/*************************************************************************
 *
 *  OpenOffice.org - a multi-platform office productivity suite
 *
 *  $RCSfile: Backend.idl,v $
 *
 *  $Revision: 1.5 $
 *
 *  last change: $Author: rt $ $Date: 2005-09-07 22:28:22 $
 *
 *  The Contents of this file are made available subject to
 *  the terms of GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1.
 *
 *
 *    GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1
 *    =============================================
 *    Copyright 2005 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
 *
 ************************************************************************/
#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_Backend_idl__
#define __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_Backend_idl__

#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_XBackend_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/configuration/backend/XBackend.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_XBackendEntities_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/configuration/backend/XBackendEntities.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_configuration_backend_XSchemaSupplier_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/configuration/backend/XSchemaSupplier.idl>
#endif

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

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

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

/**
    provides access to a configuration database composed of one or more
    storage backends containing settings used by software modules.

    <p> Configuration data is organized into layers which are selected
        by components and entities.
    </p>

    <p> Components are characterized by configuration schemas.
        A component contains configuration data for a particular
        application domain or software module.
    </p>
    <p> Entities are organised hierarchically in organisations,
        groups, roles and individual users. Each element of the associated
        hierarchy corresponds to a layer that applies to an entity.
    </p>
    <p> A layer contains data for multiple components
        associated to a single entity.
    <p>

    @since OOo 1.1.2
*/
published service Backend
{
    //-------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
      provides access to configuration schemas.
      */
    interface XSchemaSupplier ;

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

    /**
      provides access to the layer data.
      */
    interface XBackend ;

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

    /**
      provides information about supported and special entities.
      */
    [optional] interface XBackendEntities ;

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

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

} ; } ; } ; } ; } ;

#endif
