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30 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_ConfigurationAccess_idl__
31 #define __com_sun_star_configuration_ConfigurationAccess_idl__
33 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_HierarchyAccess_idl__
34 #include <com/sun/star/configuration/HierarchyAccess.idl>
35 #endif
37 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_HierarchyElement_idl__
38 #include <com/sun/star/configuration/HierarchyElement.idl>
39 #endif
41 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_SetAccess_idl__
42 #include <com/sun/star/configuration/SetAccess.idl>
43 #endif
45 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_GroupAccess_idl__
46 #include <com/sun/star/configuration/GroupAccess.idl>
47 #endif
49 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_AccessRootElement_idl__
50 #include <com/sun/star/configuration/AccessRootElement.idl>
51 #endif
53 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_SetElement_idl__
54 #include <com/sun/star/configuration/SetElement.idl>
55 #endif
57 #ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_GroupElement_idl__
58 #include <com/sun/star/configuration/GroupElement.idl>
59 #endif
61 //=============================================================================
63 module com { module sun { module star { module configuration {
65 //=============================================================================
66 /** provides read access to a fragment of the configuration hierarchy.
68 <p>Values that are direct or indirect descendants of a root element can be
69 retrieved and, if themselves objects, navigated. Other interfaces provide
70 access to information about this element and its context.
71 Changes to values in the hierarchy can be monitored by event listeners.
72 </p>
74 <p>Descendants of this service also implement this service.
75 </p>
77 <p>Ultimately the configuration holds values. These values are organized into
78 a hierarchy using structural elements. The structure is defined in advance in
79 a schema. Necessary information from the schema is stored in the configuration
80 repository itself and is accessible through an implementation of this service.
81 </p>
83 <p>Two different kinds of structural elements are used in the configuration
84 hierarchy:
85 </p>
86 <dl>
87 <dt>Sets</dt>
88 <dd>are dynamic containers of homogeneous elements. Which elements
89 a <em>set</em> contains can vary. Their names are defined by the
90 clients that insert them. On the other hand, the <em>type</em> of
91 the elements is the same for all elements. In the case of elements
92 that are themselves hierarchy objects, the <em>type</em> includes
93 the structure of the hierarchy fragment they contain. Such types
94 are defined in the configuration schema as <em>templates</em>.
95 </dd>
97 <dt>Groups</dt>
98 <dd>are static collections of heterogeneous elements. The names and
99 types of the elements of a <em>group</em> are completely defined in the
100 configuration schema. Here each element may be of a different
101 <em>type</em>, allowing <em>groups</em> that contain a mix of
102 subobjects and simple values.
103 </dd>
104 </dl>
106 <p>Objects in the configuration hierarchy, for example, implementations of this service,
107 can thus be classified in the following ways:
108 </p>
109 <ul>
110 <li><em>Container</em> role:
111 An object that can hold child elements as a <em>set</em> or a <em>group</em>.
112 </li>
113 <li><em>Element</em> role:
114 An object may be an element of a <em>set</em> or a <em>group</em>
115 or else it may be the root element.
116 </li>
117 </ul>
119 <p>Several types of simple <em>values</em> can be used in the configuration.
120 In addition to the basic (scalar) types, sequences of the basic types are
121 supported. The basic types are:
122 </p>
124 <ul>
125 <li><strong>string</strong> can hold a human-readable text.
126 <p>Values are represented as <atom>string</atom>.</p>
127 <p>Sequences are represented as <atom dim="[]">string</atom>.</p>
128 <p>'<em>human-readable</em>' here excludes non-printing characters
129 except for CR, LF and TAB [Unicode code points 9,10,13].
130 For binary data, use type <strong>binary</strong> instead.</p>
131 </li>
132 <li><strong>boolean</strong> can hold the values <TRUE/> or <FALSE/>.
133 <p>Values are represented as <atom>boolean</atom>.
134 <p>Sequences are represented as <atom dim="[]">boolean</atom>.</p>
135 </li>
136 <li><strong>short</strong> can hold a 16-bit signed integer.
137 <p>Values are represented as <atom>short</atom>.</p>
138 <p>Sequences are represented as <atom dim="[]">short</atom>.</p>
139 </li>
140 <li><strong>int</strong> can hold a 32-bit signed integer.
