CharBuffer (Java 2 Platform SE v1.4.1_"07")

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JavaTM 2 Platform
Std. Ed. v1.4.1_"07"

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## java.nio
Class CharBuffer

    java.lang.Object
      |
      +--java.nio.Buffer
            |
            +--java.nio.CharBuffer

All Implemented Interfaces:
  CharSequence, Comparable

public abstract class CharBuffer
extends Buffer
implements Comparable, CharSequence

A character buffer.

This class defines four categories of operations upon character buffers:

- Absolute and relative ``get`` and ``put`` methods that read and write single characters;

- Relative ``bulk get`` methods that transfer contiguous sequences of characters from this buffer into an array; and

- Relative ``bulk put`` methods that transfer contiguous sequences of characters from a character array, a string, or some other character buffer into this buffer; and

- Methods for ``compacting``, ``duplicating``, and ``slicing`` a character buffer.

Character buffers can be created either by ``allocation``, which allocates space for the buffer's content, by ``wrapping`` an existing character array or string into a buffer, or by creating a view of an existing byte buffer

Like a byte buffer, a character buffer is either direct or non-direct. A character buffer created via the `wrap` methods of this class will be non-direct. A character buffer created as a view of a byte buffer will be direct if, and only if, the byte buffer itself is direct. Whether or not a character buffer is direct may be determined by invoking the `isDirect` method.

This class implements the `CharSequence` interface so that character buffers may be used wherever character sequences are accepted, for example in the regular-expression package `java.util.regex`.

Methods in this class that do not otherwise have a value to return are specified to return the buffer upon which they are invoked. This allows method invocations to be chained. The sequence of statements

>      cb.put("text/");
>      cb.put(subtype);
>      cb.put("; charset=");
>      cb.put(enc);

can, for example, be replaced by the single statement

>      cb.put("text/").put(subtype).put("; charset=").put(enc);

Since:
  1.4

Method Summary
`static CharBuffer` | `allocate(int capacity)` Allocates a new character buffer.
`char[]` | `array()` Returns the character array that backs this buffer (optional operation).
`int` | `arrayOffset()` Returns the offset within this buffer's backing array of the first element of the buffer (optional operation).
`abstract CharBuffer` | `asReadOnlyBuffer()` Creates a new, read-only character buffer that shares this buffer's content.
`char` | `charAt(int index)` Reads the character at the given index relative to the current position.
`abstract CharBuffer` | `compact()` Compacts this buffer (optional operation).
`int` | `compareTo(Object ob)` Compares this buffer to another object.
`abstract CharBuffer` | `duplicate()` Creates a new character buffer that shares this buffer's content.
`boolean` | `equals(Object ob)` Tells whether or not this buffer is equal to another object.
`abstract char` | `get()` Relative get method.
`CharBuffer` | `get(char[] dst)` Relative bulk get method.
`CharBuffer` | `get(char[] dst, int offset, int length)` Relative bulk get method.
`abstract char` | `get(int index)` Absolute get method.
`boolean` | `hasArray()` Tells whether or not this buffer is backed by an accessible character array.
`int` | `hashCode()` Returns the current hash code of this buffer.
`abstract boolean` | `isDirect()` Tells whether or not this character buffer is direct.
`int` | `length()` Returns the length of this character buffer.
`abstract ByteOrder` | `order()` Retrieves this buffer's byte order.
`abstract CharBuffer` | `put(char c)` Relative put method (optional operation).
`CharBuffer` | `put(char[] src)` Relative bulk put method (optional operation).
`CharBuffer` | `put(char[] src, int offset, int length)` Relative bulk put method (optional operation).
`CharBuffer` | `put(CharBuffer src)` Relative bulk put method (optional operation).
`abstract CharBuffer` | `put(int index, char c)` Absolute put method (optional operation).
`CharBuffer` | `put(String src)` Relative bulk put method (optional operation).
`CharBuffer` | `put(String src, int start, int end)` Relative bulk put method (optional operation).
`abstract CharBuffer` | `slice()` Creates a new character buffer whose content is a shared subsequence of this buffer's content.
`abstract CharSequence` | `subSequence(int start, int end)` Creates a new character buffer that represents the specified subsequence of this buffer, relative to the current position.
`String` | `toString()` Returns a string containing the characters in this buffer.
`static CharBuffer` | `wrap(char[] array)` Wraps a character array into a buffer.
`static CharBuffer` | `wrap(char[] array, int offset, int length)` Wraps a character array into a buffer.
`static CharBuffer` | `wrap(CharSequence csq)` Wraps a string into a buffer.
`static CharBuffer` | `wrap(CharSequence csq, int start, int end)` Wraps a character sequence into a buffer.

