Interface JavaFileManager

All Superinterfaces:
AutoCloseable, Closeable, Flushable, OptionChecker
All Known Subinterfaces:
StandardJavaFileManager
All Known Implementing Classes:
ForwardingJavaFileManager
public interface JavaFileManager extends Closeable, Flushable, OptionChecker
File manager for tools operating on Java programming language source and class files. In this context, file means an abstraction of regular files and other sources of data.

When constructing new JavaFileObjects, the file manager must determine where to create them. For example, if a file manager manages regular files on a file system, it would most likely have a current/working directory to use as default location when creating or finding files. A number of hints can be provided to a file manager as to where to create files. Any file manager might choose to ignore these hints.

Some methods in this interface use class names. Such class names must be given in the Java Virtual Machine internal form of fully qualified class and interface names. For convenience, '.' and '/' are interchangeable. The internal form is defined in chapter four of The Java Virtual Machine Specification.

Discussion: this means that the names "java/lang.package-info", "java/lang/package-info", "java.lang.package-info", are valid and equivalent. Compare to binary name as defined in The Java Language Specification, section 13.1 "The Form of a Binary".

The case of names is significant. All names should be treated as case-sensitive. For example, some file systems have case-insensitive, case-aware file names. File objects representing such files should take care to preserve case by using File.getCanonicalFile() or similar means. If the system is not case-aware, file objects must use other means to preserve case.

Relative names: some methods in this interface use relative names. A relative name is a non-null, non-empty sequence of path segments separated by '/'. '.' or '..' are invalid path segments. A valid relative name must match the "path-rootless" rule of RFC 3986, section 3.3. Informally, this should be true: 

URI.create(relativeName).normalize().getPath().equals(relativeName)

An object of this interface is not required to support multi-threaded access, that is, be synchronized. However, it must support concurrent access to different file objects created by this object.

Implementation note: a consequence of this requirement is that a trivial implementation of output to a JarOutputStream is not a sufficient implementation. That is, rather than creating a JavaFileObject that returns the JarOutputStream directly, the contents must be cached until closed and then written to the JarOutputStream.

Unless explicitly allowed, all methods in this interface might throw a NullPointerException if given a null argument.

Since:
1.6
External Specifications
See Also:

  • Method Details

    • getClassLoader

      ClassLoader getClassLoader(JavaFileManager.Location location)
      Returns a class loader for loading plug-ins from the given package-oriented location. For example, to load annotation processors, a compiler will request a class loader for the ANNOTATION_PROCESSOR_PATH location.
      Parameters:
      location - a location
      Returns:
      a class loader for the given location; or null if loading plug-ins from the given location is disabled or if the location is not known
      Throws:
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is a module-oriented location

    • list

      Iterable<JavaFileObject> list(JavaFileManager.Location location, String packageName, Set<JavaFileObject.Kind> kinds, boolean recurse) throws IOException
      Lists all file objects matching the given criteria in the given package-oriented location. List file objects in "subpackages" if recurse is true.

      Note: even if the given location is unknown to this file manager, it may not return null. Also, an unknown location may not cause an exception.

      Parameters:
      location - a location
      packageName - a package name
      kinds - return objects only of these kinds
      recurse - if true include "subpackages"
      Returns:
      an Iterable of file objects matching the given criteria
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred, or if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is a module-oriented location
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened

    • inferBinaryName

      String inferBinaryName(JavaFileManager.Location location, JavaFileObject file)
      Infers a binary name of a file object based on a package-oriented location. The binary name returned might not be a valid binary name according to The Java Language Specification.
      Parameters:
      location - a location
      file - a file object
      Returns:
      a binary name or null the file object is not found in the given location
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is a module-oriented location
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened

    • isSameFile

      boolean isSameFile(FileObject a, FileObject b)
      Compares two file objects and returns true if they represent the same underlying object.
      Parameters:
      a - a file object
      b - a file object
      Returns:
      true if the given file objects represent the same underlying object
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if either of the arguments were created with another file manager and this file manager does not support foreign file objects

