1 files changed, 38 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/lib/blink/element.rb b/lib/blink/element.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..492eb3905
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/blink/element.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/local/bin/ruby -w
+
+# $Id$
+
+# included so we can test object types
+require 'blink'
+
+
+#---------------------------------------------------------------
+# the base class for both types and states
+# very little functionality; basically just defines the interface
+# and provides a few simple across-the-board functions like 'noop'
+class Blink::Element
+    attr_writer :noop
+
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------
+    # all of our subclasses must respond to each of these methods...
+    @@interface_methods = [
+        :retrieve, :insync?, :sync, :fqpath, :evaluate, :refresh
+    ]
+
+    # so raise an error if a method that isn't overridden gets called
+    @@interface_methods.each { |method|
+        self.send(:define_method,method) {
+            raise "%s has not overridden %s" % [self.class,method]
+        }
+    }
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------
+    # for testing whether we should actually do anything
+    def noop
+        return @noop || Blink[:noop] || false
+    end
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+end
+#---------------------------------------------------------------