * If a <code>Stroke</code> object is modified after it is set in
 * the <code>Graphics2D</code> context then the behavior 
 * of subsequent rendering would be undefined.
 * @see BasicStroke
 * @see Graphics2D#setStroke
 * @version 1.19, 02/02/00
 */
public interface Stroke {
    /**
     * Returns an outline <code>Shape</code> which encloses the area that 
     * should be painted when the <code>Shape</code> is stroked according 
     * to the rules defined by the
     * object implementing the <code>Stroke</code> interface.
     * @param p a <code>Shape</code> to be stroked
     * @return the stroked outline <code>Shape</code>.
     */
    Shape createStrokedShape (Shape p);
}