    • handleOption

      boolean handleOption(String current, Iterator<String> remaining)
      Handles one option. If current is an option to this file manager, it will consume any arguments to that option from remaining and return true, otherwise return false.
      Parameters:
      current - current option
      remaining - remaining options
      Returns:
      true if this option was handled by this file manager, false otherwise
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if this option to this file manager is used incorrectly
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened

    • hasLocation

      boolean hasLocation(JavaFileManager.Location location)
      Determines if a location is known to this file manager.
      Parameters:
      location - a location
      Returns:
      true if the location is known

    • getJavaFileForInput

      JavaFileObject getJavaFileForInput(JavaFileManager.Location location, String className, JavaFileObject.Kind kind) throws IOException
      Returns a file object for input representing the specified class of the specified kind in the given package-oriented location.
      Parameters:
      location - a location
      className - the name of a class
      kind - the kind of file, must be one of SOURCE or CLASS
      Returns:
      a file object, might return null if the file does not exist
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is not known to this file manager and the file manager does not support unknown locations, or if the kind is not valid, or if the location is a module-oriented location
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred, or if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened

    • getJavaFileForOutput

      JavaFileObject getJavaFileForOutput(JavaFileManager.Location location, String className, JavaFileObject.Kind kind, FileObject sibling) throws IOException
      Returns a file object for output representing the specified class of the specified kind in the given package-oriented location.

      Optionally, this file manager might consider the sibling as a hint for where to place the output. The exact semantics of this hint is unspecified. The JDK compiler, javac, for example, will place class files in the same directories as originating source files unless a class file output directory is provided. To facilitate this behavior, javac might provide the originating source file as sibling when calling this method.

      Parameters:
      location - a package-oriented location
      className - the name of a class
      kind - the kind of file, must be one of SOURCE or CLASS
      sibling - a file object to be used as hint for placement; might be null
      Returns:
      a file object for output
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if sibling is not known to this file manager, or if the location is not known to this file manager and the file manager does not support unknown locations, or if the kind is not valid, or if the location is not an output location
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred, or if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalStateException - close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened

    • getJavaFileForOutputForOriginatingFiles

      default JavaFileObject getJavaFileForOutputForOriginatingFiles(JavaFileManager.Location location, String className, JavaFileObject.Kind kind, FileObject... originatingFiles) throws IOException
      Returns a file object for output representing the specified class of the specified kind in the given package-oriented location.

      The provided originatingFiles represent files that were, in an unspecified way, used to create the content of the file created by this method. See originatingElements in Filer.createSourceFile(java.lang.CharSequence, javax.lang.model.element.Element...). Elements.getFileObjectOf(javax.lang.model.element.Element) may be used to convert the Elements to FileObjects.

      Implementation Requirements:
      The default implementation calls getJavaFileForOutput(javax.tools.JavaFileManager.Location, java.lang.String, javax.tools.JavaFileObject.Kind, javax.tools.FileObject) with the first element of the originatingFiles, if any, as a sibling.
      Parameters:
      location - a package-oriented location
      className - the name of a class
      kind - the kind of file, must be one of SOURCE or CLASS
      originatingFiles - the files which are contributing to this newly created file; null is equivalent to empty originatingFiles, meaning no known originating files
      Returns:
      a file object for output
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if sibling is not known to this file manager, or if the location is not known to this file manager and the file manager does not support unknown locations, or if the kind is not valid, or if the location is not an output location
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred, or if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalStateException - close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      Since:
      18
      See Also:

    • getFileForInput

      FileObject getFileForInput(JavaFileManager.Location location, String packageName, String relativeName) throws IOException
      Returns a file object for input representing the specified relative name in the specified package in the given package-oriented location.

      If the returned object represents a source or class file, it must be an instance of JavaFileObject.

