/*******************************************************************************
* Copyright (c) 1998, 2015 Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
* This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
* terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0 and Eclipse Distribution License v. 1.0
* which accompanies this distribution.
* The Eclipse Public License is available at http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html
* and the Eclipse Distribution License is available at
* http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php.
*
* Contributors:
* Oracle - initial API and implementation from Oracle TopLink
* tware - March 13, 2008 - 1.0M6 - JavaDoc rewrite
******************************************************************************/
package org.eclipse.persistence.annotations;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.FIELD;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.METHOD;
import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;
/**
* The Convert annotation specifies that a named converter should be used with
* the corresponding mapped attribute. The Convert annotation has the following
* reserved names:
* <ul>
* <li> serialized: Will use a SerializedObjectConverter
* on the associated mapping. When using a SerializedObjectConverter the database representation is a
* binary field holding a serialized version of the object and the object-model representation is a the
* actual object.
* <li> class-instance: Will use an ClassInstanceConverter
* on the associated mapping. When using a ClassInstanceConverter the database representation is a
* String representing the Class name and the object-model representation is an instance
* of that class built with a no-args constructor.<br>
* <li> xml: Will use an SerializedObjectConverter with the XMLSerializer
* on the associated mapping. When using a XMLSerializer the database representation is a
* character field holding a serialized version of the object and the object-model representation is a the
* actual object.<br>
* <li> json: Will use an SerializedObjectConverter with the JSONSerializer
* on the associated mapping. When using a JSONSerializer the database representation is a
* character field holding a serialized version of the object and the object-model representation is a the
* actual object.<br>
* <li> kryo: Will use an SerializedObjectConverter with the KryoSerializer
* on the associated mapping. When using a KryoSerializer the database representation is a
* binary field holding a serialized version of the object and the object-model representation is a the
* actual object.<br>
* <li> none - Will place no converter on the associated mapping. This can be used to override a situation where either
* another converter is defaulted or another converter is set.
* </ul>
*
* When these reserved converters are not used, it is necessary to define a converter to use using the
* {@literal @}Converter annotation.
*
* @see org.eclipse.persistence.annotations.Converter
* @see org.eclipse.persistence.annotations.ObjectTypeConverter
* @see org.eclipse.persistence.annotations.TypeConverter
* @see org.eclipse.persistence.mappings.converters.SerializedObjectConverter
* @see org.eclipse.persistence.mappings.converters.ClassInstanceConverter
*
* @author Guy Pelletier
* @since Oracle TopLink 11.1.1.0.0
*/
@Target({METHOD, FIELD})
@Retention(RUNTIME)
public @interface Convert {
/**
* (Optional) The name of the converter to be used.
*/
String value() default "none";
/**
* Constant name for the reserved Java serialization converter.
* This will serialize the
*/
public static final String SERIALIZED = "serialized";
/**
* Constant name for the reserved class instance converter.
* This will store the object's class name, and create a new instance of the class on read.
*/
public static final String CLASS_INSTANCE = "class-instance";
/**
* Constant name for the reserved XML converter.
* This will use JAXB to convert the object to and from XML.
*/
public static final String XML = "xml";
/**
* Constant name for the reserved JSON converter.
* This will use EclipseLink Moxy JAXB to convert the object to and from JSON.
*/
public static final String JSON = "json";
/**
* Constant name for the reserved Kryo converter.
* This will use Kryo to convert the object to and from an optimized binary format.
*/
public static final String KRYO = "kryo";
/**
* Constant name for no converter.
*/
public static final String NONE = "none";
}