1. /*

  2.  * @(#)Attribute.java	1.5 04/05/05

  3.  *

  4.  * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.

  5.  * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.

  6.  */

  7. 

  8. package javax.print.attribute;

  9. 

  10. import java.io.Serializable;

  11. 

  12. /**

  13.  * Interface Attribute is the base interface implemented by any and every 

  14.  * printing attribute class to indicate that the class represents a 

  15.  * printing attribute. All printing attributes are serializable. 

  16.  * <P>

  17.  *

  18.  * @author  David Mendenhall

  19.  * @author  Alan Kaminsky

  20.  */

  21. public interface Attribute extends Serializable {

  22. 

  23.   /**

  24.    * Get the printing attribute class which is to be used as the "category" 

  25.    * for this printing attribute value when it is added to an attribute set.

  26.    *

  27.    * @return  Printing attribute class (category), an instance of class

  28.    *          {@link java.lang.Class java.lang.Class}.

  29.    */

  30.   public Class<? extends Attribute> getCategory();

  31. 

  32.   /**

  33.    * Get the name of the category of which this attribute value is an 

  34.    * instance. 

  35.    * <P>

  36.    * <I>Note:</I> This method is intended to provide a default, nonlocalized 

  37.    * string for the attribute's category. If two attribute objects return the 

  38.    * same category from the <CODE>getCategory()</CODE> method, they should 

  39.    * return the same name from the <CODE>getName()</CODE> method. 

  40.    *

  41.    * @return  Attribute category name.

  42.    */

  43.   public String getName();

  44. 

  45. }