com.ibm.bpe.api
Interface OID

All Superinterfaces:
java.lang.Comparable, java.io.Serializable
All Known Subinterfaces:
AIID, ATID, PIID, PTID, UTID, VTID, WIID

public interface OID
extends java.io.Serializable, java.lang.Comparable

Interface for an object identifier.

An object identifier uniquely identifies an object. It is created when the associated object is created and stays with the object during its lifetime. It is never reused.

The object identifier can be retrieved using the getID() method of the associated object.


Field Summary
static byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_A
           
static byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_B
           
static byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_C
           
static byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_D
           
 
Method Summary
 int compareTo(java.lang.Object o)
          Compares the object identifer with the object identifier of the specified object.
 byte getObjectMetaType()
          Returns information about the object meta type of the associated object.
 boolean isPersistent()
          Returns information about the persistence of the associated object.
 byte[] toByteArray()
          Returns a byte array representation of the object identifier.
 java.lang.String toString()
          Returns a String representation of the object identifier.
 

Field Detail

OBJECT_META_TYPE_A

public static final byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_A
See Also:
Constant Field Values

OBJECT_META_TYPE_B

public static final byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_B
See Also:
Constant Field Values

OBJECT_META_TYPE_C

public static final byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_C
See Also:
Constant Field Values

OBJECT_META_TYPE_D

public static final byte OBJECT_META_TYPE_D
See Also:
Constant Field Values
Method Detail

toString

public java.lang.String toString()
Returns a String representation of the object identifier.

There is no maximum length of a String representation. The length can vary from object type to object type and even for objects of the same object type.


toByteArray

public byte[] toByteArray()
Returns a byte array representation of the object identifier.

There is no maximum length of a byte array representation. The length can vary from object type to object type but is constant for objects of the same object type.


isPersistent

public boolean isPersistent()
Returns information about the persistence of the associated object.

Returns true when the associated object is persistent. Returns false when the associated object is transient.


getObjectMetaType

public byte getObjectMetaType()
Returns information about the object meta type of the associated object.

Returns:
a constant value out of OBJECT_META_TYPE_A ... OBJECT_META_TYPED

compareTo

public int compareTo(java.lang.Object o)
Compares the object identifer with the object identifier of the specified object.

Returns zero when the object identifiers are equal. Returns a negative integer when this object identifier is less than the specified one. Returns a positive integer when this object identifier is greater than the specified one.

Although object identifiers can be compared, no ordering semantics can be deduced.

Specified by:
compareTo in interface java.lang.Comparable