/*
 * @(#) ReallyCloneable.java - Interface for cloneable objects.
 * (c) 2000 Ivan Maidanski <ivmai@chat.ru> http://ivmai.chat.ru
 * Freeware class library sources. All rights reserved.
 **
 * Language: Java [pure]
 * Tested with: JDK v1.1.6
 * Last modified: 2000-12-20 16:55:00 GMT+03:00
 */

/*
 * This software is the proprietary information of the author.
 **
 * Permission to use, copy, and distribute this software and its
 * documentation for non-commercial purposes and without fee is
 * hereby granted provided that this copyright notice appears in all
 * copies.
 **
 * This software should not be modified in any way; any found bug
 * should be reported to the author.
 **
 * The author disclaims all warranties with regard to this software,
 * including all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness.
 * In no event shall the author be liable for any special, indirect
 * or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from
 * loss of use, data or profits, whether in an action of contract,
 * negligence or other tortuous action, arising out of or in
 * connection with the use or performance of this software.
 */

package ivmai.util;

/**
 * Interface for cloneable objects.
 **
 * This interface declares/unhides the <CODE>public</CODE> method
 * for making an instance "exact" copy (unlike
 * <CODE>Cloneable</CODE> interface which is only tagging). The
 * standard <CODE>Cloneable</CODE> interface is extended here to
 * allow the proper usage of native <CODE>clone()</CODE> method of
 * <CODE>Object</CODE> class (without throwing
 * <CODE>CloneNotSupportedException</CODE>) Important notes: the
 * classes which implement this interface should also override the
 * standard <CODE>equals(Object)</CODE> and <CODE>hashCode()</CODE>
 * methods.
 **
 * @version 2.0
 * @author Ivan Maidanski
 **
 * @since 2.0
 */
public interface ReallyCloneable extends Cloneable
{

/**
 * Creates and returns a copy of <CODE>this</CODE> object.
 **
 * By the <CODE>clone()</CODE> standard definition, this method
 * creates a new instance of the class of this object and
 * initializes all its fields with exactly the contents of the
 * corresponding fields of this object. Typically, native
 * <CODE>clone()</CODE> method of <CODE>Object</CODE> class is used
 * inside this method.
 **
 * @return
 * a copy (not <CODE>null</CODE> and != <CODE>this</CODE>) of
 * <CODE>this</CODE> instance.
 * @exception OutOfMemoryError
 * if there is not enough memory.
 */
 public abstract Object clone();
}