/*
 * @(#)IIOMetadataFormat.java	1.21 01/12/03
 *
 * Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */

package javax.imageio.metadata;

import java.util.Locale;
import javax.imageio.ImageTypeSpecifier;

/**
 * An object describing the structure of metadata documents returned
 * from <code>IIOMetadata.getAsTree</code> and passed to
 * <code>IIOMetadata.setFromTree</code> and <code>mergeTree</code>.
 * Document structures are described by a set of constraints on the
 * type and number of child elements that may belong to a given parent
 * element type, the names, types, and values of attributes that may
 * belong to an element, and the type and values of
 * <code>Object</code> reference that may be stored at a node.
 *
 * <p> N.B: classes that implement this interface should contain a
 * method declared as <code>public static getInstance()</code> which
 * returns an instance of the class.  Commonly, an implentation will
 * construct only a single instance and cache it for future
 * invocations of <code>getInstance</code>.
 *
 * <p> The structures that may be described by this class are a subset
 * of those expressible using XML document type definitions (DTDs),
 * with the addition of some basic information on the datatypes of
 * attributes and the ability to store an <code>Object</code>
 * reference within a node.  In the future, XML Schemas could be used
 * to represent these structures, and many others.
 *
 * <p> The differences between
 * <code>IIOMetadataFormat</code>-described structures and DTDs are as
 * follows:
 *
 * <ul>
 * <li> Elements may not contain text or mix text with embedded
 * tags.
 *
 * <li> The children of an element must conform to one of a few simple
 * patterns, described in the documentation for the
 * <code>CHILD_*</code> constants;
 *
 * <li> The in-memory representation of an elements may contain a
 * reference to an <code>Object</code>.  There is no provision for
 * representing such objects textually.
 * </ul>
 *
 * @version 0.5
 */
public interface IIOMetadataFormat {

    // Child policies

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getChildPolicy</code> to indicate
     * that an element may not have any children.  In other words, it
     * is required to be a leaf node.
     */
    int CHILD_POLICY_EMPTY = 0;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getChildPolicy</code> to indicate
     * that an element must have a single instance of each of its
     * legal child elements, in order.  In DTD terms, the contents of
     * the element are defined by a sequence <code>a,b,c,d,...</code>.
     */
    int CHILD_POLICY_ALL = 1;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getChildPolicy</code> to indicate
     * that an element must have zero or one instance of each of its
     * legal child elements, in order.  In DTD terms, the contents of
     * the element are defined by a sequence
     * <code>a?,b?,c?,d?,...</code>.
     */
    int CHILD_POLICY_SOME = 2;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getChildPolicy</code> to indicate
     * that an element must have zero or one children, selected from
     * among its legal child elements.  In DTD terms, the contents of
     * the element are defined by a selection
     * <code>a|b|c|d|...</code>.
     */
    int CHILD_POLICY_CHOICE = 3;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getChildPolicy</code> to indicate
     * that an element must have a sequence of instances of any of its
     * legal child elements.  In DTD terms, the contents of the
     * element are defined by a sequence <code>(a|b|c|d|...)*</code>.
     */
    int CHILD_POLICY_SEQUENCE = 4;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getChildPolicy</code> to indicate
     * that an element must have zero or more instances of its unique
     * legal child element.  In DTD terms, the contents of the element
     * are defined by a starred expression <code>a*</code>.
     */
    int CHILD_POLICY_REPEAT = 5;

    /**
     * The largest valid <code>CHILD_POLICY_*</code> constant,
     * to be used for range checks.
     */
    int CHILD_POLICY_MAX = CHILD_POLICY_REPEAT;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getObjectValueType</code> to
     * indicate the absence of a user object.
     */
    int VALUE_NONE = 0;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeValueType</code> and
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to indicate that the attribute
     * or user object may be set a single, arbitrary value.
     */
    int VALUE_ARBITRARY = 1;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeValueType</code> and
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to indicate that the attribute
     * or user object may be set a range of values.  Both the minimum
     * and maximum values of the range are exclusive.  It is
     * recommended that ranges of integers be inclusive on both ends,
     * and that exclusive ranges be used only for floating-point data.
     *
     * @see #VALUE_RANGE_MIN_MAX_INCLUSIVE
     */
    int VALUE_RANGE = 2;

