Attributes

Attributes may be applied to named objects. Attributes are optional. A named object can have no attributes, one attributes, or multiple attributes.

Each attribute has a unique attribute identifier, an attribute syntax, and a set of zero or more distinct attribute values. Attributes are indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 21-1 above.

XFN defines the base attribute interface for examining and modifying the values of attributes associated with existing named objects. These objects can be contexts or any other types of objects. Associated with a context are syntax attributes that describe how the context parses compound names.

The extended attribute interface contains operations that search for specific attributes and that create objects and their associated attributes.