/**
 * Copyright (c) 2008, Aberystwyth University
 *
 * All rights reserved.
 * 
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without 
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions 
 * are met:
 * 
 *  - Redistributions of source code must retain the above 
 *    copyright notice, this list of conditions and the 
 *    following disclaimer.
 *  
 *  - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright 
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in 
 *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the 
 *    distribution.
 *    
 *  - Neither the name of the Centre for Advanced Software and 
 *    Intelligent Systems (CASIS) nor the names of its 
 *    contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived 
 *    from this software without specific prior written permission.
 * 
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
 * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
 * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
 * A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT 
 * OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, 
 * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT 
 * LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, 
 * DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON 
 * ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR 
 * TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF 
 * THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF 
 * SUCH DAMAGE.
 */
package org.purl.sword.base;

import nu.xom.Element;

/**
 * Common methods that should be supported by all classes that
 * represent data in the SWORD api. 
 * 
 * @author Neil Taylor
 */
public interface SwordElementInterface
{
   /**
    * Marshall the data in the object to the XOM Element. 
    * 
    * @return The Element. 
    */
   public Element marshall( ); 
  
   /**
    * Unmarshall the data in the specified element and store it
    * in the object. 
    * 
    * @param element The data to unmarshall. 
    * @throws UnmarshallException If the element is not of the 
    * correct type, or if there is an error unmarshalling the data. 
    */
   public void unmarshall( Element element )
   throws UnmarshallException;
}