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Java DataInputStream readChar() Method with Example

DataInputStream Class readChar() method: Here, we are going to learn about the readChar() method of DataInputStream Class with its syntax and example.
Submitted by Preeti Jain, on March 30, 2020

DataInputStream Class readChar() method

• readChar() method is available in java.io package.
• readChar() method is used to read 2 bytes (i.e. 16 bit) of the character value and returns a character value.
• readChar() method is a non-static method, it is accessible with the class object only and if we try to access the method with the class name then we will get an error.
• readChar() method may throw an exception at the time of reading char.
  • IOException: This exception may throw when this stream is not opened.
  • EndOfFileException: This exception may throw when this stream has reached its endpoint.

Syntax:

    public final char readChar();

Parameter(s):

• It does not accept any parameter.

Return value:

The return type of the method is char, it returns the signed char value read.

Example:

// Java program to demonstrate the example 
// of char readChar() method of 
// DataInputStream

import java.io.*;

public class ReadCharOfDIS {
 public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
  InputStream is_stm = null;
  DataInputStream dis_stm = null;
  FileOutputStream fos_stm = null;
  DataOutputStream dos_stm = null;
  byte[] b_arr = {
   97,
   98,
   99,
   100,
   101
  };

  try {
   // Instantiate FileInputStream, 
   // DataInputStream, FileOutputStream
   // and DataOutputStream 

   fos_stm = new FileOutputStream("C:\\Users\\Preeti Jain\\Desktop\\programs\\includehelp.txt");
   dos_stm = new DataOutputStream(fos_stm);

   // Loop to write each byte till end
   for (byte val: b_arr) {

    // By using writeChar() method isto
    // write a character at a time to the
    // DataOutputStream dos_stm

    dos_stm.writeChar(val);
   }


   is_stm = new FileInputStream("C:\\Users\\Preeti Jain\\Desktop\\programs\\includehelp.txt");
   dis_stm = new DataInputStream(is_stm);

   // Loop To Read Available Data till end
   while (dis_stm.available() > 0) {

    // By using readChar() method isto read one
    // character at a time

    char ch = dis_stm.readChar();
    System.out.println("dis_stm.readChar(): " + ch);
   }
  } catch (Exception ex) {
   System.out.println(ex.toString());
  } finally {
   // To free system resources linked
   // with these streams
   if (is_stm != null)
    is_stm.close();

   if (dis_stm != null)
    dis_stm.close();

   if (dos_stm != null)
    dos_stm.close();

   if (fos_stm != null)
    fos_stm.close();
  }
 }
}

Output

dis_stm.readChar(): a
dis_stm.readChar(): b
dis_stm.readChar(): c
dis_stm.readChar(): d
dis_stm.readChar(): e