      Informally, the file object returned by this method is located in the concatenation of the location, package name, and relative name. For example, to locate the properties file "resources/compiler.properties" in the package "com.sun.tools.javac" in the SOURCE_PATH location, this method might be called like so: 

      getFileForInput(SOURCE_PATH, "com.sun.tools.javac", "resources/compiler.properties");

      If the call was executed on Windows, with SOURCE_PATH set to "C:\Documents and Settings\UncleBob\src\share\classes", a valid result would be a file object representing the file "C:\Documents and Settings\UncleBob\src\share\classes\com\sun\tools\javac\resources\compiler.properties".

      Parameters:
      location - a package-oriented location
      packageName - a package name
      relativeName - a relative name
      Returns:
      a file object, might return null if the file does not exist
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is not known to this file manager and the file manager does not support unknown locations, or if relativeName is not valid, or if the location is a module-oriented location
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred, or if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened

    • getFileForOutput

      FileObject getFileForOutput(JavaFileManager.Location location, String packageName, String relativeName, FileObject sibling) throws IOException
      Returns a file object for output representing the specified relative name in the specified package in the given location.

      Optionally, this file manager might consider the sibling as a hint for where to place the output. The exact semantics of this hint is unspecified. The JDK compiler, javac, for example, will place class files in the same directories as originating source files unless a class file output directory is provided. To facilitate this behavior, javac might provide the originating source file as sibling when calling this method.

      If the returned object represents a source or class file, it must be an instance of JavaFileObject.

      Informally, the file object returned by this method is located in the concatenation of the location, package name, and relative name or next to the sibling argument. See getFileForInput for an example.

      Parameters:
      location - an output location
      packageName - a package name
      relativeName - a relative name
      sibling - a file object to be used as hint for placement; might be null
      Returns:
      a file object
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if sibling is not known to this file manager, or if the location is not known to this file manager and the file manager does not support unknown locations, or if relativeName is not valid, or if the location is not an output location
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred, or if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened

    • getFileForOutputForOriginatingFiles

      default FileObject getFileForOutputForOriginatingFiles(JavaFileManager.Location location, String packageName, String relativeName, FileObject... originatingFiles) throws IOException
      Returns a file object for output representing the specified relative name in the specified package in the given location.

      The provided originatingFiles represent files that were, in an unspecified way, used to create the content of the file created by this method. See originatingElements in Filer.createResource(javax.tools.JavaFileManager.Location, java.lang.CharSequence, java.lang.CharSequence, javax.lang.model.element.Element...). Elements.getFileObjectOf(javax.lang.model.element.Element) may be used to convert the Elements to FileObjects.

      If the returned object represents a source or class file, it must be an instance of JavaFileObject.

      Informally, the file object returned by this method is located in the concatenation of the location, package name, and relative name or in a location inferred from the originatingFiles. See getFileForInput for an example.

      Implementation Requirements:
      The default implementation calls getFileForOutput(javax.tools.JavaFileManager.Location, java.lang.String, java.lang.String, javax.tools.FileObject) with the first element of the originatingFiles, if any, as a sibling.
      Parameters:
      location - an output location
      packageName - a package name
      relativeName - a relative name
      originatingFiles - the files which are contributing to this newly created file; null is equivalent to empty originatingFiles, meaning no known originating files
      Returns:
      a file object
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if sibling is not known to this file manager, or if the location is not known to this file manager and the file manager does not support unknown locations, or if relativeName is not valid, or if the location is not an output location
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred, or if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      IllegalStateException - if close() has been called and this file manager cannot be reopened
      Since:
      18
      See Also:

    • flush

      void flush() throws IOException
      Flushes any resources opened for output by this file manager directly or indirectly. Flushing a closed file manager has no effect.
      Specified by:
      flush in interface Flushable
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred
      See Also:

    • close

      void close() throws IOException
      Releases any resources opened by this file manager directly or indirectly. This might render this file manager useless and the effect of subsequent calls to methods on this object or any objects obtained through this object is undefined unless explicitly allowed. However, closing a file manager which has already been closed has no effect.
      Specified by:
      close in interface AutoCloseable
      Specified by:
      close in interface Closeable
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred
      See Also:

