/*
 * <copyright>
 *  Copyright (c) 2006 by Know-Center, Graz, Austria
 * </copyright>
 *
 *  This software is the confidential and proprietary information of Know-Center,
 *  Graz, Austria. You shall not disclose such Confidential Information and shall 
 *  use it only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement you entered 
 *  into with Know-Center.
 *
 *  KNOW-CENTER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE
 *  SOFTWARE, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE
 *  IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, 
 *  OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. KNOW-CENTER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
 *  SUFFERED BY LICENSEE AS A RESULT OF USING, MODIFYING OR DISTRIBUTING
 *  THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS DERIVATIVES.
 * 
 * $Id: Settings.java,v 1.2 2006/08/03 07:43:03 wprinz Exp $
 */

package at.knowcenter.wag.egov.egiz.cfg;

import at.knowcenter.wag.egov.egiz.exceptions.SettingNotFoundException;

/**
 * Defines an interface reading a configuration file.
 * 
 * @author wlackner
 */
public interface Settings {
  /**
   * Search for a key in the configuration file.
   * 
   * @param key to search for
   * @return the corresponding value
   * @throws SettingNotFoundException if the key is not found
   */
  public String getSetting(String key) throws SettingNotFoundException;

  /**
   * Search for a key in the configuration file.
   * 
   * @param key to search for
   * @param defaultValue return this value if the key is not found
   * @return the corresponding value
   */
  public String getSetting(String key, String defaultValue);

  /**
   * 
   * @param primaryKey to search for
   * @param defaultKey to search for if the primaryKey is not found
   * @param defaultValue return this value if the defaultKey is not found
   * @return the corresponding value
   */
  public String getSetting(String primaryKey, String defaultKey, String defaultValue);
}