/*

 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.

 *

 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it

 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as

 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided

 *

 * This code 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 (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that

 * accompanied this code).

 *

 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version

 * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,

 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.

 *

 */

package com.sun.javadoc;

/**

 * Documents a Serializable field defined by an ObjectStreamField.

 * <pre>

 * The class parses and stores the three serialField tag parameters:

 *

 * - field name

 * - field type name

 *      (fully-qualified or visible from the current import context)

 * - description of the valid values for the field

 * </pre>

 * This tag is only allowed in the javadoc for the special member

 * serialPersistentFields.

 *

 * @author Joe Fialli

 *

 * @see java.io.ObjectStreamField

 */

public interface SerialFieldTag extends Tag, Comparable<Object> {

    /**

     * Return the serialziable field name.

     */

    public String fieldName();

    /**

     * Return the field type string.

     */

    public String fieldType();

    /**

     * Return the ClassDoc for field type.

     *

     * @return null if no ClassDoc for field type is visible from

     *         containingClass context.

     */

    public ClassDoc fieldTypeDoc();

    /**

     * Return the field comment. If there is no serialField comment, return

     * javadoc comment of corresponding FieldDoc.

     */

    public String description();

    /**

     * Compares this Object with the specified Object for order.  Returns a

     * negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this Object is less

     * than, equal to, or greater than the given Object.

     * <p>

     * Included to make SerialFieldTag items java.lang.Comparable.

     *

     * @param   obj the <code>Object</code> to be compared.

     * @return  a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this Object

     *          is less than, equal to, or greater than the given Object.

     * @exception ClassCastException the specified Object's type prevents it

     *            from being compared to this Object.

     * @since 1.2

     */

    public int compareTo(Object obj);

}