/*
 * @(#)file      Descriptor.java
 * @(#)author    IBM Corp.
 * @(#)version   1.39
 * @(#)lastedit      06/03/15
 */
/*
 * Copyright IBM Corp. 1999-2000.  All rights reserved.
 * 
 * The program is provided "as is" without any warranty express or implied,
 * including the warranty of non-infringement and the implied warranties of
 * merchantibility and fitness for a particular purpose. IBM will not be
 * liable for any damages suffered by you or any third party claim against 
 * you regarding the Program.
 *
 * Copyright 2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
 * This software is the proprietary information of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 * Use is subject to license terms.
 * 
 * Copyright 2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  Tous droits reserves.
 * Ce logiciel est propriete de Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 * Distribue par des licences qui en restreignent l'utilisation. 
 *
 */

package javax.management;


import java.io.Serializable;

// Javadoc imports:
import java.lang.management.MemoryUsage;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.ResourceBundle;
import javax.management.openmbean.CompositeData;
import javax.management.openmbean.OpenMBeanAttributeInfoSupport;
import javax.management.openmbean.OpenMBeanOperationInfoSupport;
import javax.management.openmbean.OpenMBeanParameterInfoSupport;
import javax.management.openmbean.OpenType;

/**
 * <p>Additional metadata for a JMX element.  A {@code Descriptor}
 * is associated with a {@link MBeanInfo}, {@link MBeanAttributeInfo}, etc.
 * It consists of a collection of fields.  A field is a name and an
 * associated value.</p>
 *
 * <p>Field names are not case-sensitive.  The names {@code descriptorType},
 * {@code descriptortype}, and {@code DESCRIPTORTYPE} are all equivalent.
 * However, the case that was used when the field was first set is preserved
 * in the result of the {@link #getFields} and {@link #getFieldNames}
 * methods.</p>
 *
 * <p>Not all field names and values are predefined.
 * New fields can be defined and added by any program.</p>
 *
 * <p>A descriptor can be mutable or immutable.
 * An immutable descriptor, once created, never changes.
 * The <code>Descriptor</code> methods that could modify the contents
 * of the descriptor will throw an exception
 * for an immutable descriptor.  Immutable descriptors are usually
 * instances of {@link ImmutableDescriptor} or a subclass.  Mutable
 * descriptors are usually instances of
 * {@link javax.management.modelmbean.DescriptorSupport} or a subclass.
 *
 * <p>Certain fields are used by the JMX implementation.  This means
 * either that the presence of the field may change the behavior of
 * the JMX API or that the field may be set in descriptors returned by
 * the JMX API.  These fields appear in <i>italics</i> in the table
 * below, and each one has a corresponding constant in the {@link JMX}
 * class.  For example, the field {@code defaultValue} is represented
 * by the constant {@link JMX#DEFAULT_VALUE_FIELD}.</p>
 *
 * <p>Certain other fields have conventional meanings described in the
 * table below but they are not required to be understood or set by
 * the JMX implementation.</p>
 *
 * <p>Field names defined by the JMX specification in this and all
 * future versions will never contain a period (.).  Users can safely
 * create their own fields by including a period in the name and be
 * sure that these names will not collide with any future version of
 * the JMX API.  It is recommended to follow the Java package naming
 * convention to avoid collisions between field names from different
 * origins.  For example, a field created by {@code example.com} might
 * have the name {@code com.example.interestLevel}.</p>
 *
 * <p>Note that the values in the {@code defaultValue}, {@code
 * legalValues}, {@code maxValue}, and {@code minValue} fields should
 * be consistent with the type returned by the {@code getType()}
 * method for the associated {@code MBeanAttributeInfo} or {@code
 * MBeanParameterInfo}.  For MXBeans, this means that they should be
 * of the mapped Java type, called <em>opendata</em>(J) in the <a
 * href="MXBean.html#mapping-rules">MXBean type mapping rules</a>.</p>
 *
 * <table border="1" cellpadding="5">
 *
 * <tr><th>Name</th><th>Type</th><th>Used in</th><th>Meaning</th></tr>
 *
 * <tr><td><a name="defaultValue"><i>defaultValue</i></a><td>Object</td>
 * <td>MBeanAttributeInfo<br>MBeanParameterInfo</td>
 *