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 * 4. Products derived from this Software may not be called "Exolab"
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 * 5. Due credit should be given to the Exolab Project
 *    (http://www.exolab.org/).
 *
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY INTALIO, INC. AND CONTRIBUTORS
 * ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT
 * NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
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 * INTALIO, INC. OR ITS CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
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 * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED
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 *
 * Copyright 1999 (C) Intalio, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 *
 * $Id: CastorTestable.java 6253 2006-09-29 22:20:58Z rjoachim $
 */
package org.exolab.castor.tests.framework;

/**
 * Every root object in an object model used in a tests has to implement this
 * interface as well as to override the equals() method. It can be useful that
 * all the objects in an object model used for tests implement this interface.
 *
 * @author <a href="mailto:gignoux@intalio.com">Sebastien Gignoux</a>
 * @version $Revision: 6253 $ $Date: 2003-10-15 09:17:49 -0600 (Wed, 15 Oct 2003) $
 */
public interface CastorTestable {

    /**
     * Returns a recursive dump of the contents of the object's fields in a user
     * readable format. This is used to retrieve the state of the object if
     * castor fails to marshal the object for any reason.
     * <p>
     * We don't rely on the {@link java.lang.Object#toString()} function as
     * might be implemented with another semantic.
     *
     * @return a recursive dump of the contents of the object's fields in a user
     *         readable format.
     */
    public String dumpFields();

    /**
     * Randomizes the contents of the fields of this instance. This is used to
     * create an instance of the object model whithout having to unmarshal
     * anything.
     *
     * @throws InstantiationException if this method is called for an Interface
     *             or abstract class
     * @throws IllegalAccessException if this method is not accessible
     */
    public void randomizeFields() throws InstantiationException, IllegalAccessException;

}
