message_serialization.h

/*
 * Header for the MessageSerialization namespace.
 * Provides functions for encoding and decoding Message objects.
 * 
 * CSF Assignment 5
 * 
 * Ifrah Attar - iattar1@jh.edu
 * Morgan Huberty - mhubert3@jh.edu
 * 
 */

 #ifndef MESSAGE_SERIALIZATION_H
 #define MESSAGE_SERIALIZATION_H
 
 #include <string>
 #include "message.h"
 
 /**
  * @namespace MessageSerialization
  * @brief A collection of functions for serializing and deserializing Message objects.
  */
 namespace MessageSerialization {
   /**
    * @brief Encodes a Message object into its string representation.
    * Converts a Message object into a single line of text terminated by a
    * newline, according to the network protocol.
    * @param msg The Message object to encode.
    * @param encoded_msg A reference to a string where the encoded message will be stored.
    * @throw InvalidMessage if the resulting encoded message exceeds the maximum length.
    */
   void encode(const Message &msg, std::string &encoded_msg);
 
   /**
    * @brief Decodes a string representation into a Message object.
    * Parses a string and constructs a Message object.
    * @param encoded_msg The string to decode.
    * @param msg A reference to a Message object where the decoded message will be stored.
    * @throw InvalidMessage if the string is not a valid encoded message (e.g.,
    *        too long, no newline, invalid format, or results in an invalid Message).
    */
   void decode(const std::string &encoded_msg, Message &msg);
 };
 
 #endif // MESSAGE_SERIALIZATION_H