/* java.beans.DesignMode
   Copyright (C) 1999, 2006, Free Software Foundation, Inc.

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package java.beans;

/**
 * <code>BeanContextChild</code> implementors implement this to get information
 * about whether they are in a design time or runtime environment.
 * The reason this is restricted to <code>BeanContextChild</code>ren is that
 * only things in the <code>BeanContext</code> hierarchy are given this
 * information in the first place.
 *
 * @author John Keiser
 * @since JDK1.2
 * @see java.beans.beancontext.BeanContextChild
 */
public interface DesignMode 
{

  /**
   * Use this name when firing <code>PropertyChangeEvent</code>s from your Bean.
   */
  String PROPERTYNAME = "designTime";

  /**
   * The environment will call this method on your
   * <code>BeanContextChild</code> when it is registered in a parent
   * <code>BeanContext</code> or when behavior needs to switch from
   * design time to runtime behavior (or vice versa).
   * <P>
   *
   * <code>BeanContext</code>s are required to fire
   * <code>PropertyChangeEvent</code>s when properties change.
   * <code>designTime</code> is a property, and therefore when you
   * implement <code>setDesignTime()</code>, you need to fire a
   * <code>PropertyChangeEvent</code> with the old value, the new
   * value and using <code>PROPERTYNAME</code> as the property name.
   *
   * @param designTime the new value of design time,
   *        <code>true</code> if it is design time,
   *        <code>false</code> if it is runtime.
   *
   * @fixme I'm frankly not really sure whether it's the case that
   *        the BeanContext can <em>change</em> the status of the Bean from
   *        design time to runtime.  But it appears that it may be so.
   *
   * @see java.beans.PropertyChangeEvent
   * @see java.beans.beancontext.BeanContext
   * @see #PROPERTYNAME
   */
  void setDesignTime(boolean designTime);

  /**
   * This method should tell whether it is design time or runtime.
   * @return <code>true</code> if design time, <code>false</code> if
   *         runtime.
   */
  boolean isDesignTime();

}