    /**
     * A value that may be or'ed with <code>VALUE_RANGE</code> to
     * obtain <code>VALUE_RANGE_MIN_INCLUSIVE</code>, and with
     * <code>VALUE_RANGE_MAX_INCLUSIVE</code> to obtain
     * <code>VALUE_RANGE_MIN_MAX_INCLUSIVE</code>.
     *
     * <p> Similarly, the value may be and'ed with the value of
     * <code>getAttributeValueType</code>or
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to determine if the minimum
     * value of the range is inclusive.
     */
    int VALUE_RANGE_MIN_INCLUSIVE_MASK = 4;

    /**
     * A value that may be or'ed with <code>VALUE_RANGE</code> to
     * obtain <code>VALUE_RANGE_MAX_INCLUSIVE</code>, and with
     * <code>VALUE_RANGE_MIN_INCLUSIVE</code> to obtain
     * <code>VALUE_RANGE_MIN_MAX_INCLUSIVE</code>.
     *
     * <p> Similarly, the value may be and'ed with the value of
     * <code>getAttributeValueType</code>or
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to determine if the maximum
     * value of the range is inclusive.
     */
    int VALUE_RANGE_MAX_INCLUSIVE_MASK = 8;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeValueType</code> and
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to indicate that the attribute
     * or user object may be set to a range of values.  The minimum
     * (but not the maximum) value of the range is inclusive.
     */
    int VALUE_RANGE_MIN_INCLUSIVE = VALUE_RANGE |
        VALUE_RANGE_MIN_INCLUSIVE_MASK;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeValueType</code> and
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to indicate that the attribute
     * or user object may be set to a range of values.  The maximum
     * (but not the minimum) value of the range is inclusive.
     */
    int VALUE_RANGE_MAX_INCLUSIVE = VALUE_RANGE |
        VALUE_RANGE_MAX_INCLUSIVE_MASK;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeValueType</code> and
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to indicate that the attribute
     * or user object may be set a range of values.  Both the minimum
     * and maximum values of the range are inclusive.  It is
     * recommended that ranges of integers be inclusive on both ends,
     * and that exclusive ranges be used only for floating-point data.
     */
    int VALUE_RANGE_MIN_MAX_INCLUSIVE =
        VALUE_RANGE |
        VALUE_RANGE_MIN_INCLUSIVE_MASK | 
        VALUE_RANGE_MAX_INCLUSIVE_MASK;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeValueType</code> and
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to indicate that the attribute
     * or user object may be set one of a number of enumerated values.
     * In the case of attributes, these values are
     * <code>String</code>s; for objects, they are
     * <code>Object</code>s implementing a given class or interface.
     *
     * <p> Attribute values of type <code>DATATYPE_BOOLEAN</code>
     * should be marked as enumerations.
     */
    int VALUE_ENUMERATION = 16;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeValueType</code> and
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> to indicate that the attribute
     * or user object may be set to a list or array of values.  In the
     * case of attributes, the list will consist of
     * whitespace-separated values within a <code>String</code>; for
     * objects, an array will be used.
     */
    int VALUE_LIST = 32;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeDataType</code>
     * indicating that the value of an attribute is a general Unicode
     * string.
     */
    int DATATYPE_STRING = 0;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeDataType</code>
     * indicating that the value of an attribute is one of 'true' or
     * 'false'.
     */
    int DATATYPE_BOOLEAN = 1;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeDataType</code>
     * indicating that the value of an attribute is a string
     * representation of an integer.
     */
    int DATATYPE_INTEGER = 2;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeDataType</code>
     * indicating that the value of an attribute is a string
     * representation of a decimal floating-point number.
     */
    int DATATYPE_FLOAT = 3;

