gecko-dev/xpcom/ds/nsIArray.idl

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#include "nsISupports.idl"
#include "nsISimpleEnumerator.idl"

/**
 * nsIArray
 *
 * An indexed collection of elements. Provides basic functionality for
 * retrieving elements at a specific position, searching for elements.
 *
 * for an array which can be modified, see nsIMutableArray below.
 *
 * Neither interface makes any attempt to protect the individual
 * elements from modification. The convention is that the elements of
 * the array should not be modified. Documentation within a specific
 * interface should describe variations from this convention.
 *
 * It is also convention that if an interface provides access to an
 * nsIArray, that the array should not be QueryInterfaced to an
 * nsIMutableArray for modification. If the interface in question had
 * intended the array to be modified, it would have returned an
 * nsIMutableArray!
 *
 * @status UNDER_REVIEW
 */
[scriptable, uuid(114744d9-c369-456e-b55a-52fe52880d2d)]
interface nsIArray : nsISupports
{
    /**
     * number of elements in the array
     */
    readonly attribute unsigned long length;

    /**
     * Retrieve a specific element of the array
     */
    void queryElementAt(in unsigned long index,
                        in nsIIDRef uuid,
                        [iid_is(uuid), retval] out nsQIResult result);
    
    /**
     * get the position of a specific element
     * @param startIndex The initial element to search in the array
     *                   To start at the beginning, use 0 as the
     *                   startIndex
     * @param element    The element you are looking for
     * @returns a number >= startIndex which is the position of the
     *          element in the array.
     * @throws NS_ERROR_NOT_FOUND if the element was not in the array.
     */
    unsigned long indexOf(in unsigned long startIndex,
                          in nsISupports element);

    /**
     * enumerate the array
     * @returns a new enumerator positioned at the start of the array
     */
    nsISimpleEnumerator enumerate();

    /**
     * Do we need some sort of enumeration callback system for speed?
     */
};

/**
 * nsIMutableArray
 * A seperate set of methods that will act on the array. Consumers of
 * nsIArray should not QueryInterface to nsIMutableArray unless they
 * own the array.
 *
 * @status UNDER_REVIEW
 */
[scriptable, uuid(2cd0b2f8-d4dd-48b8-87ba-b0200501f079)]
interface nsIMutableArray : nsIArray
{
    /**
     * append an element at the end of the array
     */
    void appendElement(in nsISupports element);

    /**
     * remove an element at a specific position
     * To remove a specific element, use indexOf
     */
    void removeElementAt(in unsigned long index);

    /**
     *
     */
    void insertElementAt(in nsISupports element, in unsigned long index);
    
    /**
     * clear the entire array
     */
    void clear();
};