Methods inherited from class java.nio.Buffer
`capacity, clear, flip, hasRemaining, isReadOnly, limit, limit, mark, position, position, remaining, reset, rewind`

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

Method Detail

### allocate

    public static CharBuffer allocate(int capacity)

  Allocates a new character buffer.

  The new buffer's position will be zero, its limit will be its capacity, and its mark will be undefined. It will have a ``backing array``, and its ``array offset`` will be zero.

  Parameters:
    `capacity` - The new buffer's capacity, in characters
  Returns:
    The new character buffer

### wrap

    public static CharBuffer wrap(char[] array,
                                  int offset,
                                  int length)

  Wraps a character array into a buffer.

  The new buffer will be backed by the the given character array; that is, modifications to the buffer will cause the array to be modified and vice versa. The new buffer's capacity will be `array.length`, its position will be `offset`, its limit will be `offset + length`, and its mark will be undefined. Its ``backing array`` will be the given array, and its ``array offset`` will be zero.

  Parameters:
    `array` - The array that will back the new buffer
    `offset` - The offset of the subarray to be used; must be non-negative and no larger than `array.length`. The new buffer's position will be set to this value.
    `length` - The length of the subarray to be used; must be non-negative and no larger than `array.length - offset`. The new buffer's limit will be set to `offset + length`.
  Returns:
    The new character buffer
  Throws:
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If the preconditions on the `offset` and `length` parameters do not hold

### wrap

    public static CharBuffer wrap(char[] array)

  Wraps a character array into a buffer.

  The new buffer will be backed by the the given character array; that is, modifications to the buffer will cause the array to be modified and vice versa. The new buffer's capacity and limit will be `array.length`, its position will be zero, and its mark will be undefined. Its ``backing array`` will be the given array, and its ``array offset`` will be zero.

  Parameters:
    `array` - The array that will back this buffer
  Returns:
    The new character buffer

### wrap

    public static CharBuffer wrap(CharSequence csq,
                                  int start,
                                  int end)

  Wraps a character sequence into a buffer.

  The content of the new, read-only buffer will be the content of the given character sequence. The buffer's capacity will be `csq.length()`, its position will be `start`, its limit will be `end`, and its mark will be undefined.

  Parameters:
    `csq` - The character sequence from which the new character buffer is to be created
    `start` - The index of the first character to be used; must be non-negative and no larger than `csq.length()`. The new buffer's position will be set to this value.
    `end` - The index of the character following the last character to be used; must be no smaller than `start` and no larger than `csq.length()`. The new buffer's limit will be set to this value.
  Returns:
    The new character buffer
  Throws:
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If the preconditions on the `start` and `end` parameters do not hold

### wrap

    public static CharBuffer wrap(CharSequence csq)

  Wraps a string into a buffer.

  The content of the new, read-only buffer will be the content of the given string. The new buffer's capacity and limit will be `csq.length()`, its position will be zero, and its mark will be undefined.

  Parameters:
    `csq` - The character sequence from which the new character buffer is to be created
  Returns:
    The new character buffer

### slice

    public abstract CharBuffer slice()

  Creates a new character buffer whose content is a shared subsequence of this buffer's content.

  The content of the new buffer will start at this buffer's current position. Changes to this buffer's content will be visible in the new buffer, and vice versa; the two buffers' position, limit, and mark values will be independent.

  The new buffer's position will be zero, its capacity and its limit will be the number of characters remaining in this buffer, and its mark will be undefined. The new buffer will be direct if, and only if, this buffer is direct, and it will be read-only if, and only if, this buffer is read-only.

  Returns:
    The new character buffer

### duplicate

    public abstract CharBuffer duplicate()

  Creates a new character buffer that shares this buffer's content.

  The content of the new buffer will be that of this buffer. Changes to this buffer's content will be visible in the new buffer, and vice versa; the two buffers' position, limit, and mark values will be independent.

  The new buffer's capacity, limit, position, and mark values will be identical to those of this buffer. The new buffer will be direct if, and only if, this buffer is direct, and it will be read-only if, and only if, this buffer is read-only.

