org.mmbase.storage

Interface Storable

All Known Implementing Classes:

CoreField, FieldDefs

public interface Storable

This interface contains functionality for retrieving a storage identifier - a name or id suitable for storing the object. It also holds status information (i.e. whether a field is in Storage or not) and storage-specific data.

Since:

MMBase-1.7

Version:

$Id$

Author:

Pierre van Rooden

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
Object	getStorageIdentifier() Returns a storage identifier for this object.
int	getStorageType() Retrieves the storage type.
boolean	inStorage() Returns whether an object is (or, for a new object, should be) defined in the storage.
void	setStorageType(int value) Sets the storage type.

Method Detail

getStorageIdentifier

Object getStorageIdentifier()
                     throws StorageException

Returns a storage identifier for this object. This should return:

• For MMBase: the object storage element identifier as a String (i.e. fully expanded table name)
• For MMObjectBuilder: the builder storage element identifier as a String (i.e. fully expanded table name)
• For MMObjectNode: the object number as a Integer
• For CoreField: a storage-compatible field name as a String (if no such name exists a StorageException is thrown)

A Storable object (except for MMObjectNode) should retrieve its storage identifier using StorageManagerFactory.getStorageIdentifier() when it is first instantiated.

Returns:

the identifier

Throws:

StorageException

inStorage

boolean inStorage()

Returns whether an object is (or, for a new object, should be) defined in the storage. Virtual fields or builders should return false.

Returns:

true if the object is kept in the storage

getStorageType

int getStorageType()

Retrieves the storage type. The meaning of this type is dependent on the storage implementation.

setStorageType

void setStorageType(int value)

Sets the storage type. This method is called by the storage layer when first loading a builder. The meaning of this type is dependent on the storage implementation.

Parameters:

value - the value to set