public class

StringTokenizer

extends Object
implements Enumeration<E>
java.lang.Object
   ↳ java.util.StringTokenizer

Class Overview

The StringTokenizer class allows an application to break a string into tokens by performing code point comparison. The StringTokenizer methods do not distinguish among identifiers, numbers, and quoted strings, nor do they recognize and skip comments.

The set of delimiters (the codepoints that separate tokens) may be specified either at creation time or on a per-token basis.

An instance of StringTokenizer behaves in one of three ways, depending on whether it was created with the returnDelimiters flag having the value true or false:

  • If returnDelims is false, delimiter code points serve to separate tokens. A token is a maximal sequence of consecutive code points that are not delimiters.
  • If returnDelims is true, delimiter code points are themselves considered to be tokens. In this case a token will be received for each delimiter code point.

A token is thus either one delimiter code point, or a maximal sequence of consecutive code points that are not delimiters.

A StringTokenizer object internally maintains a current position within the string to be tokenized. Some operations advance this current position past the code point processed.

A token is returned by taking a substring of the string that was used to create the StringTokenizer object.

Here's an example of the use of the default delimiter StringTokenizer :

 StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer("this is a test");
 while (st.hasMoreTokens()) {
     println(st.nextToken());
 }
 

This prints the following output:

     this
     is
     a
     test
 

Here's an example of how to use a StringTokenizer with a user specified delimiter:

 StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer(
         "this is a test with supplementary characters ?𐀀?",
         " 𐀀");
 while (st.hasMoreTokens()) {
     println(st.nextToken());
 }
 

This prints the following output:

     this
     is
     a
     test
     with
     supplementary
     characters
     ?
     ?
 

Summary

Public Constructors
StringTokenizer(String string)
Constructs a new StringTokenizer for the parameter string using whitespace as the delimiter.
StringTokenizer(String string, String delimiters)
Constructs a new StringTokenizer for the parameter string using the specified delimiters.
StringTokenizer(String string, String delimiters, boolean returnDelimiters)
Constructs a new StringTokenizer for the parameter string using the specified delimiters, returning the delimiters as tokens if the parameter returnDelimiters is true.
Public Methods
int countTokens()
Returns the number of unprocessed tokens remaining in the string.
boolean hasMoreElements()
Returns true if unprocessed tokens remain.
boolean hasMoreTokens()
Returns true if unprocessed tokens remain.
Object nextElement()
Returns the next token in the string as an Object.
String nextToken()
Returns the next token in the string as a String.
String nextToken(String delims)
Returns the next token in the string as a String.
[Expand]
Inherited Methods
From class java.lang.Object
From interface java.util.Enumeration

Public Constructors

public StringTokenizer (String string)

Since: API Level 1

Constructs a new StringTokenizer for the parameter string using whitespace as the delimiter. The returnDelimiters flag is set to false.

Parameters
string the string to be tokenized.

public StringTokenizer (String string, String delimiters)

Since: API Level 1

Constructs a new StringTokenizer for the parameter string using the specified delimiters. The returnDelimiters flag is set to false. If delimiters is null, this constructor doesn't throw an Exception, but later calls to some methods might throw a NullPointerException.

Parameters
string the string to be tokenized.
delimiters the delimiters to use.

public StringTokenizer (String string, String delimiters, boolean returnDelimiters)

Since: API Level 1

Constructs a new StringTokenizer for the parameter string using the specified delimiters, returning the delimiters as tokens if the parameter returnDelimiters is true. If delimiters is null this constructor doesn't throw an Exception, but later calls to some methods might throw a NullPointerException.

Parameters
string the string to be tokenized.
delimiters the delimiters to use.
returnDelimiters true to return each delimiter as a token.

Public Methods

public int countTokens ()

Since: API Level 1

Returns the number of unprocessed tokens remaining in the string.

Returns
  • number of tokens that can be retreived before an Exception will result from a call to nextToken().

public boolean hasMoreElements ()

Since: API Level 1

Returns true if unprocessed tokens remain. This method is implemented in order to satisfy the Enumeration interface.

Returns
  • true if unprocessed tokens remain.

public boolean hasMoreTokens ()

Since: API Level 1

Returns true if unprocessed tokens remain.

Returns
  • true if unprocessed tokens remain.

public Object nextElement ()

Since: API Level 1

Returns the next token in the string as an Object. This method is implemented in order to satisfy the Enumeration interface.

Returns
  • next token in the string as an Object
Throws
NoSuchElementException if no tokens remain.

public String nextToken ()

Since: API Level 1

Returns the next token in the string as a String.

Returns
  • next token in the string as a String.
Throws
NoSuchElementException if no tokens remain.

public String nextToken (String delims)

Since: API Level 1

Returns the next token in the string as a String. The delimiters used are changed to the specified delimiters.

Parameters
delims the new delimiters to use.
Returns
  • next token in the string as a String.
Throws
NoSuchElementException if no tokens remain.