/*

 * Copyright (c) 1999, 2003, 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.

 *

 * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA

 * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any

 * questions.

 */

package javax.naming.ldap;

import javax.naming.NamingException;

/**

  * This interface is for returning controls with objects returned

  * in NamingEnumerations.

  * For example, suppose a server sends back controls with the results

  * of a search operation, the service provider would return a NamingEnumeration of

  * objects that are both SearchResult and implement HasControls.

  *<blockquote><pre>

  *   NamingEnumeration elts = ectx.search((Name)name, filter, sctls);

  *   while (elts.hasMore()) {

  *     Object entry = elts.next();

  *

  *     // Get search result

  *     SearchResult res = (SearchResult)entry;

  *     // do something with it

  *

  *     // Get entry controls

  *     if (entry instanceof HasControls) {

  *         Control[] entryCtls = ((HasControls)entry).getControls();

  *         // do something with controls

  *     }

  *   }

  *</pre></blockquote>

  *

  * @author Rosanna Lee

  * @author Scott Seligman

  * @author Vincent Ryan

  * @since 1.3

  *

  */

public interface HasControls {

    /**

      * Retrieves an array of {@code Control}s from the object that

      * implements this interface. It is null if there are no controls.

      *

      * @return A possibly null array of {@code Control} objects.

      * @throws NamingException If cannot return controls due to an error.

      */

    public Control[] getControls() throws NamingException;

}