/*
 * Copyright 2010 Google Inc.
 * 
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not
 * use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of
 * the License at
 * 
 * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 * 
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
 * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
 * the License.
 */
package com.google.gwt.requestfactory.shared;

/**
 * The base interface for RequestFactory service endpoints.
 */
public interface RequestContext {
  /**
   * Returns a new mutable proxy that this request can carry to the server,
   * perhaps to be persisted. If the object is succesfully persisted, a PERSIST
   * event will be posted including the EntityProxyId of this proxy.
   * 
   * @param clazz a Class object of type T
   * @return an {@link BaseProxy} instance of type T
   */
  <T extends BaseProxy> T create(Class<T> clazz);

  /**
   * Returns a mutable version of the proxy, whose mutations will accumulate in
   * this context. Proxies reached via getters on this mutable proxy will also
   * be mutable.
   * 
   * @param object an instance of type T
   * @return an {@link EntityProxy} or {@link ValueProxy} instance of type T
   */
  <T extends BaseProxy> T edit(T object);

  /**
   * Send the accumulated changes and method invocations associated with the
   * RequestContext.
   * <p>
   * If {@link Request#to(Receiver)} has not been called, this method will
   * install a default receiver that will throw a RuntimeException if there is a
   * server failure.
   */
  void fire();

  /**
   * For receiving errors or validation failures only.
   * 
   * @param receiver a {@link Receiver} instance
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if <code>receiver</code> is
   *           <code>null</code>
   */
  void fire(Receiver<Void> receiver);

  /**
   * Returns true if any changes have been made to proxies mutable under this
   * context. Note that vacuous changes &mdash; e.g. foo.setName(foo.getName()
   * &mdash; will not trip the changed flag. Similarly, "unmaking" a change will
   * clear the isChanged flag
   * 
   * <pre>
   * String name = bar.getName();
   * bar.setName("something else");
   * assertTrue(context.isChanged());
   * bar.setName(name);
   * assertFalse(context.isChanged());
   * </pre>
   * 
   * @return {@code true} if any changes have been made
   */
  boolean isChanged();
}