/*
 * @(#)Transferable.java	1.3 97/02/12
 * 
 * Copyright (c) 1995, 1996 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 * 
 * This software is the confidential and proprietary information of Sun
 * Microsystems, Inc. ("Confidential Information").  You shall not
 * disclose such Confidential Information and shall use it only in
 * accordance with the terms of the license agreement you entered into
 * with Sun.
 * 
 * SUN MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE
 * SOFTWARE, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE
 * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 * PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. SUN SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
 * SUFFERED BY LICENSEE AS A RESULT OF USING, MODIFYING OR DISTRIBUTING
 * THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS DERIVATIVES.
 * 
 * CopyrightVersion 1.1_beta
 * 
 */

package java.awt.datatransfer;

import java.io.IOException;

/**
 * Defines the interface for classes that can be used to provide data
 * for a transfer operation.
 *
 * @version 	1.3, 12 Feb 1997
 * @author	Amy Fowler  
 */

public interface Transferable {

    /**
     * Returns an array of DataFlavor objects indicating the flavors the data 
     * can be provided in.  The array should be ordered according to preference
     * for providing the data (from most richly descriptive to least descriptive).
     * @return an array of data flavors in which this data can be transferred
     */
    public DataFlavor[] getTransferDataFlavors();

    /**
     * Returns whether or not the specified data flavor is supported for
     * this object.
     * @param flavor the requested flavor for the data
     * @return boolean indicating wjether or not the data flavor is supported
     */
    public boolean isDataFlavorSupported(DataFlavor flavor);

    /**
     * Returns an object which represents the data to be transferred.  The class 
     * of the object returned is defined by the representation class of the flavor.
     *
     * @param flavor the requested flavor for the data
     * @see DataFlavor#getRepresentationClass
     * @exception IOException                if the data is no longer available
     *              in the requested flavor.
     * @exception UnsupportedFlavorException if the requested data flavor is
     *              not supported.
     */
    public Object getTransferData(DataFlavor flavor) throws UnsupportedFlavorException, IOException;

}
