# Custom Transformers

If you don't like how we set up data serialization or just have super-custom requirements, you can provide your own data marshaller to have full control. Create a CFC that implements the `cfcouchbase.data.IDataMarshaller` interface. It only needs to have three methods:

* `serializeData()` - Returns the data in a string form so it can be persisted in Couchbase
* `deserializeData()` - Received the raw string data from Couchbase and inflates it as necessary to the original state
* `setCouchbaseClient()` - Gives the marshaller a chance to store a local reference to the client in case it needs to talk back.

```
interface{
    any function setCouchbaseClient( required couchcbaseClient );
    any function deserializeData( required string ID, required string data, any inflateTo="", struct deserializeOptions={} );
    string function serializeData( required any data );
}
```

## myDataMarshaller.cfc

```javascript
component implements='cfcouchbase.data.IDataMarshaller' {

    any function setCouchbaseClient( required couchcbaseClient ){
        variables.couchbaseClient = arguments.couchcbaseClient;
        return this;
    }

    string function serializeData( required any data ){
        if( !isSimpleValue( data ) ) {
            return serializeJSON( data );
        }
        return data;
    }

    any function deserializeData( required string data, any inflateTo="", struct deserializeOptions={} ){
        if( isJSON( data ) && deserialize ) {
            return deserializeJSON( data );
        }
        return data;
    }

}
```

After you have created your custom marshaller, simply pass in an instance of it or the full component path as a config setting:

```javascript
// path
couchbase = new cfcouchbase.CouchbaseClient(
    {
        bucketName = 'myBucket',
        dataMarshaller = 'path.to.myDataMarshaller'
    } 
);
// instance
couchbase = new cfcouchbase.CouchbaseClient(
    {
        bucketName = 'myBucket',
        dataMarshaller = new path.to.myDataMarshaller()
    } 
);
```

> **Tip** Once you specify a custom data marshaller, you are overriding all **Data Serialization** functionality above. So you are on your own now buddy! Like good 'ol spidey says: With Much Power Comes Much Responsibility!


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