/*
 * @(#)OpenMBeanParameterInfo.java	3.21 03/12/19
 * 
 * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */


package javax.management.openmbean;


// java import
//
import java.util.Set;
import java.lang.Comparable; // to be substituted for jdk1.1.x


// jmx import
//


/**
 * <p>Describes a parameter used in one or more operations or
 * constructors of an open MBean.</p>
 *
 * <p>This interface declares the same methods as the class {@link
 * javax.management.MBeanParameterInfo}.  A class implementing this
 * interface (typically {@link OpenMBeanParameterInfoSupport}) should
 * extend {@link javax.management.MBeanParameterInfo}.</p>
 *
 * @version     3.21  03/12/19
 * @author      Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 *
 * @since 1.5
 * @since.unbundled JMX 1.1
 */
public interface OpenMBeanParameterInfo {


    // Re-declares methods that are in class MBeanParameterInfo of JMX 1.0
    // (these will be removed when MBeanParameterInfo is made a parent interface of this interface)

    /**
     * Returns a human readable description of the parameter 
     * described by this <tt>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</tt> instance.
     *
     * @return the description.
     */
    public String getDescription() ;

    /**
     * Returns the name of the parameter
     * described by this <tt>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</tt> instance.
     *
     * @return the name.
     */
    public String getName() ;


    // Now declares methods that are specific to open MBeans
    //

    /**
     * Returns the <i>open type</i> of the values of the parameter
     * described by this <tt>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</tt> instance.
     *
     * @return the open type.
     */
    public OpenType getOpenType() ; 

    /**
     * Returns the default value for this parameter, if it has one, or
     * <tt>null</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return the default value.
     */
    public Object getDefaultValue() ;

    /**
     * Returns the set of legal values for this parameter, if it has
     * one, or <tt>null</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return the set of legal values.
     */
    public Set getLegalValues() ;

    /**
     * Returns the minimal value for this parameter, if it has one, or
     * <tt>null</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return the minimum value.
     */
    public Comparable getMinValue() ;

    /**
     * Returns the maximal value for this parameter, if it has one, or
     * <tt>null</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return the maximum value.
     */
    public Comparable getMaxValue() ;

    /**
     * Returns <tt>true</tt> if this parameter has a specified default
     * value, or <tt>false</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return true if there is a default value.
     */
    public boolean hasDefaultValue() ;

    /**
     * Returns <tt>true</tt> if this parameter has a specified set of
     * legal values, or <tt>false</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return true if there is a set of legal values.
     */
    public boolean hasLegalValues() ;

    /**
     * Returns <tt>true</tt> if this parameter has a specified minimal
     * value, or <tt>false</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return true if there is a minimum value.
     */
    public boolean hasMinValue() ;

    /**
     * Returns <tt>true</tt> if this parameter has a specified maximal
     * value, or <tt>false</tt> otherwise.
     *
     * @return true if there is a maximum value.
     */
    public boolean hasMaxValue() ;

    /**
     * Tests whether <var>obj</var> is a valid value for the parameter
     * described by this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance.
     *
     * @param obj the object to be tested.
     *
     * @return <code>true</code> if <var>obj</var> is a valid value
     * for for the parameter described by this
     * <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance,
     * <code>false</code> otherwise.
     */
    public boolean isValue(Object obj) ;


    /**
     * Compares the specified <var>obj</var> parameter with this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance for equality. 
     * <p>
     * Returns <tt>true</tt> if and only if all of the following statements are true:
     * <ul>
     * <li><var>obj</var> is non null,</li>
     * <li><var>obj</var> also implements the <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> interface,</li>
     * <li>their names are equal</li>
     * <li>their open types are equal</li>
     * <li>their default, min, max and legal values are equal.</li>
     * </ul>
     * This ensures that this <tt>equals</tt> method works properly for <var>obj</var> parameters which are
     * different implementations of the <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> interface.
     * <br> 
     * @param  obj  the object to be compared for equality with this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance;
     * 
     * @return  <code>true</code> if the specified object is equal to this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance.
     */
    public boolean equals(Object obj);

    /**
     * Returns the hash code value for this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance. 
     * <p>
     * The hash code of an <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance is the sum of the hash codes
     * of all elements of information used in <code>equals</code> comparisons 
     * (ie: its name, its <i>open type</i>, and its default, min, max and legal values). 
     * <p>
     * This ensures that <code> t1.equals(t2) </code> implies that <code> t1.hashCode()==t2.hashCode() </code> 
     * for any two <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instances <code>t1</code> and <code>t2</code>, 
     * as required by the general contract of the method
     * {@link Object#hashCode() Object.hashCode()}.
     * <p>
     *
     * @return  the hash code value for this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance
     */
    public int hashCode();

    /**
     * Returns a string representation of this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance. 
     * <p>
     * The string representation consists of the name of this class (ie <code>javax.management.openmbean.OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code>), 
     * the string representation of the name and open type of the described parameter, 
     * and the string representation of its default, min, max and legal values.
     * 
     * @return  a string representation of this <code>OpenMBeanParameterInfo</code> instance
     */
    public String toString();

}