serializer.java

一个java工作流引擎

package org.jbpm.delegation;

import java.io.*;

/**
 * performs (de)serialisation of variable-values (which are ordinary java-objects), for storage in the database.
 * It is even possible to use a java-type unknown to jBpm as variable-value.
 */
// TODO remove the extends Serializable...  can't remove it just like that because it breaks serializability of some invocationlogs...
public interface Serializer extends Serializable {
  
  /**
   * serializes the value of a variable to text for storage in the database.
   * @param object is the java-object that represents the value for the variable.
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if object is not serializable by this serializer
   */
  String serialize( Object object );
  
  /**
   * deserializes the value of a variable, making a POJO (plain old java object) from 
   * the text that was stored in the database.
   * @param the text, previously generated by the serialize-method and stored in the database.
   * @return the java-object that represents the value for the variable.
   * @return IllegalArgumentException if object is not deserializable by this serializer
   */
  Object deserialize( String text );
}