  Returns:
    The new character buffer

### asReadOnlyBuffer

    public abstract CharBuffer asReadOnlyBuffer()

  Creates a new, read-only character buffer that shares this buffer's content.

  The content of the new buffer will be that of this buffer. Changes to this buffer's content will be visible in the new buffer; the new buffer itself, however, will be read-only and will not allow the shared content to be modified. The two buffers' position, limit, and mark values will be independent.

  The new buffer's capacity, limit, position, and mark values will be identical to those of this buffer.

  If this buffer is itself read-only then this method behaves in exactly the same way as the `duplicate` method.

  Returns:
    The new, read-only character buffer

### get

    public abstract char get()

  Relative get method. Reads the character at this buffer's current position, and then increments the position.

  Returns:
    The character at the buffer's current position
  Throws:
    `BufferUnderflowException` - If the buffer's current position is not smaller than its limit

### put

    public abstract CharBuffer put(char c)

  Relative put method (optional operation).

  Writes the given character into this buffer at the current position, and then increments the position.

  Parameters:
    `c` - The character to be written
  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferOverflowException` - If this buffer's current position is not smaller than its limit
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### get

    public abstract char get(int index)

  Absolute get method. Reads the character at the given index.

  Parameters:
    `index` - The index from which the character will be read
  Returns:
    The character at the given index
  Throws:
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If `index` is negative or not smaller than the buffer's limit

### put

    public abstract CharBuffer put(int index,
                                   char c)

  Absolute put method (optional operation).

  Writes the given character into this buffer at the given index.

  Parameters:
    `index` - The index at which the character will be written
    `c` - The character value to be written
  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If `index` is negative or not smaller than the buffer's limit
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### get

    public CharBuffer get(char[] dst,
                          int offset,
                          int length)

  Relative bulk get method.

  This method transfers characters from this buffer into the given destination array. If there are fewer characters remaining in the buffer than are required to satisfy the request, that is, if `length` `>` `remaining()`, then no characters are transferred and a `BufferUnderflowException` is thrown.

  Otherwise, this method copies `length` characters from this buffer into the given array, starting at the current position of this buffer and at the given offset in the array. The position of this buffer is then incremented by `length`.

  In other words, an invocation of this method of the form `src.get(dst, off, len)` has exactly the same effect as the loop

           for (int i = off; i < off + len; i++)
               dst[i] = src.get();

  except that it first checks that there are sufficient characters in this buffer and it is potentially much more efficient.

  Parameters:
    `dst` - The array into which characters are to be written
    `offset` - The offset within the array of the first character to be written; must be non-negative and no larger than `dst.length`
    `length` - The maximum number of characters to be written to the given array; must be non-negative and no larger than `dst.length - offset`
  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferUnderflowException` - If there are fewer than `length` characters remaining in this buffer
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If the preconditions on the `offset` and `length` parameters do not hold

### get

    public CharBuffer get(char[] dst)

  Relative bulk get method.

  This method transfers characters from this buffer into the given destination array. An invocation of this method of the form `src.get(a)` behaves in exactly the same way as the invocation

           src.get(a, 0, a.length)

  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferUnderflowException` - If there are fewer than `length` characters remaining in this buffer

### put

    public CharBuffer put(CharBuffer src)

  Relative bulk put method (optional operation).

  This method transfers the characters remaining in the given source buffer into this buffer. If there are more characters remaining in the source buffer than in this buffer, that is, if `src.remaining()` `>` `remaining()`, then no characters are transferred and a `BufferOverflowException` is thrown.

  Otherwise, this method copies n = `src.remaining()` characters from the given buffer into this buffer, starting at each buffer's current position. The positions of both buffers are then incremented by n.

  In other words, an invocation of this method of the form `dst.put(src)` has exactly the same effect as the loop

           while (src.hasRemaining())
               dst.put(src.get());

  except that it first checks that there is sufficient space in this buffer and it is potentially much more efficient.

  Parameters:
    `src` - The source buffer from which characters are to be read; must not be this buffer
  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferOverflowException` - If there is insufficient space in this buffer for the remaining characters in the source buffer
    `IllegalArgumentException` - If the source buffer is this buffer
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### put

    public CharBuffer put(char[] src,
                          int offset,
                          int length)

  Relative bulk put method (optional operation).

