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

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 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License

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 * accompanied this code).

 *

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package java.security.cert;

/**

 * A specification of {@code CertStore} parameters.

 * <p>

 * The purpose of this interface is to group (and provide type safety for)

 * all {@code CertStore} parameter specifications. All

 * {@code CertStore} parameter specifications must implement this

 * interface.

 * <p>

 * Typically, a {@code CertStoreParameters} object is passed as a parameter

 * to one of the {@link CertStore#getInstance CertStore.getInstance} methods.

 * The {@code getInstance} method returns a {@code CertStore} that

 * is used for retrieving {@code Certificate}s and {@code CRL}s. The

 * {@code CertStore} that is returned is initialized with the specified

 * parameters. The type of parameters needed may vary between different types

 * of {@code CertStore}s.

 *

 * @see CertStore#getInstance

 *

 * @since       1.4

 * @author      Steve Hanna

 */

public interface CertStoreParameters extends Cloneable {

    /**

     * Makes a copy of this {@code CertStoreParameters}.

     * <p>

     * The precise meaning of "copy" may depend on the class of

     * the {@code CertStoreParameters} object. A typical implementation

     * performs a "deep copy" of this object, but this is not an absolute

     * requirement. Some implementations may perform a "shallow copy" of some

     * or all of the fields of this object.

     * <p>

     * Note that the {@code CertStore.getInstance} methods make a copy

     * of the specified {@code CertStoreParameters}. A deep copy

     * implementation of {@code clone} is safer and more robust, as it

     * prevents the caller from corrupting a shared {@code CertStore} by

     * subsequently modifying the contents of its initialization parameters.

     * However, a shallow copy implementation of {@code clone} is more

     * appropriate for applications that need to hold a reference to a

     * parameter contained in the {@code CertStoreParameters}. For example,

     * a shallow copy clone allows an application to release the resources of

     * a particular {@code CertStore} initialization parameter immediately,

     * rather than waiting for the garbage collection mechanism. This should

     * be done with the utmost care, since the {@code CertStore} may still

     * be in use by other threads.

     * <p>

     * Each subclass should state the precise behavior of this method so

     * that users and developers know what to expect.

     *

     * @return a copy of this {@code CertStoreParameters}

     */

    Object clone();

}