/*************************************************************************
 *
 *  $RCSfile: XSortable.idl,v $
 *
 *  $Revision: 1.7 $
 *
 *  last change: $Author: hr $ $Date: 2003-06-30 16:04:49 $
 *
 *  The Contents of this file are made available subject to the terms of
 *  either of the following licenses
 *
 *         - GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1
 *         - Sun Industry Standards Source License Version 1.1
 *
 *  Sun Microsystems Inc., October, 2000
 *
 *  GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1
 *  =============================================
 *  Copyright 2000 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
 *
 *
 *  Sun Industry Standards Source License Version 1.1
 *  =================================================
 *  The contents of this file are subject to the Sun Industry Standards
 *  Source License Version 1.1 (the "License"); You may not use this file
 *  except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the
 *  License at http://www.openoffice.org/license.html.
 *
 *  Software provided under this License is provided on an "AS IS" basis,
 *  WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING,
 *  WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES THAT THE SOFTWARE IS FREE OF DEFECTS,
 *  MERCHANTABLE, FIT FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGING.
 *  See the License for the specific provisions governing your rights and
 *  obligations concerning the Software.
 *
 *  The Initial Developer of the Original Code is: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 *
 *  Copyright: 2000 by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 *
 *  All Rights Reserved.
 *
 *  Contributor(s): _______________________________________
 *
 *
 ************************************************************************/
#ifndef __com_sun_star_util_XSortable_idl__
#define __com_sun_star_util_XSortable_idl__

#ifndef __com_sun_star_uno_XInterface_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/uno/XInterface.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_beans_PropertyValue_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/beans/PropertyValue.idl>
#endif


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

module com {  module sun {  module star {  module util {

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

/** makes it possible to sort the contents of this object.

    <p>The available properties describing the sort criterias are
    defined in the sort descriptor implemented by the object that
    implements this interface.</p>

    <p>There are older deprecated sort descriptors:</p>
    <ul>
        <li>com::sun::star::util::SortDescriptor</li>
        <li>com::sun::star::table::TableSortDescriptor</li>
        <li>com::sun::star::text::TextSortDescriptor</li>
    </ul>

    <p>And a new set of sort descriptors:</p>
    <ul>
        <li>com::sun::star::util::SortDescriptor2</li>
        <li>com::sun::star::table::TableSortDescriptor2</li>
        <li>com::sun::star::text::TextSortDescriptor2</li>
    </ul>

    <p>Both types may be implemented by the same object.
    When calling the sort method however properties from different
    descriptors must not be mixed.</p>
 */
interface XSortable: com::sun::star::uno::XInterface
{
    //-------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /** @returns
            a sequence of properties which allows to specify/modify the
            sort criteria.

            <p>The set of properties is specific to the type of object that
            implements this interface. Therefore they can usually be used
            only for objects of that same type.</p>

        @see com::sun::star::util::SortDescriptor
        @see com::sun::star::table::TableSortDescriptor
        @see com::sun::star::text::TextSortDescriptor
        @see com::sun::star::util::SortDescriptor2
        @see com::sun::star::table::TableSortDescriptor2
        @see com::sun::star::text::TextSortDescriptor2

     */
    sequence< com::sun::star::beans::PropertyValue > createSortDescriptor();

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /** sorts the contents of the object according to the specified
        properties.

        <p>The specified properties are usually the same or a subset of
        those obtained by calling <member>createSortDescriptor</member>
        on the same type of object.<p>

        @see com::sun::star::util::SortDescriptor
        @see com::sun::star::table::TableSortDescriptor
        @see com::sun::star::text::TextSortDescriptor
        @see com::sun::star::util::SortDescriptor2
        @see com::sun::star::table::TableSortDescriptor2
        @see com::sun::star::text::TextSortDescriptor2
     */
    void sort( [in] sequence< com::sun::star::beans::PropertyValue > xDescriptor );

};

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

}; }; }; };

#endif