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/*
 * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */

package javax.xml.bind.annotation;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.adapters.XmlJavaTypeAdapter;
import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.FIELD;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.METHOD;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;

/**
 * 
 * A container for multiple @{@link XmlElement} annotations.
 *
 * Multiple annotations of the same type are not allowed on a program
 * element. This annotation therefore serves as a container annotation
 * for multiple @XmlElements as follows:
 *
 * 
 * @XmlElements({ @XmlElement(...),@XmlElement(...) })
 * 
 *
 * The @XmlElements annnotation can be used with the
 * following program elements: 
 * 
 *    a JavaBean property 
 *    non static, non transient field 
 * 
 *
 * This annotation is intended for annotation a JavaBean collection
 * property (e.g. List). 
 *
 * Usage
 *
 * The usage is subject to the following constraints:
 * 

 *    This annotation can be used with the following
 *        annotations: @{@link XmlIDREF}, @{@link XmlElementWrapper}. 
 *    If @XmlIDREF is also specified on the JavaBean property,
 *        then each @XmlElement.type() must contain a JavaBean
 *        property annotated with @XmlID.
 * 
 *
 * See "Package Specification" in javax.xml.bind.package javadoc for
 * additional common information.
 *
 * 
 * 
 * Example 1: Map to a list of elements
 *  *    
 *    // Mapped code fragment
 *    public class Foo {
 *        @XmlElements(
 *            @XmlElement(name="A", type=Integer.class),
 *            @XmlElement(name="B", type=Float.class)
 *         }
 *         public List items;
 *    }
 *
 *    <!-- XML Representation for a List of {1,2.5} 
 *            XML output is not wrapped using another element -->
 *    ...
 *     1 
 *     2.5 
 *    ...
 *
 *    <!-- XML Schema fragment -->
 *    <xs:complexType name="Foo">
 *      <xs:sequence>
 *        <xs:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
 *          <xs:element name="A" type="xs:int"/>
 *          <xs:element name="B" type="xs:float"/>
 *        <xs:choice>
 *      </xs:sequence>
 *    </xs:complexType>
 *
 * 
 *
 * Example 2: Map to a list of elements wrapped with another element
 * 
 *  * 
 *    // Mapped code fragment
 *    public class Foo {
 *        @XmlElementWrapper(name="bar")
 *        @XmlElements(
 *            @XmlElement(name="A", type=Integer.class),
 *            @XmlElement(name="B", type=Float.class)
 *        }
 *        public List items;
 *    }
 *
 *    <!-- XML Schema fragment -->
 *    <xs:complexType name="Foo">
 *      <xs:sequence>
 *        <xs:element name="bar">
 *          <xs:complexType>
 *            <xs:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
 *              <xs:element name="A" type="xs:int"/>
 *              <xs:element name="B" type="xs:float"/>
 *            </xs:choice>
 *          </xs:complexType>
 *        </xs:element>
 *      </xs:sequence>
 *    </xs:complexType>
 * 
 *
 * Example 3: Change element name based on type using an adapter. 
 * 
 *  *    class Foo {
 *       @XmlJavaTypeAdapter(QtoPAdapter.class)
 *       @XmlElements({
 *           @XmlElement(name="A",type=PX.class),
 *           @XmlElement(name="B",type=PY.class)
 *       })
 *       Q bar;
 *    }
 * 
 *    @XmlType abstract class P {...}
 *    @XmlType(name="PX") class PX extends P {...}
 *    @XmlType(name="PY") class PY extends P {...}
 *
 *    <!-- XML Schema fragment -->
 *    <xs:complexType name="Foo">
 *      <xs:sequence>
 *        <xs:element name="bar">
 *          <xs:complexType>
 *            <xs:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
 *              <xs:element name="A" type="PX"/>
 *              <xs:element name="B" type="PY"/>
 *            </xs:choice>
 *          </xs:complexType>
 *        </xs:element>
 *      </xs:sequence>
 *    </xs:complexType>
 * 
 * 
 * @author Kohsuke Kawaguchi, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sekhar Vajjhala, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 * @see XmlElement 
 * @see XmlElementRef
 * @see XmlElementRefs
 * @see XmlJavaTypeAdapter
 * @since JAXB2.0
 */
@Retention(RUNTIME) @Target({FIELD,METHOD})
public @interface XmlElements {
    /**
     * Collection of @{@link XmlElement} annotations
     */
    XmlElement[] value();
}