    /**
     * A constant returned by <code>getAttributeDataType</code>
     * indicating that the value of an attribute is a string
     * representation of a double-precision decimal floating-point
     * number.
     */
    int DATATYPE_DOUBLE = 4;

    // Root

    /**
     * Returns the name of the root element of the format.
     *
     * @return a <code>String</code>.
     */
    String getRootName();

    // Multiplicity

    /**
     * Returns <code>true</code> if the element (and the subtree below
     * it) is allowed to appear in a metadata document for an image of
     * the given type, defined by an <code>ImageTypeSpecifier</code>.
     * For example, a metadata document format might contain an
     * element that describes the primary colors of the image, which
     * would not be allowed when writing a grayscale image.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param imageType an <code>ImageTypeSpecifier</code> indicating
     * the type of the image that will be associated with the
     * metadata.
     *
     * @return <code>true</code> if the node is meaningful for images
     * of the given type.
     */
    boolean canNodeAppear(String elementName, ImageTypeSpecifier imageType);

    /**
     * Returns the minimum number of children of the named element
     * with child policy <code>CHILD_POLICY_REPEAT</code>.  For
     * example, an element representing color primary information
     * might be required to have at least 3 children, one for each
     * primay.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return an <code>int</code>.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element does
     * not have a child policy of <code>CHILD_POLICY_REPEAT</code>.
     */
    int getElementMinChildren(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns the maximum number of children of the named element
     * with child policy <code>CHILD_POLICY_REPEAT</code>.  For
     * example, an element representing an entry in an 8-bit color
     * palette might be allowed to repeat up to 256 times.  A value of
     * <code>Integer.MAX_VALUE</code> may be used to specify that
     * there is no upper bound.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return an <code>int</code>.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element does
     * not have a child policy of <code>CHILD_POLICY_REPEAT</code>.
     */
    int getElementMaxChildren(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns a <code>String</code> containing a description of the
     * named element, or <code>null</code>.  The desciption will be
     * localized for the supplied <code>Locale</code> if possible.
     *
     * <p> If <code>locale</code> is <code>null</code>, the current
     * default <code>Locale</code> returned by <code>Locale.getLocale</code>
     * will be used.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element.
     * @param locale the <code>Locale</code> for which localization
     * will be attempted.
     *
     * @return the element description.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code>, or is not a legal element name for this format.
     */
    String getElementDescription(String elementName, Locale locale);

    // Children

    /**
     * Returns one of the constants starting with
     * <code>CHILD_POLICY_</code>, indicating the legal pattern of
     * children for the named element.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return one of the <code>CHILD_POLICY_*</code> constants.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     */
    int getChildPolicy(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns an array of <code>String</code>s indicating the names
     * of the element which are allowed to be children of the named
     * element, in the order in which they should appear.  If the
     * element cannot have children, <code>null</code> is returned.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return an array of <code>String</code>s, or null.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     */
    String[] getChildNames(String elementName);

