1. /*

  2.  * @(#)PreferencesFactory.java	1.4 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.util.prefs;

  9. import java.util.*;

  10. 

  11. /**

  12.  * A factory object that generates Preferences objects.  Providers of

  13.  * new {@link Preferences} implementations should provide corresponding

  14.  * <tt>PreferencesFactory</tt> implementations so that the new

  15.  * <tt>Preferences</tt> implementation can be installed in place of the 

  16.  * platform-specific default implementation.

  17.  *

  18.  * <p><strong>This class is for <tt>Preferences</tt> implementers only.

  19.  * Normal users of the  <tt>Preferences</tt> facility should have no need to

  20.  * consult this documentation.</strong>

  21.  *

  22.  * @author  Josh Bloch

  23.  * @version 1.4, 12/19/03

  24.  * @see     Preferences

  25.  * @since   1.4

  26.  */

  27. public interface PreferencesFactory {

  28.     /**

  29.      * Returns the system root preference node.  (Multiple calls on this

  30.      * method will return the same object reference.)

  31.      */

  32.     Preferences systemRoot();

  33. 

  34.     /**

  35.      * Returns the user root preference node corresponding to the calling

  36.      * user.  In a server, the returned value will typically depend on

  37.      * some implicit client-context.

  38.      */

  39.     Preferences userRoot();

  40. }