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#include "nsISupports.idl"

interface nsIDOMElement;
interface nsIVariant;
interface nsISOAPEncoding;
interface nsISchemaType;
interface nsISOAPAttachments;

/**
 * This interface encapsulates an arbitrary block to be used
 * by the soap serialization or protocol.  It presents the
 * namespaceURI, name, encoding, schemaType, and value of the
 * block.  There are two different ways this may be used:
 * <p>1.  When created by a user for serialization, a value is set
 * which is then used to encode the message.  In this case, the
 * user sets the value (or element in the case of a literal
 * block) which is then encoded (unless it is the element) 
 * and incorporated into the document as it is encoded.
 * <p>2.  When requested by the user from a message that is to
 * be decoded.  In this case, an element is set on the block
 * which is automatically decoded whenever the value attribute is
 * accessed (possibly after the user sets the encoding or schemaType,
 * or for literal blocks, the user just accesses the element and
 * no decoding is performed.  For SOAP which attachments, hidden 
 * attachments may also be associated from the message to the block 
 * so that later decoding which relies on the attachments is possible.
 */

[scriptable, uuid(843afaa8-1dd2-11b2-8b0d-9b5d16fe64ea)]
interface nsISOAPBlock : nsISupports {
  /**
   *  Initialize the block for additional decoding information.
   *
   * @param aAttachments Attachments in case this refers to them.
   *
   * @param aVersion SOAP version for decoding special header attributes.
   */
  void init(in nsISOAPAttachments aAttachments,
            in unsigned short aVersion);

  /**
   *  The namespace URI of the block.  Ignored if name is null.
   *  If this is modified, element is set to null and all 
   *  attributes computed from element revert to previous
   *  uncomputed values.  If element is set, this becomes computed.
   */
  attribute AString namespaceURI;

  /**
   * The name of the block. If the block is left unnamed, it
   * will be encoded using the element types defined in the SOAP-ENC
   * schema. For example, <code>&lt;SOAP-ENC:int&gt;45&lt;/SOAP-ENC:int&gt;
   * </code>.  If this is modified, element is set to null and all 
   * attributes computed from element revert to previous uncomputed
   * values.  If element is set, this becomes computed.
   */
  attribute AString name;

  /**
   * The encoding that was / will be applied to the
   * block.  If this is blank and element is non-null,
   * it becomes impossible to decode the block when
   * the value is requested.
   */
  attribute nsISOAPEncoding encoding;

  /**
   * The schema type used to encode or decode the
   *   block.  If this is null, then the default
   *   encoder or decoder may 
   */
  attribute nsISchemaType schemaType;

  /**
   *  The element which is the encoded value of this block.
   *  If this is set, value, namespaceURI, and name becomes a 
   *  computed attributes which are produced by decoding this 
   *  element.
   */
  attribute nsIDOMElement element;

  /**
   *  The native value which is the decoded value of 
   *  this block.  If this is modified, element is set
   *  to null and all attributes computed from element 
   *  revert to previous uncomputed values.  If element 
   *  is set, this becomes computed, relying on the 
   *  value of encoding and schemaType each time it is 
   *  computed.
   */
  attribute nsIVariant value;
};