/*************************************************************************
 *
 *  $RCSfile: XBackendEntities.idl,v $
 *
 *  $Revision: 1.2 $
 *
 *  last change: $Author: rt $ $Date: 2003/04/17 14:17:46 $
 *
 *  The Contents of this file are made available subject to the terms of
 *  either of the following licenses
 *
 *         - GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1
 *         - Sun Industry Standards Source License Version 1.1
 *
 *  Sun Microsystems Inc., October, 2000
 *
 *  GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1
 *  =============================================
 *  Copyright 2000 by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 *  901 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
 *
 *  This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 *  modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
 *  License version 2.1, as published by the Free Software Foundation.
 *
 *  This library 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
 *  Lesser General Public License for more details.
 *
 *  You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
 *  License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
 *  Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston,
 *  MA  02111-1307  USA
 *
 *
 *  Sun Industry Standards Source License Version 1.1
 *  =================================================
 *  The contents of this file are subject to the Sun Industry Standards
 *  Source License Version 1.1 (the "License"); You may not use this file
 *  except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the
 *  License at http://www.openoffice.org/license.html.
 *
 *  Software provided under this License is provided on an "AS IS" basis,
 *  WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING,
 *  WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES THAT THE SOFTWARE IS FREE OF DEFECTS,
 *  MERCHANTABLE, FIT FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGING.
 *  See the License for the specific provisions governing your rights and
 *  obligations concerning the Software.
 *
 *  The Initial Developer of the Original Code is: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 *
 *  Copyright: 2002 by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 *
 *  All Rights Reserved.
 *
 *  Contributor(s): _______________________________________
 *
 *
 ************************************************************************/
#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_XBackendEntities_idl__
#define __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_XBackendEntities_idl__

#ifndef __com_sun_star_uno_XInterface_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/uno/XInterface.idl>
#endif 

#ifndef __com_sun_star_lang_IllegalArgumentException_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/lang/IllegalArgumentException.idl>
#endif 
#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_BackendAccessException_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/configuration/backend/BackendAccessException.idl>
#endif 

//============================================================================= 

module com { module sun { module star { module configuration { module backend {

//============================================================================= 

/** 
  Provides functionality relating to common and supported entities 
  for a configuration data backend. 
 
  @see com::sun::star::configuration::backend::XBackend
  @see com::sun::star::configuration::backend::XMultiLayerStratum

  @since #107954#
*/
interface XBackendEntities : ::com::sun::star::uno::XInterface 
{
	//------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

    /** 
        provides the entity id of the owner entity of the backend.

        @returns   
            an entity identifier for the owner entity.
            <p> The owner entity is the default entity for the backend. 
               For normal configuration data access the owner entity 
               should always be used. 
            </p>

        @see com::sun::star::configuration::backend::XBackend::listOwnLayers()
        @see com::sun::star::configuration::backend::XBackend::getOwnUpdateHandler()
	*/
    string getOwnerEntity() ;

	//------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

    /** 
        provides the entity id of an entity for general administrative access.

        <p> The admin entity is an entity that should be used to 
           read and manage configuration data that applies to all entities 
           within the backend.  
        </p>

        @returns   
            an entity identifier for the admin entity or 
            an empty string, if there is no entity that can be used for 
            general administrative access.

	*/
    string getAdminEntity() ;

	//------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

    /** 
        determines, if a given entity id exists in this backend.
      
        @param aEntity    
            The name of an entity. 

        @throws   com::sun::star::configuration::backend::BackendAccessException
                if an error occurs while accessing the backend.
  
        @returns 
            <TRUE/>, if aEntity is a valid, existing entity for this backend, 
            <FALSE/> otherwise.
	*/
    boolean supportsEntity([in] string aEntity) 
        raises( BackendAccessException );

	//------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

    /** 
        determines, if two given entity ids denote the same entity.

        @param aEntity    
            The name of an entity. 

        @param aOtherEntity    
            The name of another entity. 

        @returns 
            <TRUE/>, if aEntity and aOtherEntity denote the same entity 
            within this backend, <FALSE/> otherwise.

        @throws   com::sun::star::configuration::backend::BackendAccessException
                if an error occurs while accessing the backend.
  
        @throws   com::sun::star::lang::IllegalArgumentException
            if either entity does not exist.
	*/
    boolean isEqualEntity([in] string aEntity, [in] string aOtherEntity) 
        raises( BackendAccessException, com::sun::star::lang::IllegalArgumentException) ;

	//------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
} ;

//============================================================================= 

} ; } ; } ; } ; } ;

#endif 
