package shared.remotecall;

import java.io.*;

/**
 * This is the abstract base class of all other classes of the shared.remotecall package.
 * Its defining some common methods. 
 * @author buetow
 *
 */
public abstract class RemoteCall {
	/**
	 * This is a help method for writeObject of the child classes, needed for ojbect serialization (sending part).
	 * It checks if object is defined. If yes, it will be written to the given object output stream with a leading
	 * flag with the value true. Otherwise only the false flag will be written to the object output stream.
	 * @param objectOutputStream Specifies the output stream.
	 * @throws IOException
	 */
	protected final void writeObjectIfDefined(ObjectOutputStream objectOutputStream, Object object) 
		throws IOException {
		if (object == null) {
			objectOutputStream.writeBoolean(false);
			
		} else {
			objectOutputStream.writeBoolean(true);
			objectOutputStream.writeObject(object);
		}
	}
}