Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)

Module II: Arrays and Strings in Java

CS F213 RL 8.4: StringBuffer class in Java

BITS Pilani Dr. Pankaj Vyas

Department of Computer Science, BITS-Pilani, Pilani Campus
 CS F213 RL 8.4 : Topics

StringBuffer class in Java

2 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)

 StringBuffer class
Supports mutable, modifiable, writable and growable strings in Java
You can insert characters or sub-strings in the middle or in the end
length of a StringBuffer instance means how many characters it currently
holds. The current length of a StringBuffer instance can be checked via
length() method
capacity of a StringBuffer instance means how many more characters it
can accommodate. The current capacity of a StringBuffer instance can be
checked via capacity() method
capacity increases automatically whenever the need arises. The rule to
increase capacity is if current-capacity < 16 then new-capacity = 16 else
new-capacity = 2 * current-capacity + 2.
Important Constructors
1. StringBuffer() length =0, capacity = length +16 = 16
2. StringBuffer(int size) length =0, capacity = size
3. StringBuffer(String str) length =str.length(), capacity = length + 16

3 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)

 StringBuffer class : Example 1
StringBuffer strb1 = new StringBuffer();
System.out.println(strb1.length()); 0
System.out.println(strb1.capacity()); 16

StringBuffer strb2 = new StringBuffer(30);

System.out.println(strb2.length()); 0
System.out.println(strb2.capacity()); 30

StringBuffer strb3 = new StringBuffer("Java");

System.out.println(strb2.length()); 4
System.out.println(strb2.capacity()); 20

4 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)

 StringBuffer class : Important
Methods
void setCharAt(int where, char ch) sets character ch at where index. (0
<=where<=L, where L is length)
StringBuffer append(String str) appends str at the end of invoking string
buffer instance
StringBuffer append(int num) appends a character represented by num
at the end of invoking string buffer instance
StringBuffer append(Object obj) appends the string form of obj at the
end of invoking string buffer instance
String form of obj is determined by toString() method
String insert(int index, String str) Inserts String str at index in the
invoking string buffer instance [ 0 <= index <= L, L is length]
String insert(int index, char ch) Inserts character ch at index in the
invoking string buffer instance [ 0 <= index <= L, L is length]
String insert(int index, Object obj) Inserts Object obj at index in the
invoking string buffer instance [ 0 <= index <= L, L is length]
obj is first converted to String form by calling toString() method and
then the resultant string form of obj is inserted at index in the
invoking string buffer instance

5 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)

 StringBuffer class : Important
Methods .
StringBuffer reverse() reverses the characters of the invoking string
buffer instance and returns the reversed string
StringBuffer deleteChatAt(int loc) deletes a single character at loc
and returns the updated string. [0 <=loc <=L, L is the length of string
buffer]
StringBuffer delete(int start, int end) deletes sequence of characters
from index start (inclusive) to index end (exclusive) and returns the
updated string. Characters will be deleted from indexes start to end-1.
[0 <=start,end <=L and the value of end should not be less than start]
StringBuffer replace(int startIndex, int endIndex, String str) Replaced
the character sequence from startIndex to endIndex by str. Characters
will be replaced from indexes startIndex to endIndex-1.

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 String Buffer Example 2
StringBuffer strb1 = new StringBuffer("Object Oriented Programming");
System.out.println(strb1.length()); 27
System.out.println(strb1.capacity()); 43

System.out.println(strb1.append("Object Oriented Programming")); Object Orineted ProgrammingObject Orineted Programming

System.out.println(strb1.length()); 54
System.out.println(strb1.capacity()); 88

StringBuffer strb2 = new StringBuffer(5);

System.out.println(strb2.length()); 0
System.out.println(strb2.capacity()); 5

System.out.println(strb2.append("Incredible India")); Incredible India

System.out.println(strb2.length()); 16
System.out.println(strb2.capacity()); 16
System.out.println(strb2.append("Incredible India")); // LENGTH = 32 , CAPACITY = 2 * 16 +2 = 34
System.out.println(strb2.length()); 32
System.out.println(strb2.capacity()); 34
System.out.println(strb2.append("Incredible India")); // LENGTH = 32 + 16 = 48, CAPACITY = 2 * 34 + 2 = 70
System.out.println(strb2.append("Incredible India")); // LENGTH = 48 + 16 = 64, CAPACITY = 70
System.out.println(strb2.length()); 64
System.out.println(strb2.capacity()); 70
7 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)
 ensureCapacity()
StringBuffer ensureCapacity(int minCapacity) sets the current capacity to
minCapacity as per the following rule
if minCapacity <= current-capacity Then
no change in capacity [current-capacity remains same]
else if minCapacity > current-capacity && minCapacity <= 2* current-capacity +2 Then
new-capacity = 2* current-capacity +2
else new-capacity = minCapacity

StringBuffer strB3 = new StringBuffer(); StringBuffer strB3 = new StringBuffer(5);

System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0 System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0
System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =16 System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =5
strB3.ensureCapacity(10); // 10 < 16 strB3.ensureCapacity(10); // 10 > 5 && 10 < 12
System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0 System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0
System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =16 System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =12

StringBuffer strB3 = new StringBuffer(); StringBuffer strB3 = new StringBuffer();

System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0 System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0
System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =16 System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =16
strB3.ensureCapacity(20); // 20 > 16 && 20 < 34 strB3.ensureCapacity(50); // 50 > 16 && 50 > 34
System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0 System.out.println(strB3.length()); // Length =0
System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =34 System.out.println(strB3.capacity()); // Capacity =50

8 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)

 setLength()
void setlength(int len) Sets the current lentgth of the invoking string buffer object
to len. Changing length may affect capacity also
Suppose L is the current length of a string buffer instance and C is the current
capacity.
If len < L (current length) then L-len characters will be removed from the end of
the string buffer instance and len becomes the new length of string buffer but no
change in C
If len > L (current length) && len <= C (current capacity) then extra white space
characters will be appended in the end of the string buffer instance and len
becomes the new length of string buffer but no change in C
If len > C (current capacity) && len <= 2*C + 2 then extra white space
characters will be appended in the end of the string buffer instance and len
becomes the new length of string buffer and new capacity = 2 * C + 2.
If len > 2*C + 2 then extra white space characters will be appended in the end of
the string buffer instance and len becomes the new length of string buffer and new
capacity = len.

9 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)

 setLength() : Example
StringBuffer strB = new StringBuffer("Object"); 6
System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 22
strB.setLength(4); 4
System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 22
StringBuffer strB = new StringBuffer("Object"); 6
System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 22
strB.setLength(16); 16
System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 22

StringBuffer strB = new StringBuffer("Object"); 6

System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 22
strB.setLength(30); 30
System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 46
StringBuffer strB = new StringBuffer("Object"); 6
System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 22
strB.setLength(80); 80
System.out.println(strB.length());
System.out.println(strB.capacity()); 80
10 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)
 Thank You

11 Object-Oriented Programming (CS F213)