How to Use This Book

This book is a companion to The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1. It contains descriptions of the new packages and classes in the Java™ 2 Platform, Standard Edition, Version 1.2. It also provides details of how the classes and methods have changed from the Java™ Developement Kit (JDK™) Version 1.1 to Version 1.2. It is important to understand that some of the material in this book is not complete and refers to material in The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.

Like The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1. this book is intended as a reference rather than a tutorial. Its format is similar to a dictionary’s in that it is designed to optimize the time it takes for you to look up information about a class or class member. For a tutorial-style presentation of the class libraries, see The Java™ Tutorial by Mary Campione and Kathy Walrath. The Java™ Class Libraries does not explain any part of the Java language. There are several books you can use to learn the language. These include The Java™ Programming Language, by Ken Arnold and James Gosling, and The Java™ Language Specification, by James Gosling, Bill Joy, and Guy Steele.

Following is an overview of this book.

Package Overviews

This part briefly describes each package and all of the classes in it. Also included are diagrams that show the inheritance hierarchy of the classes that appear in a package.

Each overview contains not only a general description about the package, but also descriptions of the changes in the package for Version 1.2. Each class that has been introduced in Version 1.2 is labeled with a tag. Each class that has been changed for Version 1.2 is labeled with a tag.

Alphabetical Reference of Classes

This part covers the alphabetical listing of the classes from the following packages:

java.io	java.net
java.lang	java.text
java.lang.ref	java.util
java.lang.reflect	java.util.jar
java.math	java.util.zip

Only those classes that have been changed or added in Version 1.2 are included. Moreover, within the changed classes, only those members that have been changed or added are included. See the Table of Contents for a list of the classes and members in this book. For information about the classes that are changed, see The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.

Like The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1, the classes are ordered alphabetically without regard to package name or version.

Each class is described in its own chapter. Each chapter contains a picture of the class hierarchy, a class description, a “Changes for Version 1.2” section for classes that have changed, a class example, a member summary, and descriptions for each member that is changed or new in Version 1.2. Chapters for classes that have changed (as opposed to those that were introduced in Version 1.2) have the label CHANGES FOR VERSION 1.2 in their footer.

Class Hierarchy Diagram

Each chapter starts with a class diagram. The class diagram shows all of the ancestors of the class, its siblings, its immediate descendents, and any interfaces that the class implements. In these diagrams, if a package name precedes a class or interface name, the class or interface is not in the same package as the current class.

In the diagrams, the different kinds of Java entities are distinguished visually as follows:

• The interface: A rounded rectangle
• The class: A rectangle
• The abstract class: A rectangle with an empty dot
• The final class: A rectangle with a black dot
• Classes with subclasses: A rectangle with a small black triangle in the lower-right corner

Most of these elements are shown in Figure i. The class or interface being described in the current chapter is shaded grey. A solid line represents extends, while a dotted line represents implements.

Class Description

In the class description, we describe all of the properties of the class. For example, the properties of the Graphics class include the current color, font, paint mode, origin, and clipping area. Describing in one place all of a class's available properties and how the properties behave makes learning all of the capabilities of a class much easier than if the property descriptions were scattered throughout the member descriptions.

Any terminology used in the member descriptions is introduced and described in the class descriptions. If you find that the member description lacks detail, go to the class description for more information.

If the class is newly introduced in Version 1.2, its class description is complete. If the class is one that is changed in Version 1.2, the class description is only a summary of the class; the complete class description is in The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.

Changes for Version 1.2

If the class is one that is changed in Version 1.2, the chapter contains a “Changes for Version 1.2” section that describes the changes, including the new methods that have been added and how existing methods have changed.

Class Example

Most of the chapters for new classes have a class example that illustrates how to use the class. Some of the chapters for the changed classes have a class example. For some of the changed classes, the changes are so minor that the class example in The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1 is still relevant.

Member Summary

The member summary is intended to help the reader quickly grasp the key points of the class. It groups the members of the class into categories that are specific to that class. For example, in the List class the Selection Methods category lists all methods having to do with selections. It is meant to be a quick summary of the class’s members, so it does not contain any syntax information other than the name of the member.

The member summary for both changed and new classes is complete. In a changed class, changed members are labeled with a tag, while new members are labeled with a tag. Only those members with one of these two tags are documented in the chapter. The documentation for unlabeled members in is The Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.

For example, following is the member summary for ZipInputStream.

In Version 1.2, ZipInputStream has one new member, createZipEntry(), and one changed member, available(). The chapter for ZipInputStream contains member descrip

Patrick Chan, winner of the 1998 Duke Award at JavaOne, was a founding member and lead developer of the original Java project at Sun Microsystems, Inc. He is the author of The Java Developers Almanac. Rosanna Lee is a Senior Staff Engineer at Java Software, Sun Microsystems, Inc. She is one of the principal designers and delopers of Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) and X/Open Federated Naming (XFN). Douglas Kramer is a lead writer for the Java Development Kit and Senior Technical Writer at Java Software, Sun Microsystems, Inc. He previously worked at Kaleida Labs and Macromind, documenting multimedia technology and designing graphical user interfaces.

How to Use This BookThis book is a companion toThe Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.It contains descriptions of the new packages and classes in the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition, Version 1.2. It also provides details of how the classes and methods have changed from the Java Developement Kit (JDK) Version 1.1 to Version 1.2. It is important to understand that some of the material in this book is not complete and refers to material inThe Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.LikeThe Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.this book is intended as a reference rather than a tutorial. Its format is similar to a dictionary's in that it is designed to optimize the time it takes for you to look up information about a class or class member. For a tutorial-style presentation of the class libraries, seeThe Java Tutorialby Mary Campione and Kathy Walrath.The Java Class Librariesdoes not explain any part of the Java language. There are several books you can use to learn the language. These includeThe Java Programming Language,by Ken Arnold and James Gosling, andThe Java Language Specification,by James Gosling, Bill Joy, and Guy Steele.Following is an overview of this book. Package OverviewsThis part briefly describes each package and all of the classes in it. Also included are diagrams that show the inheritance hierarchy of the classes that appear in a package.Each overview contains not only a general description about the package, but also descriptions of the changes in the package for Version 1.2. Each class that has been introduced in Version 1.2 is labeled with a tag. Each class that has been changed for Version 1.2 is labeled with a tag. Alphabetical Reference of ClassesThis part covers the alphabetical listing of the classes from the following packages: java.io java.net java.lang java.text java.lang.ref java.util java.lang.reflect java.util.jar java.math java.util.zipOnly those classes that have been changed or added in Version 1.2 are included. Moreover, within the changed classes, only those members that have been changed or added are included. See the Table of Contents for a list of the classes and members in this book. For information about the classes that are changed, seeThe Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1.LikeThe Java Class Libraries, Second Edition, Volume 1,the classes are ordered alphabetically without regard to package name or version.Each class is described in its own chapter. Each chapter contains a picture of the class hierarchy, a class description, a "Changes for Version 1.2" section for classes that have changed, a class example, a member summary, and descriptions for each member that is changed or new in Version 1.2. Chapters for classes that have changed (as opposed to those that were introduced in Version 1.2) have the labelCHANGES FOR VERSION 1.2in their footer. Class Hierarchy DiagramEach chapter starts with a class diagram. The class diagram shows all of the ancestors of the class, its siblings, its immediate descendents, and any interfaces that the class implements. In these diagrams, if a package name precedes a class or interface name, the class