/Utilities/ISaveLoadBinary.cs

using System.IO;



namespace Delta.Utilities

{

	/// <summary>

	/// This interface allows saving and loading of an object into and from a

	/// byte data stream. For speed and simplicity the BinaryWriter and

	/// BinaryReader classes are used to save and load the bytes. This interface

	/// is usually used to save and load simple data types inside a larger

	/// structure (e.g. scene files, level files, model data, etc. all use

	/// Points, Rectangles, Vectors, Matrices, etc.).

	/// <para />

	/// Please note that some complex classes with safe loading processes will

	/// need an additional layer on top of BinaryLoader to make sure data can

	/// be loaded even if one of the contained ISaveLoadBinary data types is

	/// corrupt. Then the stream is advanced by the number of bytes used and

	/// the failed loading of the object is reported, but the rest works fine!

	/// <para />

	/// Please use Factory.Load and .Save or the Content.Get functionality to

	/// create and load classes using this interface. FileHelper.Load and

	/// FileHelper.Save are useful functions for this interface.

	/// </summary>

	public interface ISaveLoadBinary

	{

		#region Save (Public)

		/// <summary>

		/// Saves all necessary data of the object into a binary writer stream for

		/// the caller to use for saving (or sending over network).

		/// </summary>

		/// <param name="writer">BinaryWriter for the stream to write into</param>

		void Save(BinaryWriter writer);

		#endregion



		#region Load (Public)

		/// <summary>

		/// Loads the object again from previously saved data.

		/// </summary>

		/// <param name="reader">BinaryReader for reading the data</param>

		void Load(BinaryReader reader);

		#endregion

	}

}