    // Attributes
    
    /**
     * Returns an array of <code>String</code>s listing the names of
     * the attributes that may be associated with the named element.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return an array of <code>String</code>s.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     */
    String[] getAttributeNames(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns one of the constants starting with <code>VALUE_</code>,
     * indicating whether the values of the given attribute within the
     * named element are arbitrary, constrained to lie within a
     * specified range, constrained to be one of a set of enumerated
     * values, or are a whitespace-separated list of arbitrary values.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return one of the <code>VALUE_*</code> constants. 
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     */
    int getAttributeValueType(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns one of the constants starting with
     * <code>DATATYPE_</code>, indicating the format and
     * interpretation of the value of the given attribute within th
     * enamed element.  If <code>getAttributeValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_LIST</code>, then the legal value is a
     * whitespace-spearated list of values of the returned datatype.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return one of the <code>DATATYPE_*</code> constants.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     */
    int getAttributeDataType(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns <code>true</code> if the named attribute must be
     * present within the named element.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return <code>true</code> if the attribut must be present.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     */
    boolean isAttributeRequired(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns the default value of the named attribute, if it is not
     * explictly present within the named element, as a
     * <code>String</code>, or <code>null</code> if no default value
     * is available.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return a <code>String</code> containing the default value, or
     * <code>null</code>.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     */
    String getAttributeDefaultValue(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns an array of <code>String</code>s containing the legal
     * enumerated values for the given attribute within the named
     * element.  This method should only be called if
     * <code>getAttributeValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_ENUMERATION</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return an array of <code>String</code>s.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the given attribute is
     * not defined as an enumeration.
     */
    String[] getAttributeEnumerations(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns the minimum legal value for the attribute.  Whether
     * this value is inclusive or exclusive may be determined by the
     * value of <code>getAttributeValueType</code>.  The value is
     * returned as a <code>String</code>; its interpretation is
     * dependent on the value of <code>getAttributeDataType</code>.
     * This method should only be called if
     * <code>getAttributeValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_RANGE_*</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return a <code>String</code> containing the smallest legal
     * value for the attribute.
     * 
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the given attribute is
     * not defined as a range.
     */
    String getAttributeMinValue(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns the maximum legal value for the attribute.  Whether
     * this value is inclusive or exclusive may be determined by the
     * value of <code>getAttributeValueType</code>.  The value is
     * returned as a <code>String</code>; its interpretation is
     * dependent on the value of <code>getAttributeDataType</code>.
     * This method should only be called if
     * <code>getAttributeValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_RANGE_*</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried, as a
     * <code>String</code>.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return a <code>String</code> containing the largest legal
     * value for the attribute.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the given attribute is
     * not defined as a range.
     */
    String getAttributeMaxValue(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns the minimum number of list items that may be used to
     * define this attribute.  The attribute itself is defined as a
     * <code>String</code> containing multiple whitespace-separated
     * items.  This method should only be called if
     * <code>getAttributeValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_LIST</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return the smallest legal number of list items for the
     * attribute.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the given attribute is
     * not defined as a list.
     */
    int getAttributeListMinLength(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns the maximum number of list items that may be used to
     * define this attribute.  A value of
     * <code>Integer.MAX_VALUE</code> may be used to specify that
     * there is no upper bound.  The attribute itself is defined as a
     * <code>String</code> containing multiple whitespace-separated
     * items.  This method should only be called if
     * <code>getAttributeValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_LIST</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute being queried.
     *
     * @return the largest legal number of list items for the
     * attribute.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the given attribute is
     * not defined as a list.
     */
    int getAttributeListMaxLength(String elementName, String attrName);

    /**
     * Returns a <code>String</code> containing a description of the
     * named attribute, or <code>null</code>.  The desciption will be
     * localized for the supplied <code>Locale</code> if possible.
     *
     * <p> If <code>locale</code> is <code>null</code>, the current
     * default <code>Locale</code> returned by <code>Locale.getLocale</code>
     * will be used.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element.
     * @param attrName the name of the attribute.
     * @param locale the <code>Locale</code> for which localization
     * will be attempted.
     *
     * @return the attribute description.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code>, or is not a legal element name for this format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>attrName</code> is
     * <code>null</code> or is not a legal attribute name for this
     * element.
     */
    String getAttributeDescription(String elementName, String attrName,
                                   Locale locale);

