Synchronizeable

Short description of the module and its functions:

Next steps:

• Implement the changes of the interface

/* general notes:
   - the function names write/read are choosen from the observers point of view (outside the module) 
*/

 /* public functions */
 public:

 /*
  * Constructor, Deconstructor
  */
 Synchronizeable();
 ~Synchronizeable();

 /*
  * This function writes the binary representation of the synchronizeable objects state into
  * the object. The binary data is a sufficient represenation of the object's next state.
  * This function is virtual and therefore needs to be extended by the derived class
  *
  * @param data: the binary data array
  * @param length: the length of the data array
  */
 virtual void writeBytes(byte* data, int length) = 0;


 /*
  * This function converts the current state of the synchronizeable object into binary 
  * representation. This binary representation contains a sufficient (not more) description of the 
  * current object state and will be sent through the NetworkStream to the remote host.
  * This function is virtual and therefore needs to be extended by the derived class
  *
  * @param data: the binary array
  * @param length: the length of the array: the synchronizeable object can never write more than <length> bytes
  * return: the actual number of bytes that has been read
  */
 virtual int readBytes(byte* data, int length) = 0;


 /*
  * This function writes the incoming byte stream as human readable text into the STDOUT.
  * It is been called by the writeByteStream(...) function.
  * This function is virtual and therefore needs to be extended by the derived class
  */
 virtual void writeDebug() = 0;


 /*
  * This function writes the outgoing byte stream as human readable text into the STDOUT.
  * It is been called by the readByteStream(...) function.
  * This function is virtual and therefore needs to be extended by the derived class
  */
 virtual void readDebug() = 0;