java.text
Class BreakIterator

java.lang.Object
  extended by java.text.BreakIterator
All Implemented Interfaces:
Cloneable

public abstract class BreakIterator
extends Object
implements Cloneable

This class iterates over text elements such as words, lines, sentences, and characters. It can only iterate over one of these text elements at a time. An instance of this class configured for the desired iteration type is created by calling one of the static factory methods, not by directly calling a constructor. The standard iterators created by the factory methods in this class will be valid upon creation. That is, their methods will not cause exceptions if called before you call setText().


Field Summary
static int DONE
          This value is returned by the next() and previous in order to indicate that the end of the text has been reached.
 
Constructor Summary
protected BreakIterator()
          This method initializes a new instance of BreakIterator.
 
Method Summary
 Object clone()
          Create a clone of this object.
abstract  int current()
          This method returns the index of the current text element boundary.
abstract  int first()
          This method returns the first text element boundary in the text being iterated over.
abstract  int following(int pos)
          This methdod returns the offset of the text element boundary following the specified offset.
static Locale[] getAvailableLocales()
          This method returns a list of locales for which instances of BreakIterator are available.
static BreakIterator getCharacterInstance()
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over characters as defined in the default locale.
static BreakIterator getCharacterInstance(Locale locale)
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over characters as defined in the specified locale.
static BreakIterator getLineInstance()
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over line breaks as defined in the default locale.
static BreakIterator getLineInstance(Locale locale)
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over line breaks as defined in the specified locale.
static BreakIterator getSentenceInstance()
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over sentences as defined in the default locale.
static BreakIterator getSentenceInstance(Locale locale)
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over sentences as defined in the specified locale.
abstract  CharacterIterator getText()
          This method returns the text this object is iterating over as a CharacterIterator.
static BreakIterator getWordInstance()
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over words as defined in the default locale.
static BreakIterator getWordInstance(Locale locale)
          This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over words as defined in the specified locale.
 boolean isBoundary(int pos)
          This method tests whether or not the specified position is a text element boundary.
abstract  int last()
          This method returns the last text element boundary in the text being iterated over.
abstract  int next()
          This method returns the text element boundary following the current text position.
abstract  int next(int n)
          This method returns the n'th text element boundary following the current text position.
 int preceding(int pos)
          This methdod returns the offset of the text element boundary preceding the specified offset.
abstract  int previous()
          This method returns the text element boundary preceding the current text position.
abstract  void setText(CharacterIterator newText)
          This method sets the text to iterate over from the specified CharacterIterator.
 void setText(String newText)
          This method sets the text string to iterate over.
 
Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait
 

Field Detail

DONE

public static final int DONE
This value is returned by the next() and previous in order to indicate that the end of the text has been reached.

See Also:
Constant Field Values
Constructor Detail

BreakIterator

protected BreakIterator()
This method initializes a new instance of BreakIterator. This protected constructor is available to subclasses as a default no-arg superclass constructor.

Method Detail

clone

public Object clone()
Create a clone of this object.

Overrides:
clone in class Object
Returns:
a copy of the Object
See Also:
Cloneable

current

public abstract int current()
This method returns the index of the current text element boundary.

Returns:
The current text boundary.

first

public abstract int first()
This method returns the first text element boundary in the text being iterated over.

Returns:
The first text boundary.

following

public abstract int following(int pos)
This methdod returns the offset of the text element boundary following the specified offset.

Parameters:
pos - The text index from which to find the next text boundary.
Returns:
The next text boundary following the specified index.

getAvailableLocales

public static Locale[] getAvailableLocales()
This method returns a list of locales for which instances of BreakIterator are available.

Returns:
A list of available locales

getCharacterInstance

public static BreakIterator getCharacterInstance()
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over characters as defined in the default locale.

Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the default locale.

getCharacterInstance

public static BreakIterator getCharacterInstance(Locale locale)
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over characters as defined in the specified locale.

Parameters:
locale - The desired locale.
Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the specified locale.

getLineInstance

public static BreakIterator getLineInstance()
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over line breaks as defined in the default locale.

Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the default locale.

getLineInstance

public static BreakIterator getLineInstance(Locale locale)
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over line breaks as defined in the specified locale.

Parameters:
locale - The desired locale.
Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the default locale.

getSentenceInstance

public static BreakIterator getSentenceInstance()
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over sentences as defined in the default locale.

Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the default locale.

getSentenceInstance

public static BreakIterator getSentenceInstance(Locale locale)
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over sentences as defined in the specified locale.

Parameters:
locale - The desired locale.
Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the default locale.

getText

public abstract CharacterIterator getText()
This method returns the text this object is iterating over as a CharacterIterator.

Returns:
The text being iterated over.

getWordInstance

public static BreakIterator getWordInstance()
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over words as defined in the default locale.

Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the default locale.

getWordInstance

public static BreakIterator getWordInstance(Locale locale)
This method returns an instance of BreakIterator that will iterate over words as defined in the specified locale.

Parameters:
locale - The desired locale.
Returns:
A BreakIterator instance for the default locale.

isBoundary

public boolean isBoundary(int pos)
This method tests whether or not the specified position is a text element boundary.

Parameters:
pos - The text position to test.
Returns:
true if the position is a boundary, false otherwise.

last

public abstract int last()
This method returns the last text element boundary in the text being iterated over.

Returns:
The last text boundary.

next

public abstract int next()
This method returns the text element boundary following the current text position.

Returns:
The next text boundary.

next

public abstract int next(int n)
This method returns the n'th text element boundary following the current text position.

Parameters:
n - The number of text element boundaries to skip.
Returns:
The next text boundary.

preceding

public int preceding(int pos)
This methdod returns the offset of the text element boundary preceding the specified offset.

Parameters:
pos - The text index from which to find the preceding text boundary.

previous

public abstract int previous()
This method returns the text element boundary preceding the current text position.

Returns:
The previous text boundary.

setText

public void setText(String newText)
This method sets the text string to iterate over.

Parameters:
newText - The String to iterate over.

setText

public abstract void setText(CharacterIterator newText)
This method sets the text to iterate over from the specified CharacterIterator.

Parameters:
newText - The desired CharacterIterator.