Package-level Javadoc

Application programming interfaces for contexts.

## Package Specification

This package provides API and implementation classes to define abstract representations of application state. These representations of application state can be used as an abstraction of the event-listener model -- where different sections of code do not (or cannot) refer to each directly.

This package is designed so that its elements can be public and dynamic. That is, elements in this package can appear and disappear over the life of the application.

### Context

A context is an answer to the question, "When?" For example, there might be a context called "server running". When the server is running, then that context would be active. If a program module other than the server wants to test for this, they can simply check to see if the context is active. This allows the two program modules to be decoupled from each other. In fact, a different server module could be dropped in place of the first.

Contexts are managed by an instance of `ContextManager`. In fact, a context cannot be constructed directly. Contexts are constructed using the method `ContextManager.getContext(String)`. This ensures that there is only ever one context with a given identifier ever associated with a context manager.

When a context is first constructed, it is undefined. An undefined context is one that is carrying no information except for an id. Attempts to interact with a context that is undefined will result in a `NotDefinedException`. Through this mechanism, it is possible for clients to hold references to contexts, and still have those contexts "disappear" (i.e., become undefined). This is particularly useful in a system built around dynamic components (e.g., plug-ins).

It is also possible to attach listeners to both contexts and context managers. A listener on a context manager will be notified if the list of defined contexts changes.

#### Examples

>     	ContextManager manager = new ContextManager();
>     	Context context = manager.getContext("contextId");
>     	context.define("name", "description", null);

This example shows how to create a context from scratch -- with no existing manager.

>     	context.undefine();
>     	context = null;

If you wish to get rid of the context, then you simply undefine it. This will send notification to the appropriate listeners, and future attempts to access it will fail. If you are the only one holding on to the context, then it will be garbage collected. However, if other people still have a reference to the context, then the stub will remain until they respond to the change.

>     	String name;
>     	try {
>     		name = context.getName();
>     	} catch (NotDefinedException e) {
>     		// Clean-up my reference to the context.
>     		context = null;
>     		return;
>     	}

This shows one way of dealing with contexts. Instead of listening for changes to the contexts, you can simply listen for the exceptions to be thrown. When a `NotDefinedException` is thrown, you can clean up your own code. How you clean up is application dependent. In this case, the reference is cleared and we return from the method.

>     	try {
>     		String name = context.getName();

>     		// Do all your work in the block.

>     	} catch (NotDefinedException e) {
>     		// Ignore, or possibly throw an error
>     	}

>     	...

>     	public contextChanged(ContextEvent e) {
>     		if (e.hasDefinedChanged()) {
>     			context.removeListener(this);
>     			context = null;
>     		}
>     	}

Another way is to attach a listener, and then simply ignore the exceptions. When the context becomes undefined, you will be notified. This gives your the opportunity to unhook your listener and release your reference.

>     	ContextManager manager = new ContextManager();
>     	Context parent = manager.getContext("parentId");
>     	parent.define("name", "description", null);
>     	Context child = manager.getContext("childId");
>     	child.define("name", "description", "parentId");

Contexts can be related to each other with a parent-child relationship. How your application deals with this is up to you. In the case of the keyboard shortcuts in Eclipse, this is used to allow behaviour attributed to child contexts to override behaviour attributed to parent contexts.