SequenceInputStream Class in Java: Combining Multiple Input Streams

SequenceInputStream Class Overview in Java

The SequenceInputStream class in Java is used to read data from multiple InputStreams sequentially. It maintains a list of InputStream objects and allows an application to traverse the list in order, reading from each stream until the stream is exhausted. The maximum number of streams that can be combined is limited only by memory.

The SequenceInputStream constructor takes two arguments: an array of InputStreams and an optional boolean flag indicating if the streams should be closed after all data is read, or left open for further use. When data is requested, the sequence input stream will begin with the first input stream and read until the end of the stream is reached.

The SequenceInputStream class implements the mark and reset methods which allow the stream to remember its position within the list of input streams. This allows applications to reread previously read data if necessary. If a stream is marked, the sequence input stream will continue reading that stream until either the reset method is called or the end of the stream is reached.

Once all data has been read from each of the input streams, the SequenceInputStream class will close any remaining open streams. This ensures that no resources are wasted by leaving open streams that are no longer being used.

The SequenceInputStream class is a useful tool for working with multiple input streams. It simplifies the task of combining data from multiple sources and provides control over how the combined streams are read.