/*************************************************************************
 *
 *  $RCSfile: GroupAccess.idl,v $
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 *  last change: $Author: mi $ $Date: 2003/01/21 17:41:03 $
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 *  Sun Microsystems Inc., October, 2000
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 *  GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1
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 *  Copyright 2000 by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
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 *  Sun Industry Standards Source License Version 1.1
 *  =================================================
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#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_GroupAccess_idl__
#define __com_sun_star_configuration_GroupAccess_idl__

#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_HierarchyAccess_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/configuration/HierarchyAccess.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_PropertyHierarchy_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/configuration/PropertyHierarchy.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_beans_XPropertyState_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/beans/XPropertyState.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_beans_XMultiPropertyState_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/beans/XMultiPropertyStates.idl>
#endif

//=============================================================================

module com { module sun { module star { module configuration { 

//=============================================================================
/** provides access to a predefined heterogeneous group of values and nested
 trees as part of a hierarchy.
 
 <p>Provides access to, and information about, its children and descendants
 viewed either as properties or as contained elements.
 </p>

 <p><em>Groups</em> are static collections within the hierarchy.</p>

 <p>The number and names of contained elements are fixed in advance
 and each child may have a different type.
 </p>

 <p>This service subsumes two alternate ways of accessing child and descendent
 elements. These strongly overlap, supporting the basic identity
 <code>xGroup.getPropertyValue( aName ) == xGroup.getByName( aName )</code>.
 </p>

 @see com::sun::star::configuration::GroupElement
	Child objects of this service generally implement service GroupElement.

 @see com::sun::star::configuration::SetAccess
	A complementary service providing for dynamic homogeneous sets of elements.

*/
service GroupAccess
{
/** is the basic service for accessing child and descendent nodes using
 a view of the tree as a container of values and structuring elements.
*/
	service HierarchyAccess;

/** is the basic service for accessing child and descendent nodes using
 a view of the tree as a hierarchy of properties and subproperties.

 <p>This view is meaningful only for a static fragment of the hierarchy
 Objects' properties may change, but not which properties they have.
 Therefore, dynamic elements of the hierarchy (see <type>SetAccess</type>)
 do not implement service <type>PropertyHierarchy</type>.
 </p>

 <p>If such elements occur as properties or subproperties of an implementation,
 it is not specified whether direct subproperty access using 
 <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XHierarchicalPropertySet</type> or
 <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XMultiHierarchicalPropertySet</type> can
 be used to access descendants of such elements.
 </p>

 <p>Similarly, information about such descendants may not be available from
 the <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XHierarchicalPropertySetInfo</type>
 the implementation provides.
 </p>

 <p>If an implementation is part of a <em>read-only</em> view of the hierarchy,
 all properties and subproperties will be reported as having attribute
 <const scope="com::sun::star::beans">PropertyAttribute::READONLY</const> set,
 and attempts to change property values will fail.
 </p>
*/
	service PropertyHierarchy;

/** provides access to the state of child elements of an implementation. [optional]
 
 <p>This interface may be missing if the hierarchy (or a hierarchy fragment
 that contains this implementation as element) does not support default values.
 </p>
 
 <p>If elements that are not simple values, but objects themselves, support
 a default state (as indicated by 
 <const scope="com::sun::star::beans">PropertyAttribute::MAYBEDEFAULT</const>),
 they should implement 
 <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XPropertyWithState</type>, in which case
 the <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">PropertyState</type> applies to all
 their children and recursively to all descendants. 
 </p>

 <p>If an implementation is part of a <em>read-only</em> view of the hierarchy,
 attempts to change property states will fail.
 </p>
*/
	[optional] interface com::sun::star::beans::XPropertyState;

/** provides access to the states of multiple child elements of 
 an implementation. [optional]
 
 <p>This interface may be missing if the hierarchy (or a hierarchy fragment
 that contains this implementation as element) does not support default values.
 </p>
 
 <p>If elements that are not simple values, but objects themselves, support
 a default state (as indicated by 
 <const scope="com::sun::star::beans">PropertyAttribute::MAYBEDEFAULT</const>),
 they should implement 
 <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XPropertyWithState</type>, in which case
 the <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">PropertyState</type> applies to all
 their children and recursively to all descendants. 
 </p>

 <p>If an implementation is part of a <em>read-only</em> view of the hierarchy,
 attempts to change property states will fail.
 </p>
*/
	[optional] interface com::sun::star::beans::XMultiPropertyStates;
};

//=============================================================================

}; }; }; }; 

#endif

