1 files changed, 45 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/data/serialize.js b/src/data/serialize.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8cac330
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/serialize.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// serialize.js: simple interface and utility functions for converting
+// Things into a directly serializeable format
+
+// Utility functions
+
+export function id(x) {
+  return x;
+}
+
+export function toRef(thing) {
+  return thing?.constructor.getReference(thing);
+}
+
+export function toRefs(things) {
+  return things?.map(toRef);
+}
+
+export function toContribRefs(contribs) {
+  return contribs?.map(({who, what}) => ({who: toRef(who), what}));
+}
+
+export function toCommentaryRefs(entries) {
+  return entries?.map(({artist, ...props}) => ({artist: toRef(artist), ...props}));
+}
+
+// Interface
+
+export const serializeDescriptors = Symbol();
+
+export function serializeThing(thing) {
+  const descriptors = thing.constructor[serializeDescriptors];
+
+  if (!descriptors) {
+    throw new Error(`Constructor ${thing.constructor.name} does not provide serialize descriptors`);
+  }
+
+  return Object.fromEntries(
+    Object.entries(descriptors)
+      .map(([property, transform]) => [property, transform(thing[property])])
+  );
+}
+
+export function serializeThings(things) {
+  return things.map(serializeThing);
+}