  This method transfers characters into this buffer from the given source array. If there are more characters to be copied from the array than remain in this buffer, that is, if `length` `>` `remaining()`, then no characters are transferred and a `BufferOverflowException` is thrown.

  Otherwise, this method copies `length` characters from the given array into this buffer, starting at the given offset in the array and at the current position of this buffer. The position of this buffer is then incremented by `length`.

  In other words, an invocation of this method of the form `dst.put(src, off, len)` has exactly the same effect as the loop

           for (int i = off; i < off + len; i++)
               dst.put(a[i]);

  except that it first checks that there is sufficient space in this buffer and it is potentially much more efficient.

  Parameters:
    `offset` - The offset within the array of the first character to be read; must be non-negative and no larger than `array.length`
    `length` - The number of characters to be read from the given array; must be non-negative and no larger than `array.length - offset`
  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferOverflowException` - If there is insufficient space in this buffer
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If the preconditions on the `offset` and `length` parameters do not hold
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### put

    public final CharBuffer put(char[] src)

  Relative bulk put method (optional operation).

  This method transfers the entire content of the given source character array into this buffer. An invocation of this method of the form `dst.put(a)` behaves in exactly the same way as the invocation

           dst.put(a, 0, a.length)

  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferOverflowException` - If there is insufficient space in this buffer
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### put

    public CharBuffer put(String src,
                          int start,
                          int end)

  Relative bulk put method (optional operation).

  This method transfers characters from the given string into this buffer. If there are more characters to be copied from the string than remain in this buffer, that is, if `end - start` `>` `remaining()`, then no characters are transferred and a `BufferOverflowException` is thrown.

  Otherwise, this method copies n = `end` - `start` characters from the given string into this buffer, starting at the given `start` index and at the current position of this buffer. The position of this buffer is then incremented by n.

  In other words, an invocation of this method of the form `dst.put(src, start, end)` has exactly the same effect as the loop

           for (int i = start; i < end; i++)
               dst.put(src.charAt(i));

  except that it first checks that there is sufficient space in this buffer and it is potentially much more efficient.

  Parameters:
    `start` - The offset within the string of the first character to be read; must be non-negative and no larger than `string.length()`
    `end` - The offset within the string of the last character to be read, plus one; must be non-negative and no larger than `string.length()`
  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferOverflowException` - If there is insufficient space in this buffer
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If the preconditions on the `start` and `end` parameters do not hold
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### put

    public final CharBuffer put(String src)

  Relative bulk put method (optional operation).

  This method transfers the entire content of the given source string into this buffer. An invocation of this method of the form `dst.put(s)` behaves in exactly the same way as the invocation

           dst.put(s, 0, s.length())

  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `BufferOverflowException` - If there is insufficient space in this buffer
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### hasArray

    public final boolean hasArray()

  Tells whether or not this buffer is backed by an accessible character array.

  If this method returns `true` then the `array` and `arrayOffset` methods may safely be invoked.

  Returns:
    `true` if, and only if, this buffer is backed by an array and is not read-only

### array

    public final char[] array()

  Returns the character array that backs this buffer (optional operation).

  Modifications to this buffer's content will cause the returned array's content to be modified, and vice versa.

  Invoke the `hasArray` method before invoking this method in order to ensure that this buffer has an accessible backing array.

  Returns:
    The array that backs this buffer
  Throws:
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is backed by an array but is read-only
    `UnsupportedOperationException` - If this buffer is not backed by an accessible array

### arrayOffset

    public final int arrayOffset()

  Returns the offset within this buffer's backing array of the first element of the buffer (optional operation).

  If this buffer is backed by an array then buffer position p corresponds to array index p + `arrayOffset()`.

  Invoke the `hasArray` method before invoking this method in order to ensure that this buffer has an accessible backing array.

  Returns:
    The offset within this buffer's array of the first element of the buffer
  Throws:
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is backed by an array but is read-only
    `UnsupportedOperationException` - If this buffer is not backed by an accessible array

### compact

    public abstract CharBuffer compact()

  Compacts this buffer (optional operation).

  The characters between the buffer's current position and its limit, if any, are copied to the beginning of the buffer. That is, the character at index p = `position()` is copied to index zero, the character at index p + 1 is copied to index one, and so forth until the character at index `limit()` - 1 is copied to index n = `limit()` - `1` - p. The buffer's position is then set to n+1 and its limit is set to its capacity. The mark, if defined, is discarded.

