package com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.core.intermud.persist;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.core.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.core.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Abilities.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Areas.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Behaviors.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.CharClasses.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Commands.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Common.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Exits.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Items.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Locales.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.MOBS.interfaces.*;
import com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.Races.interfaces.*;
/**
 * com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.core.intermud.persist.Persistent
 * Copyright (c) 1996 George Reese
 * This source code may not be modified, copied,
 * redistributed, or used in any fashion without the
 * express written consent of George Reese.
 *
 * A Persistent object is any object that can be saved
 * to some data store.
 */



/**
 * Specified methods which must be implemented by
 * objects wishing to be saved.
 * @author George Reese (borg@imaginary.com)
 * @version 1.0
 */
public interface Persistent {
    /**
     * The Persistent has not yet been modified since last
     * save or restore.
     */
    static public final int UNMODIFIED = 0;
    /**
     * The Peersistence has been modified since last save
     * or restore.
     */
    static public final int MODIFIED = 1;
    /**
     * The Persistent is a brand new object.
     */
    static public final int NEW = 2;
    /**
     * The Persistent needs to be deleted from the data store.
     */
    static public final int DELETED = 3;

    /**
     * Prescribes a method for restoration from a data
     * store.  An implementation will usually call the
     * object's PersistentPeer method to perform the
     * actual save.
     * @exception PersistenceException thrown when an error occurs in restoring
     * @see com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.core.intermud.persist.PersistentPeer
     */
    public abstract void restore() throws PersistenceException;

    /**
     * Prescribes a method for saving this object's data
     * to a data store.  An implementation will usually
     * check to see if the object has been modified and
     * trigger the actual saving mechanism in its
     * PersistentPeer implementation.
     * @exception PersistentPeer thrown when an error occurs in saving
     * @see com.planet_ink.coffee_mud.core.intermud.persist.PersistentPeer
     */
    public abstract void save() throws PersistenceException;
}