    • getLocationForModule

      default JavaFileManager.Location getLocationForModule(JavaFileManager.Location location, String moduleName) throws IOException
      Gets a location for a named module within a location, which may be either a module-oriented location or an output location. The result will be an output location if the given location is an output location, or it will be a package-oriented location.
      Implementation Requirements:
      This implementation throws UnsupportedOperationException.
      Parameters:
      location - the module-oriented location
      moduleName - the name of the module to be found
      Returns:
      the location for the named module
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred
      UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is not supported by this file manager
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is neither an output location nor a module-oriented location
      Since:
      9

    • getLocationForModule

      default JavaFileManager.Location getLocationForModule(JavaFileManager.Location location, JavaFileObject fo) throws IOException
      Gets a location for the module containing a specific file to be found within a location, which may be either a module-oriented location or an output location. The result will be an output location if the given location is an output location, or it will be a package-oriented location.
      Implementation Requirements:
      This implementation throws UnsupportedOperationException.
      Parameters:
      location - the module-oriented location
      fo - the file
      Returns:
      the module containing the file
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred
      UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is not supported by this file manager
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is neither an output location nor a module-oriented location
      Since:
      9

    • getServiceLoader

      default <S> ServiceLoader<S> getServiceLoader(JavaFileManager.Location location, Class<S> service) throws IOException
      Get a service loader for a specific service class from a given location. If the location is a module-oriented location, the service loader will use the service declarations in the modules found in that location. Otherwise, a service loader is created using the package-oriented location, in which case, the services are determined using the provider-configuration files in META-INF/services.
      Implementation Requirements:
      This implementation throws UnsupportedOperationException.
      Type Parameters:
      S - the service class
      Parameters:
      location - the module-oriented location
      service - the Class object of the service class
      Returns:
      a service loader for the given service class
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred
      UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is not supported by this file manager
      Since:
      9

    • inferModuleName

      default String inferModuleName(JavaFileManager.Location location) throws IOException
      Infer the name of the module from its location, as returned by getLocationForModule or listModuleLocations.
      Implementation Requirements:
      This implementation throws UnsupportedOperationException.
      Parameters:
      location - a package-oriented location representing a module
      Returns:
      the name of the module
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred
      UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is not supported by this file manager
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is not one known to this file manager
      Since:
      9

    • listLocationsForModules

      default Iterable<Set<JavaFileManager.Location>> listLocationsForModules(JavaFileManager.Location location) throws IOException
      Lists the locations for all the modules in a module-oriented location or an output location. The locations that are returned will be output locations if the given location is an output, or it will be a package-oriented locations.
      Implementation Requirements:
      This implementation throws UnsupportedOperationException.
      Parameters:
      location - the module-oriented location for which to list the modules
      Returns:
      a series of sets of locations containing modules
      Throws:
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred
      UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is not supported by this file manager
      IllegalArgumentException - if the location is not a module-oriented location
      Since:
      9

    • contains

      default boolean contains(JavaFileManager.Location location, FileObject fo) throws IOException
      Determines whether or not a given file object is "contained in" a specified location.

      For a package-oriented location, a file object is contained in the location if there exist values for packageName and relativeName such that either of the following calls would return the same file object: 

      getFileForInput(location, packageName, relativeName)
getFileForOutput(location, packageName, relativeName, null)

      For a module-oriented location, a file object is contained in the location if there exists a module that may be obtained by the call: 

      getLocationForModule(location, moduleName)
      such that the file object is contained in the (package-oriented) location for that module.
      Implementation Requirements:
      This implementation throws UnsupportedOperationException.
      Parameters:
      location - the location
      fo - the file object
      Returns:
      whether or not the file is contained in the location
      Throws:
      IOException - if there is a problem determining the result
      UnsupportedOperationException - if the method is not supported
      Since:
      9