/* This file is part of the db4o object database http://www.db4o.com

Copyright (C) 2004 - 2011  Versant Corporation http://www.versant.com

db4o is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the terms of version 3 of the GNU General Public License as published
by the Free Software Foundation.

db4o is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
with this program.  If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/. */

using System;

namespace Db4objects.Db4o.Config
{
    /// <summary>translator interface to translate objects on storage and activation.</summary>
    /// <remarks>
    ///     translator interface to translate objects on storage and activation.
    ///     <br /><br />
    ///     By writing classes that implement this interface, it is possible to
    ///     define how application classes are to be converted to be stored more efficiently.
    ///     <br /><br />
    ///     Before starting a db4o session, translator classes need to be registered. An example:<br />
    ///     <code>
    /// IObjectClass oc = config.ObjectClass("Namespace.ClassName");<br />
    /// oc.Translate(new FooTranslator());
    /// </code>
    ///     <br /><br />
    /// </remarks>
    public interface IObjectTranslator
    {
        /// <summary>db4o calls this method during storage and query evaluation.</summary>
        /// <remarks>db4o calls this method during storage and query evaluation.</remarks>
        /// <param name="container">the ObjectContainer used</param>
        /// <param name="applicationObject">the Object to be translated</param>
        /// <returns>
        ///     return the object to store.<br />It needs to be of the class
        ///     <see cref="StoredClass()">StoredClass()</see>
        ///     .
        /// </returns>
        object OnStore(IObjectContainer container, object applicationObject);

        /// <summary>db4o calls this method during activation.</summary>
        /// <remarks>db4o calls this method during activation.</remarks>
        /// <param name="container">the ObjectContainer used</param>
        /// <param name="applicationObject">the object to set the members on</param>
        /// <param name="storedObject">the object that was stored</param>
        void OnActivate(IObjectContainer container, object applicationObject, object storedObject
            );

        /// <summary>return the Class you are converting to.</summary>
        /// <remarks>return the Class you are converting to.</remarks>
        /// <returns>
        ///     the Class of the object you are returning with the method
        ///     <see cref="OnStore(Db4objects.Db4o.IObjectContainer, object)">
        ///         OnStore(Db4objects.Db4o.IObjectContainer, object)
        ///     </see>
        /// </returns>
        Type StoredClass();
    }
}