/*

 * Copyright (c) 1996, 1999, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

 * 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

 * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Oracle designates this

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

 * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.

 *

 * 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.

 *

 * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA

 * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any

 * questions.

 */

package java.io;

/**

 * ObjectOutput extends the DataOutput interface to include writing of objects.

 * DataOutput includes methods for output of primitive types, ObjectOutput

 * extends that interface to include objects, arrays, and Strings.

 *

 * @author  unascribed

 * @see java.io.InputStream

 * @see java.io.ObjectOutputStream

 * @see java.io.ObjectInputStream

 * @since   JDK1.1

 */

public interface ObjectOutput extends DataOutput {

    /**

     * Write an object to the underlying storage or stream.  The

     * class that implements this interface defines how the object is

     * written.

     *

     * @param obj the object to be written

     * @exception IOException Any of the usual Input/Output related exceptions.

     */

    public void writeObject(Object obj)

      throws IOException;

    /**

     * Writes a byte. This method will block until the byte is actually

     * written.

     * @param b the byte

     * @exception IOException If an I/O error has occurred.

     */

    public void write(int b) throws IOException;

    /**

     * Writes an array of bytes. This method will block until the bytes

     * are actually written.

     * @param b the data to be written

     * @exception IOException If an I/O error has occurred.

     */

    public void write(byte b[]) throws IOException;

    /**

     * Writes a sub array of bytes.

     * @param b the data to be written

     * @param off       the start offset in the data

     * @param len       the number of bytes that are written

     * @exception IOException If an I/O error has occurred.

     */

    public void write(byte b[], int off, int len) throws IOException;

    /**

     * Flushes the stream. This will write any buffered

     * output bytes.

     * @exception IOException If an I/O error has occurred.

     */

    public void flush() throws IOException;

    /**

     * Closes the stream. This method must be called

     * to release any resources associated with the

     * stream.

     * @exception IOException If an I/O error has occurred.

     */

    public void close() throws IOException;

}