//---------------------------------------------------------
out.writeUTF("executionChain");
if (executionChain != null && executionChain.size() > 0) {
// start writing data to the output stream
out.writeBoolean(ExternalizeConstants.ACTIVE_OBJECT);
out.writeInt(currentHandlerIndex);
out.writeInt(currentPhaseIndex);
out.writeInt(executionChain.size());
// put the metadata on each member of the list into a buffer