/*

 */

package com.sun.tracing;

/**

 * {@code Provider} is a superinterface for user-defined tracing providers.

 * <p>

 * To define tracepoints, users must extend this interface

 * and then use a {@code ProviderFactory} to create an instance of the

 * newly-defined interface.  Each method in the defined interface represents a

 * tracepoint (or probe), which can be triggered by calling the associated

 * method on the returned instance.

 * <p>

 * This interface also contains a {@code getProbe()} method, which can be

 * used to get direct handles to the {@code Probe} objects themselves.

 * {@code Probe} objects can be triggered manually, or they can be queried to

 * check their state.

 * <p>

 * When an application has finished triggering probes, it should call

 * {@code dispose()} to free up any system resources associated with the

 * Provider.

 * <p>

 * All methods declared in a subclass of this interface should have a

 * {@code void} return type. Methods can have parameters, and when called the

 * values of the arguments will be passed to the tracing implementation.

 * If any methods do not have a {@code void} return type, an

 * {@code java.lang.IllegalArgumentException} will be thrown when the

 * provider is registered.

 * @since 1.7

 */

public interface Provider {

    /**

     * Retrieves a reference to a Probe object, which is used to check status

     * or to trigger the probe manually.

     *

     * If the provided method parameter is not a method of the provider

     * interface,  or if the provider interface has been disposed, then

     * this returns null

     *

     * @param method a method declared in the provider.

     * @return the specified probe represented by that method, or null.

     */

    Probe getProbe(java.lang.reflect.Method method);

    /**

     * Disposes system resources associated with this provider.

     *

     * After calling this method, triggering the probes will have no effect.

     * Additional calls to this method after the first call are ignored.

     */

    void dispose();

}