The Java IO package is used to perform various input/output processing activities.

In this section we are giving overview of java IO.

Java io classes are packaged into java.io. package.

File Management with the help of java.io package

With the help of java.io package you can read, update, view, delete the files present on disk.

Following tutorials are useful if you are planning to learn file management using Java IO package.This class is available in the java.lang package.

• Create a File 
• Constructing a File Name path
• Read the File
• Write to a File
• Appending to a File
• Getting the Size of a File
• Count lines of a particular file
• Renaming a File or Directory
• Copying a File to Another File
• Copying Multiple Files 
• Moving a File or Directory to Another Directory
• Deleting a File or Directory
• Change a File timestamp
• Create a Temp File
• Delete a Temp File   
• Getting an absolute path and Parents of a Filename

File IO

•  
  • Basics
    • Bytes
      • A file is array of bytes.
      • How to relate bytes to types
    • Streams
      • Sequence of bytes
      • Basic
        • FileOutputStream
          • new FileOutputStream(File f)
          • new FileOutputStream(String name)
          • new FileOutputStream(File f, boolean append)
          • new FileOutputStream(String name, boolean append)
        • FileInputStream
          • Similar to above (without append)
      • Network IO handled in similar manner.
    • Chaining
      • The output of one stream is input to another.
      • Typically two levels, but can be more.
    • Buffering
      • For efficiency, number of bytes handled at same time.
      • Eg, Disk written when buffer full, closed, or flushed.
      • Eg, Buffered reading allows reading entire line.
    • Exceptions
      • Must put IO code in try..catch
      • FileNotFoundException
      • Many others
    • Access
      • Sequential
      • Random or direct
        • RandomAccessFile
          • Mode: r / w / rw
        • Ex: p878 D&D
    • File class
      • Represents file or directory
      • Doesn't do IO
      • Can be obtained from JFileChooser
      • Can use path/filename
      • EX: D&D p 841
      • File filters
        • javax.swing.JFileChooser.FileFilter
        • java.io.FileFilter
    • package
      • java.io.*
      • java.nio.*
        • Introduced in Java 1.4
  • Text
    • Encoding
    • For characters, use Readers and Writers
    • Classes
      • BufferedReader
      • BufferedWriter
  • Primitives
    • DatainputStream
    • DataOutputStream
  • Objects
    • Serialization
      • Problem: How to you store objects in a file?
      • Writes all instance variables.
      • Statics not serialized.
      • Flattened, marshalled, freeze-dried
      • Turns objects into sometime rereadable
      • Recursively serialize subobjects
      • Class must implement Serializable
        • Marker/Tag class
        • No methods required
        • Serializable is inherited (as usual)
      • Object contents
        • Primitives
        • Other serializable objects
        • Objects only saved once regardless num of refs
        • 'transient' keyword
          • Marks fields not to be written.
      • Classes
        • Typically chain FileStream to constructor
        • ObjectOutputStream
        • ObjectInputStream
      • Writing
        • Open output stream, eg, FileOutputStream
        • Create ObjectOutputStream from it.
        • Call oos.writeObject(obj)
        • Close streams.
      • Reading
        • Open input stream, eg, FileInputStream
        • Create ObjectInputStream
        • myObj = (MyType)ois.readObject()
        • Close streams
        • Example
          • try {   
        • Proces
          • Find class
          • Create object without calling constructor
      • If class changes!
        • Deserializing after changing class may cause problems
        • Bad
          • Removing instance variable
            • or making transient
          • Changing type of variables
          • Changing inheritance hierarchy
          • Changing anyones Serializable state
        • OK
          • Addiing instance vars
            • Will deserialize to default values.
            • includes making non-transient
          • Adding subclasses
            • Will be ignored
        • Can define serialVersionUID
      • Refs
        • http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44199
  • Prefs/Props
    • Preferences
      • prefs = Preferences.userNodeForPackage(this.getClass());
      • In registery or wherever
      • Key-value pairs
    • Properties
      • Similar to Preferences
      • Reads from a file
      • Key-value pairs
  • Console
    • PrintStream System.out
    • PrintStream System.err
    • InputStream System.in

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