The JAVA

API
UMBC CMSC 331 Java
 A Tour of the Java API
• An API User’s Guide, in HTML, is bundled with
Java
• Much of the “learning curve” is in the API
• Let’s look at some packages

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 The Java API
• java.applet • java.io
– Applet class – System.out.print
• java.awt • java.lang
– Windows, buttons, mouse, – length method for arrays;
etc. exceptions
• java.awt.image • java.net
– image processing – sockets
• java.awt.peer • java.util
– GUI toolkit – System.getProperty

See http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/api/
for the current APIs
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 The package java.lang
• The class Object
– The root class in Java
– Example methods: clone(), equals(),
toString()
– Subclasses may override these methods
• The class Class
– Example methods: getName(),
getSuperClass()

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 Observing an object’s class

void printClassName (Object obj) {

System.out.println("The class of " + obj +
" is " + obj.getClass().getName());
}

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 Strings in Java
• Strings are nt a primitive data type, but represented
as objects.
• Many methods defined in class java.lang:
– Several constructors
– Lots of methods: concat(), equals(), indexOf(), length()
– strings are concatenated with +
• Strings are constants (immutable)
– You can concatenate two strings to produce a new,
longer string, using the + operator, but you cannot add,
delete, insert into, or delete from any particular string.

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 StringBuffers in Java
• Several methods defined in class java.lang:
– Constructors can specify length or initial value
– append(), insertf(), length(), toString()

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 Java.lang.system
• Printstreams
– System.out.err(“Error message”);
• Inputstreams
– System.in.read(inputCharacter)
– System.in.read(inputBuffer, 0, maxChars)

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 The Cloneable Interface
• A class implements the cloneable interface by
overriding the Object method clone()
• For example, we could add a clone() method to
the FIFO class, if we wanted to be able to make
copies of queues.

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 The class java.util
• Interface to host OS
• Some basic functions and data structures
– BitSet, Dictionary (the superclass of Hashtable), Stack,
Vector
– Random number generation

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 System Properties
• System properties are like UNIX environment
variables, but platform independent
• The API class java.util has methods for
accessing the system properties

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// determine environment variables
import java.util.*;
class envSnoop {
public static void main ( String args[] ) {
Properties p;
String s;
p = System.getProperties();
p.list(System.out);
s = System.getProperty("user.name");
System.out.println("user.name="+s);
s = System.getProperty("user.home");
System.out.println("user.home="+s);
}
}
C:\UMBC\331\java>java envSnoop
-- listing properties --
java.specification.name=Java Platform API Specification
awt.toolkit=sun.awt.windows.WToolkit
java.version=1.2
java.awt.graphicsenv=sun.awt.Win32GraphicsEnvironment
user.timezone=America/New_York
java.specification.version=1.2
java.vm.vendor=Sun Microsystems Inc.
user.home=C:\WINDOWS
java.vm.specification.version=1.0
os.arch=x86
java.awt.fonts=
java.vendor.url=http://java.sun.com/
user.region=US
file.encoding.pkg=sun.io
java.home=C:\JDK1.2\JRE
java.class.path=C:\Program Files\PhotoDeluxe 2.0\Adob...
line.separator=

java.ext.dirs=C:\JDK1.2\JRE\lib\ext
java.io.tmpdir=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\
os.name=Windows 95
java.vendor=Sun Microsystems Inc.
java.awt.printerjob=sun.awt.windows.WPrinterJob
java.library.path=C:\JDK1.2\BIN;.;C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM;C:\...
java.vm.specification.vendor=Sun Microsystems Inc.
sun.io.unicode.encoding=UnicodeLittle
file.encoding=Cp1252
java.specification.vendor=Sun Microsystems Inc.
user.language=en
user.name=nicholas
java.vendor.url.bug=http://java.sun.com/cgi-bin/bugreport...
java.vm.name=Classic VM
java.class.version=46.0
java.vm.specification.name=Java Virtual Machine Specification
sun.boot.library.path=C:\JDK1.2\JRE\bin
os.version=4.10
java.vm.version=1.2
java.vm.info=build JDK-1.2-V, native threads, symcjit
java.compiler=symcjit
path.separator=;
file.separator=\
user.dir=C:\UMBC\331\java
sun.boot.class.path=C:\JDK1.2\JRE\lib\rt.jar;C:\JDK1.2\JR...
user.name=nicholas
user.home=C:\WINDOWS

