/*

 * Copyright 2000-2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  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.  Sun designates this

 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided

 * by Sun 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.

 *

 * Please contact Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara,

 * CA 95054 USA or visit www.sun.com if you need additional information or

 * have any questions.

 */

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();

}