/*
* Copyright (c) 2000, 2004, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
* DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
*
* This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
* under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
* published by the Free Software Foundation. Oracle designates this
* particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
* by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
*
* This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
* ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
* version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
* accompanied this code).
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
* 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
* Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
*
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*/
package javax.print.attribute;
import java.io.Serializable;
/**
* Interface Attribute is the base interface implemented by any and every
* printing attribute class to indicate that the class represents a
* printing attribute. All printing attributes are serializable.
* <P>
*
* @author David Mendenhall
* @author Alan Kaminsky
*/
public interface Attribute extends Serializable {
/**
* Get the printing attribute class which is to be used as the "category"
* for this printing attribute value when it is added to an attribute set.
*
* @return Printing attribute class (category), an instance of class
* {@link java.lang.Class java.lang.Class}.
*/
public Class<? extends Attribute> getCategory();
/**
* Get the name of the category of which this attribute value is an
* instance.
* <P>
* <I>Note:</I> This method is intended to provide a default, nonlocalized
* string for the attribute's category. If two attribute objects return the
* same category from the <CODE>getCategory()</CODE> method, they should
* return the same name from the <CODE>getName()</CODE> method.
*
* @return Attribute category name.
*/
public String getName();
}