plugins/javax.ejb/src/javax/ejb/EJBObject.java

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package javax.ejb;

import java.rmi.RemoteException;

/**
 * The EJBObject interface is extended by all enterprise beans' remote
 * interfaces. An enterprise bean's remote interface provides the
 * remote client view of an EJB object. An enterprise bean's remote
 * interface defines the business methods callable by a remote client.
 *
 * <p> The remote interface must extend the javax.ejb.EJBObject
 * interface, and define the enterprise bean specific business
 * methods.
 *
 * <p> The enterprise bean's remote interface is defined by the enterprise
 * bean provider and implemented by the enterprise bean container.
 *
 * <p>
 * Enterprise beans written to the EJB 3.0 and later APIs do not require
 * a remote interface that extends the EJBObject interface.  A remote
 * business interface can be used instead.
 *
 * @since EJB 1.0
 */
public interface EJBObject extends java.rmi.Remote {
    /**
     * Obtain the enterprise bean's remote home interface. The remote home 
     * interface defines the enterprise bean's create, finder, remove,
     * and home business methods.
     * 
     * @return A reference to the enterprise bean's home interface.
     *
     * @exception RemoteException Thrown when the method failed due to a
     *    system-level failure.
     */
    public EJBHome getEJBHome() throws RemoteException; 

    /**
     * Obtain the primary key of the EJB object. 
     *
     * <p> This method can be called on an entity bean. An attempt to invoke
     * this method on a session bean will result in RemoteException.
     *
     * @return The EJB object's primary key.
     *
     * @exception RemoteException Thrown when the method failed due to a
     *    system-level failure or when invoked on a session bean.
     */
    public Object getPrimaryKey() throws RemoteException;

    /**
     * Remove the EJB object.
     *
     * @exception RemoteException Thrown when the method failed due to a
     *    system-level failure.
     *
     * @exception RemoveException The enterprise bean or the container
     *    does not allow destruction of the object.
     */ 
    public void remove() throws RemoteException, RemoveException;

    /**
     * Obtain a handle for the EJB object. The handle can be used at later
     * time to re-obtain a reference to the EJB object, possibly in a
     * different Java Virtual Machine.
     *
     * @return A handle for the EJB object.
     *
     * @exception RemoteException Thrown when the method failed due to a
     *    system-level failure.
     */
    public Handle getHandle() throws RemoteException;

    /**
     * Test if a given EJB object is identical to the invoked EJB object.
     *
     * @param obj An object to test for identity with the invoked object.
     *
     * @return True if the given EJB object is identical to the invoked object,
     *    false otherwise.
     *
     * @exception RemoteException Thrown when the method failed due to a
     *    system-level failure.
     */
    boolean isIdentical(EJBObject obj) throws RemoteException;
}