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* accompanied this code).
*
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package ajava.beans;
import java.awt.Image;
/**
* Use the {@code BeanInfo} interface
* to create a {@code BeanInfo} class
* and provide explicit information about the methods,
* properties, events, and other features of your beans.
*
* When developing your bean, you can implement
* the bean features required for your application task
* omitting the rest of the {@code BeanInfo} features.
* They will be obtained through the automatic analysis
* by using the low-level reflection of the bean methods
* and applying standard design patterns.
* You have an opportunity to provide additional bean information
* through various descriptor classes.
*
* See the {@link SimpleBeanInfo} class that is
* a convenient basic class for {@code BeanInfo} classes.
* You can override the methods and properties of
* the {@code SimpleBeanInfo} class to define specific information.
*
* See also the {@link Introspector} class to learn more about bean behavior.
*/
public interface BeanInfo {
/**
* Returns the bean descriptor
* that provides overall information about the bean,
* such as its display name or its customizer.
*
* @return a {@link BeanDescriptor} object,
* or {@code null} if the information is to
* be obtained through the automatic analysis
*/
BeanDescriptor getBeanDescriptor();
/**
* Returns the event descriptors of the bean
* that define the types of events fired by this bean.
*
* @return an array of {@link EventSetDescriptor} objects,
* or {@code null} if the information is to
* be obtained through the automatic analysis
*/
EventSetDescriptor[] getEventSetDescriptors();
/**
* A bean may have a default event typically applied when this bean is used.
*
* @return index of the default event in the {@code EventSetDescriptor} array
* returned by the {@code getEventSetDescriptors} method,
* or -1 if there is no default event
*/
int getDefaultEventIndex();
/**
* Returns descriptors for all properties of the bean.
*
* If a property is indexed, then its entry in the result array
* belongs to the {@link IndexedPropertyDescriptor} subclass
* of the {@link PropertyDescriptor} class.
* A client of the {@code getPropertyDescriptors} method
* can use the {@code instanceof} operator to check
* whether a given {@code PropertyDescriptor}
* is an {@code IndexedPropertyDescriptor}.
*
* @return an array of {@code PropertyDescriptor} objects,
* or {@code null} if the information is to
* be obtained through the automatic analysis
*/
PropertyDescriptor[] getPropertyDescriptors();
/**
* A bean may have a default property commonly updated when this bean is customized.
*
* @return index of the default property in the {@code PropertyDescriptor} array
* returned by the {@code getPropertyDescriptors} method,
* or -1 if there is no default property
*/
int getDefaultPropertyIndex();
/**
* Returns the method descriptors of the bean
* that define the externally visible methods supported by this bean.
*
* @return an array of {@link MethodDescriptor} objects,
* or {@code null} if the information is to
* be obtained through the automatic analysis
*/
MethodDescriptor[] getMethodDescriptors();
/**
* This method enables the current {@code BeanInfo} object
* to return an arbitrary collection of other {@code BeanInfo} objects
* that provide additional information about the current bean.
*
* If there are conflicts or overlaps between the information
* provided by different {@code BeanInfo} objects,
* the current {@code BeanInfo} object takes priority
* over the additional {@code BeanInfo} objects.
* Array elements with higher indices take priority
* over the elements with lower indices.
*
* @return an array of {@code BeanInfo} objects,
* or {@code null} if there are no additional {@code BeanInfo} objects
*/
BeanInfo[] getAdditionalBeanInfo();
/**
* Returns an image that can be used to represent the bean in toolboxes or toolbars.
*
* There are four possible types of icons:
* 16 x 16 color, 32 x 32 color, 16 x 16 mono, and 32 x 32 mono.
* If you implement a bean so that it supports a single icon,
* it is recommended to use 16 x 16 color.
* Another recommendation is to set a transparent background for the icons.
*
* @param iconKind the kind of icon requested
* @return an image object representing the requested icon,
* or {@code null} if no suitable icon is available
*
* @see #ICON_COLOR_16x16
* @see #ICON_COLOR_32x32
* @see #ICON_MONO_16x16
* @see #ICON_MONO_32x32
*/
Image getIcon(int iconKind);
/**
* Constant to indicate a 16 x 16 color icon.
*/
final static int ICON_COLOR_16x16 = 1;
/**
* Constant to indicate a 32 x 32 color icon.
*/
final static int ICON_COLOR_32x32 = 2;
/**
* Constant to indicate a 16 x 16 monochrome icon.
*/
final static int ICON_MONO_16x16 = 3;
/**
* Constant to indicate a 32 x 32 monochrome icon.
*/
final static int ICON_MONO_32x32 = 4;
}