C:\UMBC\331\java>
 Java GUI
• The awt class allows you to create
– frames
– buttons
– menus and menubars
– checkboxes
– text areas
– scrolling lists

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 GUI Examples
• “Hello World”, revisited
• The Scribble example
• Both examples adapted from Flanagan’s “Java in a
Nutshell”, first edition

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import java.applet.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class SecondApplet extends Applet {

static final String message = "Hello World";
private Font font;

// One-time initialization for the applet

public void init() {
font = new Font("Helvetica", Font.BOLD, 48);
}

// Draw the applet whenever necessary.

// Do some fancy graphics.
public void paint(Graphics g) {
// The pink oval
g.setColor(Color.pink);
g.fillOval(10, 10, 330, 100);
// The red outline. java doesn't support wide lines, so we
// try to simulate a 4-pixel wide line by drawing four ovals
g.setColor(Color.red);
g.drawOval(10,10, 330, 100);
g.drawOval(9, 9, 332, 102);
g.drawOval(8, 8, 334, 104);
g.drawOval(7, 7, 336, 106);

// The text
g.setColor(Color.black);
g.setFont(font);
g.drawString(message, 40, 75);
}
}
 Scribble
• Graphics objects can be added to applets, e.g.
buttons and menus
• Events, such as mouse clicks, are handled

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import java.applet.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class Scribble extends Applet {

private int last_x = 0;
private int last_y = 0;
private Color current_color = Color.black;
private Button clear_button;
private Choice color_choices;

// Called to initialize the applet.

public void init() {

// Set the background color

this.setBackground(Color.white);

// Create a button and add it to the applet.

// Also, set the button's colors
clear_button = new Button("Clear");
clear_button.setForeground(Color.black);
clear_button.setBackground(Color.lightGray);
this.add(clear_button);
 // Create a menu of colors and add it to the applet.
// Also set the menu's colors and add a label.
color_choices = new Choice();
color_choices.addItem("black");
color_choices.addItem("red");
color_choices.addItem("yellow");
color_choices.setForeground(Color.black);
color_choices.setBackground(Color.lightGray);
this.add(new Label("Color:"));
this.add(color_choices);
}
// Called when the user clicks the mouse to start a scribble
public boolean mouseDown(Event e, int x, int y) {
last_x = x;
last_y = y;
return true;
}

// Called when the user scribbles with the mouse button down
public boolean mouseDrag(Event e, int x, int y) {
Graphics g = this.getGraphics();
g.setColor(current_color);
g.drawLine(last_x, last_y, x, y);
last_x = x;
last_y = y;
return true;
}
// Called when the user clicks the button or chooses a color
public boolean action(Event event, Object arg) {

// If the Clear button was clicked, handle it

if (event.target == clear_button) {
Graphics g = this.getGraphics();
Rectangle r = this.bounds();
g.setColor(this.getBackground());
g.fillRect(r.x, r.y, r.width, r.height);
return true;
}

// Otherwise if a color was chosen, handle that

if (event.target == color_choices) {
if (arg.equals("black")) current_color=Color.black;
else if (arg.equals("red")) current_color=Color.red;
else if (arg.equals("yellow")) current_color=Color.yellow;
return true;
}

// Otherwise let the superclass handle the event

else return super.action(event, arg);
}
}
 Java.net
• Defines several useful objects:
– URLs
– Internet Addresses
– Sockets
– Datagrams
• packets
• sockets

