-
- All Superinterfaces:
- Serializable
- All Known Implementing Classes:
- ActivationDataFlavor, DataFlavor, MimeType, MLet, PrivateMLet
public interface Externalizable extends Serializable
Only the identity of the class of an Externalizable instance is written in the serialization stream and it is the responsibility of the class to save and restore the contents of its instances. The writeExternal and readExternal methods of the Externalizable interface are implemented by a class to give the class complete control over the format and contents of the stream for an object and its supertypes. These methods must explicitly coordinate with the supertype to save its state. These methods supersede customized implementations of writeObject and readObject methods.
Object Serialization uses the Serializable and Externalizable interfaces. Object persistence mechanisms can use them as well. Each object to be stored is tested for the Externalizable interface. If the object supports Externalizable, the writeExternal method is called. If the object does not support Externalizable and does implement Serializable, the object is saved using ObjectOutputStream.
When an Externalizable object is reconstructed, an instance is created using the public no-arg constructor, then the readExternal method called. Serializable objects are restored by reading them from an ObjectInputStream.
An Externalizable instance can designate a substitution object via the writeReplace and readResolve methods documented in the Serializable interface.- Since:
- JDK1.1
- See Also:
ObjectOutputStream
,ObjectInputStream
,ObjectOutput
,ObjectInput
,Serializable
-
-
Method Summary
Methods Modifier and Type Method and Description void
readExternal(ObjectInput in)
The object implements the readExternal method to restore its contents by calling the methods of DataInput for primitive types and readObject for objects, strings and arrays.void
writeExternal(ObjectOutput out)
The object implements the writeExternal method to save its contents by calling the methods of DataOutput for its primitive values or calling the writeObject method of ObjectOutput for objects, strings, and arrays.
-
-
-
Method Detail
-
writeExternal
void writeExternal(ObjectOutput out) throws IOException
The object implements the writeExternal method to save its contents by calling the methods of DataOutput for its primitive values or calling the writeObject method of ObjectOutput for objects, strings, and arrays.- Parameters:
out
- the stream to write the object to- Throws:
IOException
- Includes any I/O exceptions that may occur
-
readExternal
void readExternal(ObjectInput in) throws IOException, ClassNotFoundException
The object implements the readExternal method to restore its contents by calling the methods of DataInput for primitive types and readObject for objects, strings and arrays. The readExternal method must read the values in the same sequence and with the same types as were written by writeExternal.- Parameters:
in
- the stream to read data from in order to restore the object- Throws:
IOException
- if I/O errors occurClassNotFoundException
- If the class for an object being restored cannot be found.
-
-
Document created the 11/06/2005, last modified the 04/03/2020
Source of the printed document:https://www.gaudry.be/en/java-api-rf-java/io/Externalizable.html
The infobrol is a personal site whose content is my sole responsibility. The text is available under CreativeCommons license (BY-NC-SA). More info on the terms of use and the author.
References
These references and links indicate documents consulted during the writing of this page, or which may provide additional information, but the authors of these sources can not be held responsible for the content of this page.
The author This site is solely responsible for the way in which the various concepts, and the freedoms that are taken with the reference works, are presented here. Remember that you must cross multiple source information to reduce the risk of errors.