141 <p>Values are represented as <atom>long</atom>.</p>
142 <p>Sequences are represented as <atom dim="[]">long</atom>.</p>
143 </li>
144 <li><strong>long</strong> can hold a 64-bit signed integer.
145 <p>Values are represented as <atom>hyper</atom>.</p>
146 <p>Sequences are represented as <atom dim="[]">hyper</atom>.</p>
147 </li>
148 <li><strong>double</strong> can hold a floating point number.
149 <p>Values are represented as <atom>double</atom>.</p>
150 <p>Sequences are represented as <atom dim="[]">double</atom>.</p>
151 </li>
152 <li><strong>binary</strong> can hold a sequence of octets.
153 <p>Values are represented as <atom dim="[]">byte</atom>.</p>
154 <p>Sequences are represented as <atom dim="[][]">byte</atom>.</p>
155 </li>
156 </ul>
158 <p>Within templates an additional type <strong>any</strong> can occur. When
159 such a template is used to create a new <type>SetElement</type>, the type
160 of the element is initially reported as <atom>any</atom> (having no value).
161 When the value of such an element is first set, it will assume the type used.
162 </p>
164 <p>If the schema marks a value as <em>nullable</em> (which is indicated by
165 attribute <const scope="com::sun::star::beans">PropertyAttribute::MAYBEVOID</const> ),
166 its contents may be <NULL/>.
167 </p>
169 <p>The configuration should support explicit access to default values
170 (implementing <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XPropertyState</type>
171 and <type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XPropertyWithState</type>).
172 </p>
174 @see ConfigurationProvider
175 Root instances of this service can be requested from a
176 <type>ConfigurationProvider</type>.
178 @see ConfigurationUpdateAccess
179 an extended service that includes facilities for modifying
180 configuration data.
182 published service ConfigurationAccess
184 /** provides interfaces to access child and descendent elements.
186 <p>An implementation actually implements a specialization of this service,
187 which depends on its <em>Container</em> role.
188 </p>
190 <p>Implementations shall implement exactly one of:</p>
191 <ul>
192 <li><type>SetAccess</type> if this element is a <em>Set</em>.</li>
193 <li><type>GroupAccess</type> if this element is a <em>Group</em>.</li>
194 </ul>
196 service HierarchyAccess;
198 /** provides interfaces to obtain information about this element and its
199 role and context in the hierarchy.
201 <p>An implementation actually implements a specialization of this service,
202 which depends on its <em>Element</em> role.
203 </p>
205 <p>Implementations shall implement exactly one of:</p>
206 <ul>
207 <li><type>AccessRootElement</type> if this element is the
208 <em>Root</em> of the whole hierarchy. Objects that can be
209 created directly by a <type>ConfigurationProvider</type>
210 implement this service.</li>
211 <li><type>SetElement</type> if this element may be contained in a
212 <em>Set</em>.</li>
213 <li><type>GroupElement</type> if this element is a child of a
214 <em>Group</em>.</li>
215 </ul>
218 service HierarchyElement;
220 /** specializes <type>HierarchyAccess</type>, if this element is a <em>Set</em>.
222 <p>This is an alternative to <type>GroupAccess</type>.
223 </p>
225 [optional] service SetAccess;
227 /** specializes <type>HierarchyAccess</type>,
228 if this element is a <em>Group</em>.
229 <p>This is an alternative to <type>SetAccess</type>.
230 </p>
232 [optional] service GroupAccess;
234 /** specializes <type>HierarchyElement</type>,
235 if this element is the <em>Root</em> of the whole hierarchy.
236 <p>This is an alternative to <type>SetElement</type>
237 or <type>GroupElement</type>.
238 </p>
240 @see ConfigurationProvider
241 Instances obtained from a <type>ConfigurationProvider</type> will
242 implement this version of <type>HierarchyElement</type>.
244 [optional] service AccessRootElement;
246 /** specializes <type>HierarchyElement</type>,
247 if this element may be contained in a <em>Set</em>.
248 <p>This is an alternative to <type>AccessRootElement</type>
249 or <type>GroupElement</type>.
250 </p>
252 [optional] service SetElement;
254 /** specializes <type>HierarchyElement</type>,
255 if this element is a child of a <em>Group</em>.
256 <p>This is an alternative to <type>AccessRootElement</type>
257 or <type>SetElement</type>.
258 </p>
260 [optional] service GroupElement;
263 //=============================================================================
265 }; }; }; };
267 #endif