  The buffer's position is set to the number of characters copied, rather than to zero, so that an invocation of this method can be followed immediately by an invocation of another relative put method.

  Returns:
    This buffer
  Throws:
    `ReadOnlyBufferException` - If this buffer is read-only

### isDirect

    public abstract boolean isDirect()

  Tells whether or not this character buffer is direct.

  Returns:
    `true` if, and only if, this buffer is direct

### hashCode

    public int hashCode()

  Returns the current hash code of this buffer.

  The hash code of a char buffer depends only upon its remaining elements; that is, upon the elements from `position()` up to, and including, the element at `limit()` - `1`.

  Because buffer hash codes are content-dependent, it is inadvisable to use buffers as keys in hash maps or similar data structures unless it is known that their contents will not change.

  Overrides:
    `hashCode` in class `Object`
  Returns:
    The current hash code of this buffer
  See Also:
    `Object.equals(java.lang.Object)`, `Hashtable`

### equals

    public boolean equals(Object ob)

  Tells whether or not this buffer is equal to another object.

  Two char buffers are equal if, and only if,

  1. They have the same element type,

  2. They have the same number of remaining elements, and

  3. The two sequences of remaining elements, considered independently of their starting positions, are pointwise equal.

  A char buffer is not equal to any other type of object.

  Overrides:
    `equals` in class `Object`
  Parameters:
    `ob` - The object to which this buffer is to be compared
  Returns:
    `true` if, and only if, this buffer is equal to the given object
  See Also:
    `Object.hashCode()`, `Hashtable`

### compareTo

    public int compareTo(Object ob)

  Compares this buffer to another object.

  Two char buffers are compared by comparing their sequences of remaining elements lexicographically, without regard to the starting position of each sequence within its corresponding buffer.

  A char buffer is not comparable to any other type of object.

  Specified by:
    `compareTo` in interface `Comparable`
  Parameters:
    `ob` - the Object to be compared.
  Returns:
    A negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this buffer is less than, equal to, or greater than the given buffer
  Throws:
    `ClassCastException` - If the argument is not a char buffer

### toString

    public String toString()

  Returns a string containing the characters in this buffer.

  The first character of the resulting string will be the character at this buffer's position, while the last character will be the character at index `limit()` - 1. Invoking this method does not change the buffer's position.

  Specified by:
    `toString` in interface `CharSequence`
  Overrides:
    `toString` in class `Object`
  Returns:
    The specified string

### length

    public final int length()

  Returns the length of this character buffer.

  When viewed as a character sequence, the length of a character buffer is simply the number of characters between the position (inclusive) and the limit (exclusive); that is, it is equivalent to `remaining()`.

  Specified by:
    `length` in interface `CharSequence`
  Returns:
    The length of this character buffer

### charAt

    public final char charAt(int index)

  Reads the character at the given index relative to the current position.

  Specified by:
    `charAt` in interface `CharSequence`
  Parameters:
    `index` - The index of the character to be read, relative to the position; must be non-negative and smaller than `remaining()`
  Returns:
    The character at index `position()` + index
  Throws:
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If the preconditions on `index` do not hold

### subSequence

    public abstract CharSequence subSequence(int start,
                                             int end)

  Creates a new character buffer that represents the specified subsequence of this buffer, relative to the current position.

  The new buffer will share this buffer's content; that is, if the content of this buffer is mutable then modifications to one buffer will cause the other to be modified. The new buffer's capacity will be that of this buffer, its position will be `position()` + `start`, and its limit will be `position()` + `end`. The new buffer will be direct if, and only if, this buffer is direct, and it will be read-only if, and only if, this buffer is read-only.

  Specified by:
    `subSequence` in interface `CharSequence`
  Parameters:
    `start` - The index, relative to the current position, of the first character in the subsequence; must be non-negative and no larger than `remaining()`
    `end` - The index, relative to the current position, of the character following the last character in the subsequence; must be no smaller than `start` and no larger than `remaining()`
  Returns:
    The new character buffer
  Throws:
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - If the preconditions on `start` and `end` do not hold

### order

    public abstract ByteOrder order()

  Retrieves this buffer's byte order.

  The byte order of a character buffer created by allocation or by wrapping an existing `char` array is the ``native order`` of the underlying hardware. The byte order of a character buffer created as a view of a byte buffer is that of the byte buffer at the moment that the view is created.

  Returns:
    This buffer's byte order

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