FYI: Control Data + Per-Device Metadata

sync/internal_api/public/base_node.h

Index: sync/internal_api/public/base_node.h
diff --git a/sync/internal_api/public/base_node.h b/sync/internal_api/public/base_node.h
index d4ba99df3836c1819b5c518944d48f6d37f45c32..fc03106073fb38b02a55d4589eddd6aea9bb75d1 100644
--- a/sync/internal_api/public/base_node.h
+++ b/sync/internal_api/public/base_node.h
@@ -23,15 +23,17 @@ class DictionaryValue;
 
 namespace sync_pb {
 class AppSpecifics;
-class AutofillSpecifics;
 class AutofillProfileSpecifics;
+class AutofillSpecifics;
 class BookmarkSpecifics;
 class EntitySpecifics;
 class ExtensionSpecifics;
-class SessionSpecifics;
 class NigoriSpecifics;
-class PreferenceSpecifics;
 class PasswordSpecificsData;
+class PerDeviceSpecifics;
+class PerUserSpecifics;
+class PreferenceSpecifics;
+class SessionSpecifics;
 class ThemeSpecifics;
 class TypedUrlSpecifics;
 }
@@ -165,6 +167,14 @@ class BaseNode {
   // data.  Can only be called if GetModelType() == SESSIONS.
   const sync_pb::SessionSpecifics& GetSessionSpecifics() const;
 
+  // Getter specific to the PER_DEVICE_METADATA datatype.  Returns protobuf
+  // data.  Can only be called if GetModelType() == PER_DEVICE_METADATA.
+  const sync_pb::PerDeviceSpecifics& GetPerDeviceSpecifics() const;
+
+  // Getter specific to the PER_USER_METADATA datatype.  Returns protobuf data.
+  // Can only be called if GetModelType() == PER_USERMETADATA.

[rlarocque, 2012/08/11 01:31:52]

FIXME: typo.

+  const sync_pb::PerUserSpecifics& GetPerUserSpecifics() const;

[rlarocque, 2012/08/11 01:31:52]

I'm not sure if this function is necessary.  According to the original design
doc, there's no need for a PerUserSpecifics, since it would always contain
exactly one sub-message and the caller would have to know which one it is.  It
might be easier to just expect the caller to call GetEntitySpecifics and place
all possible sub-messages directly under sync_pb::EntitySpecifics.

That might have undesirable effects on other parts of the code that expect
types' protobufs to be formatted a certain way, ie. proto_value_conversions.cc. 
Maybe it would be better to use slightly uglier protobuf definitions in order to
not disturb the existing code too much.

Server devs: any thoughts?

+
   const sync_pb::EntitySpecifics& GetEntitySpecifics() const;
 
   // Returns the local external ID associated with the node.