/*
 * Copyright (C) The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved.
 *
 * This software is published under the terms of the Apache Software
 * License version 1.1, a copy of which has been included with this
 * distribution in the LICENSE.txt file.  */

package org.apache.log4j.spi;


/**
   A string based interface to configure package components.

   @author Ceki Gülcü
   @author Anders Kristensen
   @since 0.8.1
 */
public interface OptionHandler {

  /**
     Activate the options that were previously set with calls to option
     setters.

     
This allows to defer activiation of the options until all
     options have been set. This is required for components which have
     related options that remain ambigous until all are set.

     
For example, the FileAppender has the {@link
     org.apache.log4j.FileAppender#setFile File} and {@link
     org.apache.log4j.FileAppender#setAppend Append} options both of
     which are ambigous until the other is also set.  */
  void activateOptions();

  /**
     Return list of strings that the OptionHandler instance recognizes.

     @deprecated We now use JavaBeans style getters/setters.
   */
  //  String[] getOptionStrings();

  /**
     Set option to value.

     
The handling of each option depends on the OptionHandler
     instance. Some options may become active immediately whereas
     other may be activated only when {@link #activateOptions} is
     called.

     @deprecated We now use JavaBeans style getters/setters.
  */
  //void setOption(String option, String value);
}