/*
 * @(#)RelationSupportMBean.java	1.21 05/11/17
 * 
 * Copyright 2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */

package javax.management.relation;

/**
 * A RelationSupport object is used internally by the Relation Service to
 * represent simple relations (only roles, no properties or methods), with an
 * unlimited number of roles, of any relation type. As internal representation,
 * it is not exposed to the user.
 * <P>RelationSupport class conforms to the design patterns of standard MBean. So
 * the user can decide to instantiate a RelationSupport object himself as
 * a MBean (as it follows the MBean design patterns), to register it in the
 * MBean Server, and then to add it in the Relation Service.
 * <P>The user can also, when creating his own MBean relation class, have it
 * extending RelationSupport, to retrieve the implementations of required
 * interfaces (see below).
 * <P>It is also possible to have in a user relation MBean class a member
 * being a RelationSupport object, and to implement the required interfaces by
 * delegating all to this member.
 * <P> RelationSupport implements the Relation interface (to be handled by the
 * Relation Service).
 *
 * @since 1.5
 */
public interface RelationSupportMBean extends Relation {

    /**
     * Returns an internal flag specifying if the object is still handled by
     * the Relation Service.
     *
     * @return a Boolean equal to {@link Boolean#TRUE} if the object
     * is still handled by the Relation Service and {@link
     * Boolean#FALSE} otherwise.
     */
    public Boolean isInRelationService();

    /**
     * <p>Specifies whether this relation is handled by the Relation
     * Service.</p>
     * <P>BEWARE, this method has to be exposed as the Relation Service will
     * access the relation through its management interface. It is RECOMMENDED
     * NOT to use this method. Using it does not affect the registration of the
     * relation object in the Relation Service, but will provide wrong
     * information about it!
     *
     * @param flag whether the relation is handled by the Relation Service.
     * 
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException  if null parameter
     */
    public void setRelationServiceManagementFlag(Boolean flag)
	throws IllegalArgumentException;
}