/*

 * Copyright (c) 1998, 2002, 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 java.beans.beancontext;

/**

 * <p>

 * This interface is implemented by a JavaBean that does

 * not directly have a BeanContext(Child) associated with

 * it (via implementing that interface or a subinterface thereof),

 * but has a public BeanContext(Child) delegated from it.

 * For example, a subclass of java.awt.Container may have a BeanContext

 * associated with it that all Component children of that Container shall

 * be contained within.

 * </p>

 * <p>

 * An Object may not implement this interface and the

 * BeanContextChild interface

 * (or any subinterfaces thereof) they are mutually exclusive.

 * </p>

 * <p>

 * Callers of this interface shall examine the return type in order to

 * obtain a particular subinterface of BeanContextChild as follows:

 * <code>

 * BeanContextChild bcc = o.getBeanContextProxy();

 *

 * if (bcc instanceof BeanContext) {

 *      // ...

 * }

 * </code>

 * or

 * <code>

 * BeanContextChild bcc = o.getBeanContextProxy();

 * BeanContext      bc  = null;

 *

 * try {

 *     bc = (BeanContext)bcc;

 * } catch (ClassCastException cce) {

 *     // cast failed, bcc is not an instanceof BeanContext

 * }

 * </code>

 * </p>

 * <p>

 * The return value is a constant for the lifetime of the implementing

 * instance

 * </p>

 * @author Laurence P. G. Cable

 * @since 1.2

 *

 * @see java.beans.beancontext.BeanContextChild

 * @see java.beans.beancontext.BeanContextChildSupport

 */

public interface BeanContextProxy {

    /**

     * Gets the <code>BeanContextChild</code> (or subinterface)

     * associated with this object.

     * @return the <code>BeanContextChild</code> (or subinterface)

     * associated with this object

     */

    BeanContextChild getBeanContextProxy();

}