/**
 * <p>
 * Copyright © 2009-2010, Bruce-Robert Pocock
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
 * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at
 * your option) any later version.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * This program 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.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 * along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 * </p>
 * 
 * @author brpocock
 */
package org.starhope.appius.util;

import org.json.JSONObject;

/**
 * 
 * This interface is implemented by objects which can be cast to/from
 * JSON
 * 
 * @author brpocock
 * 
 */
public interface CastsToJSON {

	/**
	 * This method will attempt to set the data contents of this object
	 * to the values derived from the JSON object being passed-in.
	 * 
	 * All exceptions are ignored, but any errors in the JSON data could
	 * cause the command to fail, completely or partially.
	 * 
	 * @param o The JSON object containing a the new data for this
	 *        object.
	 */
	abstract void set (final JSONObject o);

	/*
	 * JSONObject
	 * 
	 * public JSONObject(java.lang.Object bean, boolean
	 * includeSuperClass)
	 * 
	 * Construct JSONObject from the given bean. This will also create
	 * JSONObject for all internal object (List, Map, Inner Objects) of
	 * the provided bean. -- See Documentation of JSONObject(Object
	 * bean) also.
	 * 
	 * Parameters: bean - An object that has getter methods that should
	 * be used to make a JSONObject. includeSuperClass - - Tell whether
	 * to include the super class properties.
	 */

	/**
	 * This returns a copy of the object's data cast into a JSON form.
	 * 
	 * @return The string representing this object in JSON format
	 */
	public abstract JSONObject toJSON ();
}