/*

 * Copyright (c) 1997, 2007, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.

 *

 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it

 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as

 * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Oracle designates this

 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided

 * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.

 *

 * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT

 * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or

 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License

 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that

 * accompanied this code).

 *

 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version

 * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,

 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.

 *

 * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA

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 */

package com.sun.jmx.snmp;

import java.io.Serializable;

/**

 * Is an abstract representation of an SNMP Value.

 * All classes provided for dealing with SNMP types should derive from this

 * class.

 *

 * <p><b>This API is a Sun Microsystems internal API  and is subject

 * to change without notice.</b></p>

 */

public abstract class SnmpValue implements Cloneable, Serializable, SnmpDataTypeEnums {

    /**

     * Returns a <CODE>String</CODE> form containing ASN.1 tagging information.

     * @return The <CODE>String</CODE> form.

     */

    public String toAsn1String() {

        return "[" + getTypeName() + "] " + toString();

    }

    /**

     * Returns the value encoded as an OID.

     * The method is particularly useful when dealing with indexed table made of

     * several SNMP variables.

     * @return The value encoded as an OID.

     */

    public abstract SnmpOid toOid() ;

    /**

     * Returns a textual description of the object.

     * @return ASN.1 textual description.

     */

    public abstract String getTypeName() ;

    /**

     * Same as clone, but you cannot perform cloning using this object because

     * clone is protected. This method should call <CODE>clone()</CODE>.

     * @return The <CODE>SnmpValue</CODE> clone.

     */

    public abstract SnmpValue duplicate() ;

    /**

     * This method returns <CODE>false</CODE> by default and is redefined

     * in the {@link com.sun.jmx.snmp.SnmpNull} class.

     */

    public boolean isNoSuchObjectValue() {

        return false;

    }

    /**

     * This method returns <CODE>false</CODE> by default and is redefined

     * in the {@link com.sun.jmx.snmp.SnmpNull} class.

     */

    public boolean isNoSuchInstanceValue() {

        return false;

    }

    /**

     * This method returns <CODE>false</CODE> by default and is redefined

     * in the {@link com.sun.jmx.snmp.SnmpNull} class.

     */

    public boolean isEndOfMibViewValue() {

        return false;

    }

}