/* -*- Mode: IDL; tab-width: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
 * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
 * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */

#include "nsISupports.idl"

/**
 * A class factory allows the creation of nsISupports derived
 * components without specifying a concrete base class.  
 */

[scriptable, object, uuid(00000001-0000-0000-c000-000000000046)]
interface nsIFactory :  nsISupports {
   /**
    * Creates an instance of a component.
    *
    * @param aOuter Pointer to a component that wishes to be aggregated
    *               in the resulting instance. This will be nsnull if no
    *               aggregation is requested.
    * @param iid    The IID of the interface being requested in
    *               the component which is being currently created.
    * @param result [out] Pointer to the newly created instance, if successful.
    * @return NS_OK - Component successfully created and the interface 
    *                 being requested was successfully returned in result.
    *         NS_NOINTERFACE - Interface not accessible.
    *         NS_ERROR_NO_AGGREGATION - if an 'outer' object is supplied, but the
    *                                   component is not aggregatable.
    *         NS_ERROR* - Method failure.
    */
    void createInstance(in nsISupports aOuter, in nsIIDRef iid,
                      [retval, iid_is(iid)] out nsQIResult result);

   /**
    * LockFactory provides the client a way to keep the component
    * in memory until it is finished with it. The client can call
    * LockFactory(PR_TRUE) to lock the factory and LockFactory(PR_FALSE)
    * to release the factory.	 
    *
    * @param lock - Must be PR_TRUE or PR_FALSE
    * @return NS_OK - If the lock operation was successful.
    *         NS_ERROR* - Method failure.
    */
    void lockFactory(in boolean lock);
};
