java.util
Class Dictionary

java.lang.Object
  java.util.Dictionary

Direct Known Subclasses:

Hashtable

public abstract class Dictionary

extends java.lang.Object

Dictionary is a abstract class which is the superclass of all classes that associate keys with values, such as Hashtable.

Since:

1.0

See Also:

Hashtable

Constructor Summary

Dictionary()
Constructs a new instance of this class.

Method Summary

abstract Enumeration	elements() Answers an Enumeration on the elements of this Dictionary.
abstract java.lang.Object	get(java.lang.Object key) Answers the value associated with key.
abstract boolean	isEmpty() Answers if this Dictionary has no key/value pairs, a size of zero.
abstract Enumeration	keys() Answers an Enumeration on the keys of this Dictionary.
abstract java.lang.Object	put(java.lang.Object key, java.lang.Object value) Associate key with value in this Dictionary.
abstract java.lang.Object	remove(java.lang.Object key) Remove the key/value pair with the specified key from this Dictionary.
abstract int	size() Answers the number of key/value pairs in this Dictionary.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

Dictionary

public Dictionary()

Constructs a new instance of this class.

Method Detail

elements

public abstract Enumeration elements()

Answers an Enumeration on the elements of this Dictionary.

Returns:

an Enumeration of the values of this Dictionary

See Also:

keys(), size(), Enumeration

get

public abstract java.lang.Object get(java.lang.Object key)

Answers the value associated with key.

Parameters:

key - the key of the value returned

Returns:

the value associated with key or null if the specified key does not exist

See Also:

put(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object)

isEmpty

public abstract boolean isEmpty()

Answers if this Dictionary has no key/value pairs, a size of zero.

Returns:

true if this Dictionary has no key/value pairs, false otherwise

See Also:

size()

keys

public abstract Enumeration keys()

Answers an Enumeration on the keys of this Dictionary.

Returns:

an Enumeration of the keys of this Dictionary

See Also:

elements(), size(), Enumeration

put

public abstract java.lang.Object put(java.lang.Object key,
                                     java.lang.Object value)

Associate key with value in this Dictionary. If key exists in the Dictionary prior to this call being made, the old value is replaced.

Parameters:

key - the key to add

value - the value to add

Returns:

the old value previously associated with key or null if key is new to the Dictionary.

See Also:

elements(), get(java.lang.Object), keys()

remove

public abstract java.lang.Object remove(java.lang.Object key)

Remove the key/value pair with the specified key from this Dictionary.

Parameters:

key - the key to remove

Returns:

the associated value or else null if key is not known to this Dictionary

See Also:

get(java.lang.Object), put(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object)

size

public abstract int size()

Answers the number of key/value pairs in this Dictionary.

Returns:

the number of key/value pairs in this Dictionary

See Also:

elements(), keys()