/**
 * edu.utexas.GeDBIT.mckoi.store.Area  02 Sep 2002
 *
 * Mckoi SQL Database ( http://www.mckoi.com/database )
 * Copyright (C) 2000, 2001, 2002  Diehl and Associates, Inc.
 *
 * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
 * Version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
 *
 * 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 Version 2 for more details.
 *
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 * Version 2 along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 *
 * Change Log:
 * 
 * 
 */

package GeDBIT.mckoi.store;

import java.io.IOException;

/**
 * An interface that represents an area of a store that has been allocated. The
 * area object maintains a pointer that can be manipulated and read and written
 * to. This interface is modelled on the java.nio.Buffer interface and should be
 * easily interchanged with it.
 * 
 * @author Tobias Downer
 */

public interface Area {

    /**
     * Returns the current position of the pointer within the area. The position
     * starts at beginning of the area.
     */
    int position();

    /**
     * Returns the capacity of the area.
     */
    int capacity();

    /**
     * Sets the position within the area and returns this object.
     */
    Area position(int position) throws IOException;

    /**
     * Copies 'size' bytes from the current position of this Area to the
     * destination Area (at the position set in the destination area). Returns
     * this area.
     */
    Area copyTo(Area destination, int size) throws IOException;

    // ---------- Various get/put methods ----------

    byte get() throws IOException;

    Area put(byte b) throws IOException;

    Area get(byte[] buf, int off, int len) throws IOException;

    Area put(byte[] buf, int off, int len) throws IOException;

    short getShort() throws IOException;

    Area putShort(short s) throws IOException;

    int getInt() throws IOException;

    Area putInt(int i) throws IOException;

    long getLong() throws IOException;

    Area putLong(long l) throws IOException;

    char getChar() throws IOException;

    Area putChar(char c) throws IOException;

}