/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */

/*

 * Copyright (c) 2008 INRIA

 *

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

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

 * published by the Free Software Foundation;

 *

 * This program 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 for more details.

 *

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

 * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software

 * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA

 *

 * Author: Mathieu Lacage <mathieu.lacage@sophia.inria.fr>

 */

#ifndef TAG_H

#define TAG_H

#include "ns3/object-base.h"

#include "tag-buffer.h"

#include <stdint.h>

namespace ns3 {

/**

 * \ingroup packet

 *

 * \brief tag a set of bytes in a packet

 *

 * New kinds of tags can be created by subclassing this base class.

 */

class Tag : public ObjectBase

{

public:

  static TypeId GetTypeId (void);

  /**

   * \returns the number of bytes required to serialize the data of the tag.

   *

   * This method is typically invoked by Packet::AddTag just prior to calling

   * Tag::Serialize.

   */

  virtual uint32_t GetSerializedSize (void) const = 0;

  /**

   * \param i the buffer to write data into.

   *

   * Write the content of the tag in the provided tag buffer.

   * DO NOT attempt to write more bytes than you requested

   * with Tag::GetSerializedSize.

   */

  virtual void Serialize (TagBuffer i) const = 0;

  /**

   * \param i the buffer to read data from.

   *

   * Read the content of the tag from the provided tag buffer.

   * DO NOT attempt to read more bytes than you wrote with

   * Tag::Serialize.

   */

  virtual void Deserialize (TagBuffer i) = 0;

  /**

   * \param os the stream to print to

   *

   * This method is typically invoked from the Packet::PrintTags method

   */

  virtual void Print (std::ostream &os) const = 0;

};

} // namespace ns3

#endif /* TAG_H */