    // Object value

    /**
     * Returns one of the enumerated values starting with
     * <code>VALUE_</code>, indicating the type of values
     * (enumeration, range, or array) that are allowed for the
     * <code>Object</code> reference.  If no object value can be
     * stored within the given element, the result of this method will
     * be <code>VALUE_NONE</code>.
     *
     * <p> <code>Object</code> references whose legal values are
     * defined as a range must implement the <code>Comparable</code>
     * interface.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return one of the <code>VALUE_*</code> constants. 
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     *
     * @see Comparable
     */
    int getObjectValueType(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns the <code>Class</code> type of the <code>Object</code>
     * reference stored within the element.  If this element may not
     * contain an <code>Object</code> reference, an
     * <code>IllegalArgumentException</code> will be thrown.  If the
     * class type is an array, this field indicates the underlying
     * class type (<i>e.g</i>, for an array of <code>int</code>s, this
     * method would return <code>int.class</code>).
     *
     * <p> <code>Object</code> references whose legal values are
     * defined as a range must implement the <code>Comparable</code>
     * interface.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return a <code>Class</code> object.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element cannot
     * contain an object value (<i>i.e.</i>, if
     * <code>getObjectValueType(elementName) == VALUE_NONE</code>).
     */
    Class getObjectClass(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns an <code>Object</code>s containing the default
     * value for the <code>Object</code> reference within
     * the named element.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return an <code>Object</code>.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element cannot
     * contain an object value (<i>i.e.</i>, if
     * <code>getObjectValueType(elementName) == VALUE_NONE</code>).
     */
    Object getObjectDefaultValue(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns an array of <code>Object</code>s containing the legal
     * enumerated values for the <code>Object</code> reference within
     * the named element.  This method should only be called if
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_ENUMERATION</code>.
     *
     * <p> The <code>Object</code> associated with a node that accepts
     * emuerated values must be equal to one of the values returned by
     * this method, as defined by the <code>==</code> operator (as
     * opposed to the <code>Object.equals</code> method).
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return an array of <code>Object</code>s.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element cannot
     * contain an object value (<i>i.e.</i>, if
     * <code>getObjectValueType(elementName) == VALUE_NONE</code>).
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the <code>Object</code>
     * is not defined as an enumeration.
     */
    Object[] getObjectEnumerations(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns the minimum legal value for the <code>Object</code>
     * reference within the named element.  Whether this value is
     * inclusive or exclusive may be determined by the value of
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code>.  This method should only be
     * called if <code>getObjectValueType</code> returns one of the
     * constants starting with <code>VALUE_RANGE</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return the smallest legal value for the attribute.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element cannot
     * contain an object value (<i>i.e.</i>, if
     * <code>getObjectValueType(elementName) == VALUE_NONE</code>).
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the <code>Object</code>
     * is not defined as a range.
     */
    Comparable getObjectMinValue(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns the maximum legal value for the <code>Object</code>
     * reference within the named element.  Whether this value is
     * inclusive or exclusive may be determined by the value of
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code>.  This method should only be
     * called if <code>getObjectValueType</code> returns one of the
     * constants starting with <code>VALUE_RANGE</code>.
     *
     * @return the smallest legal value for the attribute.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element cannot
     * contain an object value (<i>i.e.</i>, if
     * <code>getObjectValueType(elementName) == VALUE_NONE</code>).
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the <code>Object</code>
     * is not defined as a range.
     */
    Comparable getObjectMaxValue(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns the minimum number of array elements that may be used
     * to define the <code>Object</code> reference within the named
     * element.  This method should only be called if
     * <code>getObjectValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_LIST</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return the smallest valid array length for the
     * <code>Object</code> reference.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element cannot
     * contain an object value (<i>i.e.</i>, if
     * <code>getObjectValueType(elementName) == VALUE_NONE</code>).
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the <code>Object</code> is not
     * an array.
     */
    int getObjectArrayMinLength(String elementName);

    /**
     * Returns the maximum number of array elements that may be used
     * to define the <code>Object</code> reference within the named
     * element.  A value of <code>Integer.MAX_VALUE</code> may be used
     * to specify that there is no upper bound.  This method should
     * only be called if <code>getObjectValueType</code> returns
     * <code>VALUE_LIST</code>.
     *
     * @param elementName the name of the element being queried.
     *
     * @return the largest valid array length for the
     * <code>Object</code> reference.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>elementName</code>
     * is <code>null</code> or is not a legal element name for this
     * format.
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the named element cannot
     * contain an object value (<i>i.e.</i>, if
     * <code>getObjectValueType(elementName) == VALUE_NONE</code>).
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if the <code>Object</code> is not
     * an array.
     */
    int getObjectArrayMaxLength(String elementName);
}
