using System;

namespace HeuristicLab.Persistence.Interfaces {

  /// <summary>
  /// Marker interface primitive serializers. Transform data of type SourceType
  /// into the serialization format SerialDataType. Derive from PrimitiveSerializerBase instead
  /// of implementing this interface.
  /// </summary>
  public interface IPrimitiveSerializer {

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets the type of the serial data.
    /// </summary>
    /// <value>The type of the serial data.</value>
    Type SerialDataType { get; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets the source type.
    /// </summary>
    /// <value>The type of the source.</value>
    Type SourceType { get; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Creates a serialized representation of the provided object.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="o">The object.</param>
    /// <returns>A serialized version of the object.</returns>
    ISerialData Format(object o);


    /// <summary>
    /// Creates a fresh object instance using the serializes data..
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="data">The data.</param>
    /// <returns>A fresh object instance.</returns>
    object Parse(ISerialData data);
  }

  /// <summary>
  /// Marker interface primitive serializers. Transform data of type SourceType
  /// into the serialization format SerialDataType. Derive from PrimitiveSerializerBase instead
  /// of implementing this interface.
  /// </summary>
  /// <typeparam name="Source">The source type.</typeparam>
  /// <typeparam name="SerialData">The serialized data type.</typeparam>
  public interface IPrimitiveSerializer<Source, SerialData> : IPrimitiveSerializer where SerialData : ISerialData {

    /// <summary>
    /// Creates a serialized version of the provided object.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="o">The object.</param>
    /// <returns>A serialized version of the object.</returns>
    SerialData Format(Source o);


    /// <summary>
    /// Creates a fresh object instance from the serialized data
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="data">The data.</param>
    /// <returns>A fresh object instance.</returns>
    Source Parse(SerialData data);
  }

}