# Class SerialRef

java.lang.Object
javax.sql.rowset.serial.SerialRef

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `Serializable, Cloneable, Ref`

public class SerialRef extends Object implements Ref, Serializable, Cloneable
A serialized mapping of a `Ref` object, which is the mapping in the Java programming language of an SQL `REF` value.

The `SerialRef` class provides a constructor for creating a `SerialRef` instance from a `Ref` object and provides methods for getting and setting the `Ref` object.

## Thread safety

A SerialRef is not safe for use by multiple concurrent threads. If a SerialRef is to be used by more than one thread then access to the SerialRef should be controlled by appropriate synchronization.

Since:
  1.5
See Also:
  - Serialized Form

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Constructor
  Description
  `SerialRef(Ref ref)`
  Constructs a `SerialRef` object from the given `Ref` object.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `Object`
  `clone()`
  Returns a clone of this `SerialRef`.
  `boolean`
  `equals(Object obj)`
  Compares this SerialRef to the specified object.
  `String`
  `getBaseTypeName()`
  Returns a string describing the base type name of the `Ref`.
  `Object`
  `getObject()`
  Returns an `Object` representing the SQL structured type to which this `SerialRef` object refers.
  `Object`
  `getObject(Map<String,Class<?>> map)`
  Returns an `Object` representing the SQL structured type to which this `SerialRef` object refers.
  `int`
  `hashCode()`
  Returns a hash code for this `SerialRef`.
  `void`
  `setObject(Object obj)`
  Sets the SQL structured type that this `SerialRef` object references to the given `Object` object.

  ### Methods declared in class Object

  `finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### SerialRef

    public SerialRef(Ref ref) throws SerialException, SQLException
    Constructs a `SerialRef` object from the given `Ref` object.
    Parameters:
      `ref` - a Ref object; cannot be `null`
    Throws:
      `SQLException` - if a database access occurs; if `ref` is `null`; or if the `Ref` object returns a `null` value base type name.
      `SerialException` - if an error occurs serializing the `Ref` object

- ## Method Details

  - ### getBaseTypeName

    public String getBaseTypeName() throws SerialException
    Returns a string describing the base type name of the `Ref`.
    Specified by:
      `getBaseTypeName` in interface `Ref`
    Returns:
      a string of the base type name of the Ref
    Throws:
      `SerialException` - in no Ref object has been set

  - ### getObject

    public Object getObject(Map<String,Class<?>> map) throws SerialException
    Returns an `Object` representing the SQL structured type to which this `SerialRef` object refers. The attributes of the structured type are mapped according to the given type map.
    Specified by:
      `getObject` in interface `Ref`
    Parameters:
      `map` - a `java.util.Map` object containing zero or more entries, with each entry consisting of 1) a `String` giving the fully qualified name of a UDT and 2) the `Class` object for the `SQLData` implementation that defines how the UDT is to be mapped
    Returns:
      an object instance resolved from the Ref reference and mapped according to the supplied type map
    Throws:
      `SerialException` - if an error is encountered in the reference resolution
    See Also:
      - `Ref.setObject(Object)`

  - ### getObject

    public Object getObject() throws SerialException
    Returns an `Object` representing the SQL structured type to which this `SerialRef` object refers.
    Specified by:
      `getObject` in interface `Ref`
    Returns:
      an object instance resolved from the Ref reference
    Throws:
      `SerialException` - if an error is encountered in the reference resolution
    See Also:
      - `Ref.setObject(Object)`

  - ### setObject

    public void setObject(Object obj) throws SerialException
    Sets the SQL structured type that this `SerialRef` object references to the given `Object` object.
    Specified by:
      `setObject` in interface `Ref`
    Parameters:
      `obj` - an `Object` representing the SQL structured type to be referenced
    Throws:
      `SerialException` - if an error is encountered generating the the structured type referenced by this `SerialRef` object
    See Also:
      - `Ref.getObject()`
      - `Ref.getObject(Map)`
      - `PreparedStatement.setObject(int, Object)`
      - `CallableStatement.setObject(String, Object)`

  - ### equals

    public boolean equals(Object obj)
    Compares this SerialRef to the specified object. The result is `true` if and only if the argument is not `null` and is a `SerialRef` object that represents the same object as this object.
    Overrides:
      `equals` in class `Object`
    Parameters:
      `obj` - The object to compare this `SerialRef` against
    Returns:
      `true` if the given object represents a `SerialRef` equivalent to this SerialRef, `false` otherwise
    See Also:
      - `Object.hashCode()`
      - `HashMap`

  - ### hashCode

    public int hashCode()
    Returns a hash code for this `SerialRef`.
    Overrides:
      `hashCode` in class `Object`
    Returns:
      a hash code value for this object.
    See Also:
      - `Object.equals(java.lang.Object)`
      - `System.identityHashCode(Object)`

  - ### clone

    public Object clone()
    Returns a clone of this `SerialRef`. The underlying `Ref` object will be set to null.
    Overrides:
      `clone` in class `Object`
    Returns:
      a clone of this SerialRef
    See Also:
      - `Cloneable`