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 Manipulating URLs
• A Web server can provide lots of information
about a file being sent back in response to an
HTTP request.
• A URL can be read
– into a string, using the getContent()
– or opened as a DataInputStream, and read using
readLine()

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import java.net.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class GetURLInfo {

// Create a URL from the specified address, open a connection

// to it, and then display information about the URL.
public static void main(String[] args)
throws MalformedURLException, IOException {
URL url = new URL(args[0]);
URLConnection connection = url.openConnection();
printinfo(connection);
}
 public static void printinfo(URLConnection u)
throws IOException {
// Display the URL address, and information about it.
System.out.println(u.getURL().toExternalForm() + ":");
System.out.println(" Content Type: " + u.getContentType());
System.out.println(" Content Length: " + u.getContentLength())
System.out.println(" Last Modified: " +
new Date(u.getLastModified()));
System.out.println(" Expiration: " + u.getExpiration());
System.out.println(" Content Encoding: " +
u.getContentEncoding());

// Read and print out the first five lines of the URL.
System.out.println("First five lines:");
DataInputStream in = new DataInputStream(u.getInputStream());
for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
String line = in.readLine();
if (line == null) break;
System.out.println(" " + line);
}
}
}
 UDP Examples
• UDP - Unreliable datagram packet
• Examples from Flanagan
– Send a UDP packet
– Receive a UDP packet

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// This example is from the book _Java in a Nutshell_ by
// David Flanagan.
// Written by David Flanagan.
// Copyright (c) 1996 O'Reilly & Associates.
// You may study, use, modify, and distribute this example for
// any purpose. This example is provided WITHOUT WARRANTY
// either expressed or implied.

import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;

// This class sends the specified text as a datagram to

// port 6010 of the specified host.
public class UDPSend {
static final int port = 6010;
public static void main(String args[]) throws Exception {
if (args.length != 2) {
System.out.println(
"Usage: java UDPSend <hostname> <message>");
System.exit(0);
}
// Get the internet address of the specified host
InetAddress address = InetAddress.getByName(args[0]);
// Convert the message to an array of bytes
int msglen = args[1].length();
byte[] message = new byte[msglen];
args[1].getBytes(0, msglen, message, 0);

// Initilize the packet with data and address

DatagramPacket packet = new DatagramPacket(message,
msglen, address, port);
// Create a socket, and send the packet through it.
DatagramSocket socket = new DatagramSocket();
socket.send(packet);
}
}
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;

// This program waits to receive datagrams sent to port 6010.

// When it receives one, it displays the sending host and port,
// and prints the contents of the datagram as a string.
public class UDPReceive {
static final int port = 6010;
public static void main(String args[]) throws Exception
{
byte[] buffer = new byte[1024];
String s;
// Create a packet with an empty buffer to receive data
DatagramPacket packet = new DatagramPacket(buffer,
buffer.length);
// Create a socket to listen on the port.
DatagramSocket socket = new DatagramSocket(port);
 for(;;) {
// Wait to receive a datagram
socket.receive(packet);
// Convert the contents to a string
s = new String(buffer, 0, 0, packet.getLength());
// And display them
System.out.println("UDPReceive: received from " +
packet.getAddress().getHostName() +
":" + packet.getPort() + ": " + s);
} // close for
} // close main
} // close class UDPReceive
 Using Threads
• Thread objects are the basis for multi-threaded
programming.
• Multi-threaded programming allows a single
program to conduct concurrently running threads
that perform different tasks.
• Defined in java.lang.Thread

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 The Runnable Interface
• A class that implements this interface can provide
the “body” of a thread
• The run() method needs to be specified

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 Using a Single Thread
• The simpleThread class implements the
Runnable interface
– Implements run() method for Runnable interface
– Implements init(), start() and stop(),
extending Applet class
– Can’t just extend Thread class, since Thread.stop()
is final and can’t be overriden (why?)

