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package org.openoffice.xmerge;

import java.io.IOException;

/**
 *  <p>A <code>DocumentSerializer</code> represents a converter that
 *  converts a &quot;Office&quot; <code>Document</code> to a
 *  &quot;Device&quot; <code>Document</code> format.</p>
 *
 *  <p>The <code>DocumentSerializer</code> object is created by a
 *  the <code>PluginFactory</code> {@link
 *  org.openoffice.xmerge.DocumentSerializerFactory#createDocumentSerializer
 *  createDocumentSerializer} method.  When it is constructed, a
 *  &quot;Office&quot; <code>Document</code> object is passed in to
 *  be used as input.</p>
 *
 *  @author  Herbie Ong
 *  @see     org.openoffice.xmerge.PluginFactory
 *  @see     org.openoffice.xmerge.DocumentSerializerFactory
 */
public interface DocumentSerializer {

    /**
     *  <p>Convert the data passed into the <code>DocumentSerializer</code>
     *  constructor into the &quot;Device&quot; <code>Document</code>
     *  format.</p>
     *
     *  <p>This method may or may not be thread-safe.  It is expected
     *  that the user code does not call this method in more than one
     *  thread.  And for most cases, this method is only done once.</p>
     *
     *  @return <code>ConvertData</code> object to pass back the
     *           converted data.
     *
     *  @throws  ConvertException  If any conversion error occurs.
     *  @throws  IOException       If any I/O error occurs.
     */
    public ConvertData serialize() throws ConvertException, IOException;
}

