Transportable.java

package net.wimpi.modbus.io;

import java.io.DataInput;
import java.io.DataOutput;
import java.io.IOException;

/**
 * Interface defining a transportable class.
 *
 * @author Dieter Wimberger
 * @version @version@ (@date@)
 */
public interface Transportable {

    /**
     * Returns the number of bytes that will
     * be written by {@link #writeTo(DataOutput)}.
     *
     * @return the number of bytes that will be written as <tt>int</tt>.
     */
    public int getOutputLength();

    /**
     * Writes this <tt>Transportable</tt> to the
     * given <tt>DataOutput</tt>.
     *
     * @param dout the <tt>DataOutput</tt> to write to.
     * @throws java.io.IOException if an I/O error occurs.
     */
    public void writeTo(DataOutput dout) throws IOException;

    /**
     * Reads this <tt>Transportable</tt> from the given
     * <tt>DataInput</tt>.
     *
     * @param din the <tt>DataInput</tt> to read from.
     * @throws java.io.IOException if an I/O error occurs or the data
     *             is invalid.
     */
    public void readFrom(DataInput din) throws IOException;

}// interface Transportable