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// Simple Thread Example, based on "Neon Sign"

public class OneThread extends java.applet.Applet

implements Runnable {
Thread kicker;

public void init() { kicker = null; }

public void start() {

if(kicker == null) { // If no thread is started yet
kicker=new Thread(this); // then create one
kicker.start(); // and start it
}
}

public void stop() { kicker.stop(); kicker = null; }

public void run() {
long sleepTime;
System.out.println("Hello!");
sleepTime = 5000;

while(true) { // Loop forever

// The sleep method below might be interrupted
// and cause an exception, so catch it.
try {
// Wait for some period of time
Thread.sleep( sleepTime );
sleepTime = (sleepTime == 3000 ? 4000 : 3000 );
} catch (Exception e){ return; }
System.out.println("Hello again after "+sleepTime+
" milliseconds");
}
}
}
 Neon Sign Example
• Start a thread
• Load two GIF images
• Repeat forever
– Display first image
– Sleep a random period of time
– Display the other image

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// Blinking Neon Light by Mattias Flodin

import java.awt.*;

public class BlinkItem extends java.applet.Applet implements Runnable {

Image imPic[]; // Array that holds the two images
int iPicIndex=0; // Keeps track of which image is displayed
Thread kicker;

public void init() {

// *Always* resize, in case the HTML author forgot to
// include WIDTH and HEIGHT tags
resize(512,243);
}

public void Paint(Graphics g) { update(g); }

// Using the update method will get rid of some flickering

public void update(Graphics g) {
// Display an error message if something
// unexpected has happened to the images
if(imPic[iPicIndex]==null)
g.drawString("Error when loading picture", 0, 172);

// Draw the current image

g.drawImage(imPic[iPicIndex],0,0, this);
}
public void start() {
if(kicker == null) { // If no thread is started yet
kicker=new Thread(this); // then create one
kicker.start(); // and start it
}
}
public void stop() { kicker=null; }
public void run() {
imPic=new Image[2]; // Dimension the image array
// Load the two images in our 'animation'
imPic[0]=getImage(getCodeBase(), "images/Homepage1.gif");
imPic[1]=getImage(getCodeBase(), "images/Homepage2.gif");

for(;;) { // Loop forever

repaint(); // Redraw the window
iPicIndex=iPicIndex==0 ? 1 : 0; // Switch image
// The sleep method below might be interrupted
// and cause an InterruptedException, so we'll
// have to catch it.
try {
// Wait for a random amount of time
Thread.sleep( (int) (Math.random()*500));
} catch (InterruptedException e){}
}
}
}
 Multiple Threads
• An applet that creates a pool of simple threads
• Each thread has an ID number, and may handle
different tasks
• Note separation of applet and thread classes

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 Multiple Threaded Example

public class ThreadExample extends java.applet.Applet {

public void init() {

simpleThread[] threadPool = new simpleThread[2];
threadPool[0] = new simpleThread(1);
threadPool[1] = new simpleThread(2);
}
}

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public class simpleThread implements Runnable {

Thread thisThread;
int thisThreadID;

public simpleThread (int i) {

thisThreadID = i; this.start(); }

public void start() {

if(thisThread == null) { // If thread isn’t started
thisThread = new Thread(this); // create one
thisThread.start(); // and start it
}
}

public void stop() { thisThread.stop();

thisThread = null; }
public void run() {
long sleepTime;
System.out.println("Hello from simpleThread "+
thisThreadID);
while(true) {
// The sleep method below might be interrupted
// and cause an exception, so catch it.
try {
// Wait for a random amount of time
sleepTime = (long) ( Math.random()*4 );
Thread.sleep( sleepTime*1000 );
} catch (Exception e) {
return;
}
System.out.println("Hello again from simpleThread "+
thisThreadID+" after "+sleepTime+" seconds");
}
}
}
 Other Ideas
• Patterns as an addition to the StringBuffer class
(ala Perl)
• One could easily write a better browser
– intelligent pre-fetching of URLs
– other ideas?

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 Where to get more information
• There are now many decent Java books, e.g. Dietel
and Dietel, and the second edition of Flanagan
• Many other web resources

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