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package javax.faces.component;

import javax.faces.context.FacesContext;

/**
 *
 * <p><span class="changed_modified_2_0_rev_a">This</span> interface is
 * implemented by classes that need to save their state between
 * requests.</p>
 *
 * <p>An implementor <strong>must</strong> implement both {@link
 * #saveState} and {@link #restoreState} methods in this class, since
 * these two methods have a tightly coupled contract between themselves.
 * In other words, if there is an ineritance hierarchy, it is not
 * permissable to have the {@link #saveState} and {@link #restoreState}
 * methods reside at different levels of the hierarchy.</p>
 *
 * <p>An implementor must have a public no-args constructor.</p>
 *
 */

public interface StateHolder {

    /**
     * <p> Gets the state of the instance as a
     * <code>Serializable</code> Object.<p>
     *
     * <p>If the class that implements this interface has references to
     * instances that implement StateHolder (such as a
     * <code>UIComponent</code> with event handlers, validators, etc.)
     * this method must call the {@link #saveState} method on all those
     * instances as well.  <strong>This method must not save the state
     * of children and facets.</strong> That is done via the {@link
     * javax.faces.application.StateManager}</p>
     *
     * <p>This method must not alter the state of the implementing
     * object.  In other words, after executing this code:</p>
     *
     * <code><pre>
     * Object state = component.saveState(facesContext);
     * </pre></code>
     *
     * <p><code>component</code> should be the same as before executing
     * it.</p>
     *
     * <p>The return from this method must be <code>Serializable</code></p>
     * 
     * @throws NullPointerException if <code>context</code> is null
     */

    public Object saveState(FacesContext context);

    /**
     *
     * <p><span class="changed_modified_2_0_rev_a">Perform</state> any
     * processing required to restore the state from the entries in the
     * state Object.</p>
     *
     * <p>If the class that implements this interface has references to
     * instances that also implement StateHolder (such as a
     * <code>UIComponent</code> with event handlers, validators, etc.)
     * this method must call the {@link #restoreState} method on all those
     * instances as well. </p>

     * <p class="changed_modified_2_0_rev_a">If the <code>state</code>
     * argument is <code>null</code>, take no action and return.</p>
     * 
     * @throws NullPointerException if <code>context</code> is null.
     */

    public void restoreState(FacesContext context, Object state);

    /**
     *
     * <p>If true, the Object implementing this interface must not
     * participate in state saving or restoring.</p>
     */

    public boolean isTransient();

    /**
     * <p><span class="changed_modified_2_0_rev_a">Denotes</span>
     * whether or not the Object implementing this interface must or
     * must not participate in state saving or restoring.</p>
     * 
     * @param newTransientValue boolean pass <code>true</code> if this
     * Object <span class="changed_modified_2_0_rev_a">will not
     * participate</span> in state saving or restoring, otherwise pass
     * <code>false</code>.
     */ 
    public void setTransient(boolean newTransientValue);

}