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  Interface java.security.Principal
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<h1>
  Interface java.security.Principal
</h1>
<dl>
  <dt> public interface <b>Principal</b>
</dl>
This interface represents a principal. A principal can be an
 individual, a corporation, a program thread; anything which can
 have an identity. See the <a href="../guide/security/Acl.html">ACL
 white paper</a> for more information.
<p>
<dl>
    <dt> <b>See Also:</b>
    <dd> <a href="java.security.Identity.html#_top_">Identity</a>, <a href="java.security.Certificate.html#_top_">Certificate</a>, <a href="java.security.acl.Acl.html#_top_">Acl</a>, <a href="java.security.acl.Group.html#_top_">Group</a>
</dl>
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<a name="index"></a>
<h2>
  <img src="images/method-index.gif" width=207 height=38 alt="Method Index">
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<dl>
  <dt> <img src="images/red-ball-small.gif" width=6 height=6 alt=" o ">
	<a href="#equals(java.lang.Object)"><b>equals</b></a>(Object)
  <dd>  Compares this principal to the specified object.
  <dt> <img src="images/red-ball-small.gif" width=6 height=6 alt=" o ">
	<a href="#getName()"><b>getName</b></a>()
  <dd>  Returns the name of this principal.
  <dt> <img src="images/red-ball-small.gif" width=6 height=6 alt=" o ">
	<a href="#hashCode()"><b>hashCode</b></a>()
  <dd>  Returns a hashcode for this principal.
  <dt> <img src="images/red-ball-small.gif" width=6 height=6 alt=" o ">
	<a href="#toString()"><b>toString</b></a>()
  <dd>  Returns a string representation of this principal.
</dl>
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<h2>
  <img src="images/methods.gif" width=151 height=38 alt="Methods">
</h2>
<a name="equals(java.lang.Object)"><img src="images/red-ball.gif" width=12 height=12 alt=" o "></a>
<a name="equals"><b>equals</b></a>
<pre>
 public abstract boolean equals(<a href="java.lang.Object.html#_top_">Object</a> another)
</pre>
<dl>
  <dd> Compares this principal to the specified object.  Returns true
 if the object passed in matches the principal represented by
 the implementation of this interface.
<p>
  <dd><dl>
    <dt> <b>Parameters:</b>
    <dd> another - the principal to compare with.
    <dt> <b>Returns:</b>
    <dd> true if
 the principal passed in is the same as that encapsulated by
 this principal, false otherwise.
    <dt> <b>Overrides:</b>
    <dd> <a href="java.lang.Object.html#equals(java.lang.Object)">equals</a> in class <a href="java.lang.Object.html#_top_">Object</a>
  </dl></dd>
</dl>
<a name="toString()"><img src="images/red-ball.gif" width=12 height=12 alt=" o "></a>
<a name="toString"><b>toString</b></a>
<pre>
 public abstract <a href="java.lang.String.html#_top_">String</a> toString()
</pre>
<dl>
  <dd> Returns a string representation of this principal.
<p>
  <dd><dl>
    <dt> <b>Returns:</b>
    <dd> a string representation of this principal.
    <dt> <b>Overrides:</b>
    <dd> <a href="java.lang.Object.html#toString()">toString</a> in class <a href="java.lang.Object.html#_top_">Object</a>
  </dl></dd>
</dl>
<a name="hashCode()"><img src="images/red-ball.gif" width=12 height=12 alt=" o "></a>
<a name="hashCode"><b>hashCode</b></a>
<pre>
 public abstract int hashCode()
</pre>
<dl>
  <dd> Returns a hashcode for this principal.
<p>
  <dd><dl>
    <dt> <b>Returns:</b>
    <dd> a hashcode for this principal.
    <dt> <b>Overrides:</b>
    <dd> <a href="java.lang.Object.html#hashCode()">hashCode</a> in class <a href="java.lang.Object.html#_top_">Object</a>
  </dl></dd>
</dl>
<a name="getName()"><img src="images/red-ball.gif" width=12 height=12 alt=" o "></a>
<a name="getName"><b>getName</b></a>
<pre>
 public abstract <a href="java.lang.String.html#_top_">String</a> getName()
</pre>
<dl>
  <dd> Returns the name of this principal.
<p>
  <dd><dl>
    <dt> <b>Returns:</b>
    <dd> the name of this principal.
  </dl></dd>
</dl>
<hr>
<pre>
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