java.io
Class OutputStream

java.lang.Object
  java.io.OutputStream

All Implemented Interfaces:

Closeable, Flushable

Direct Known Subclasses:

BluetoothOutputStream, ByteArrayOutputStream, ChunkedOutputStream, ContentLengthOutputStream, FileHandler.MeasureOutputStream, FileOutputStream, FilterOutputStream, IdentityOutputStream, JarVerifier.VerifierEntry, LocalSocketImpl.SocketOutputStream, ObjectOutputStream, PipedOutputStream, WriterOutputStream

public abstract class OutputStream
extends Object
implements Closeable, Flushable

The base class for all output streams. An output stream is a means of writing data to a target in a byte-wise manner. Most output streams expect the flush() method to be called before closing the stream, to ensure all data is actually written through.

This abstract class does not provide a fully working implementation, so it needs to be subclassed, and at least the write(int) method needs to be overridden. Overriding some of the non-abstract methods is also often advised, since it might result in higher efficiency.

Many specialized output streams for purposes like writing to a file already exist in this package.

See Also:

InputStream

Constructor Summary

OutputStream()
Default constructor.

Method Summary

(package private) boolean	checkError() Returns true if this writer has encountered and suppressed an error.
void	close() Closes this stream.
void	flush() Flushes this stream.
void	write(byte[] buffer) Writes the entire contents of the byte array buffer to this stream.
void	write(byte[] buffer, int offset, int count) Writes count bytes from the byte array buffer starting at position offset to this stream.
abstract void	write(int oneByte) Writes a single byte to this stream.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

OutputStream

public OutputStream()

Default constructor.

Method Detail

close

public void close()
           throws IOException

Closes this stream. Implementations of this method should free any resources used by the stream. This implementation does nothing.

Specified by:

close in interface Closeable

Throws:

IOException - if an error occurs while closing this stream.

flush

public void flush()
           throws IOException

Flushes this stream. Implementations of this method should ensure that any buffered data is written out. This implementation does nothing.

Specified by:

flush in interface Flushable

Throws:

IOException - if an error occurs while flushing this stream.

write

public void write(byte[] buffer)
           throws IOException

Writes the entire contents of the byte array buffer to this stream.

Parameters:

buffer - the buffer to be written.

Throws:

IOException - if an error occurs while writing to this stream.

write

public void write(byte[] buffer,
                  int offset,
                  int count)
           throws IOException

Writes count bytes from the byte array buffer starting at position offset to this stream.

Parameters:

buffer - the buffer to be written.

offset - the start position in buffer from where to get bytes.

count - the number of bytes from buffer to write to this stream.

Throws:

IOException - if an error occurs while writing to this stream.

IndexOutOfBoundsException - if offset < 0 or count < 0, or if offset + count is bigger than the length of buffer.

write

public abstract void write(int oneByte)
                    throws IOException

Writes a single byte to this stream. Only the least significant byte of the integer oneByte is written to the stream.

Parameters:

oneByte - the byte to be written.

Throws:

IOException - if an error occurs while writing to this stream.

checkError

boolean checkError()

Returns true if this writer has encountered and suppressed an error. Used by PrintStreams as an alternative to checked exceptions.