/*
 * @(#)ValueFactory.java	1.10 03/12/19
 *
 * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */
/*
 * Licensed Materials - Property of IBM
 * RMI-IIOP v1.0
 * Copyright IBM Corp. 1998 1999  All Rights Reserved
 *
 * US Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or
 * disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.
 */

package org.omg.CORBA.portable;
import java.io.Serializable;

/**
 * The ValueFactory interface is the native mapping for the IDL 
 * type CORBA::ValueFactory. The read_value() method is called by 
 * the ORB runtime while in the process of unmarshaling a value type. 
 * A user shall implement this method as part of implementing a type 
 * specific value factory. In the implementation, the user shall call 
 * is.read_value(java.io.Serializable) with a uninitialized valuetype 
 * to use for unmarshaling. The value returned by the stream is 
 * the same value passed in, with all the data unmarshaled.
 * @see org.omg.CORBA_2_3.ORB
 */

public interface ValueFactory {
    /**
     * Is called by 
     * the ORB runtime while in the process of unmarshaling a value type. 
     * A user shall implement this method as part of implementing a type 
     * specific value factory.
     * @param is an InputStream object--from which the value will be read.
     * @return a Serializable object--the value read off of "is" Input stream.
     */
    Serializable read_value(org.omg.CORBA_2_3.portable.InputStream is);
}