Bfile Class

The Bfile class defines the common properties of objects of type BFILE. A BFILE is a large binary file stored in an operating system file outside of the Oracle database. A Bfile object contains a logical pointer to a BFILE, not the BFILE itself.

Methods of the Bfile class enable you to perform specific tasks related to Bfile objects.

Methods of the ResultSet and Statement classes, such as getBfile() and setBfile(), enable you to access an SQL BFILE value.

The only methods valid on a NULL Bfile object are setName(), isNull(), and operator=().

A Bfile object can be initialized by:

  • The setName() method. The BFILE can then be modified by inserting this BFILE into the table and then retrieving it using SELECT...FOR UPDATE. The write() method modifies the BFILE; however, the modified data is flushed to the table only when the transaction is committed. Note that an INSERT operation is not required.

  • Assigning an initialized Bfile object to it.

    See Also:

    In-depth discussion of LOBs in the introductory chapter of Oracle Database SecureFiles and Large Objects Developer's Guide,

Table 13-7 Summary of Bfile Methods

Method Summary

Bfile()

Bfile class constructor.

close()

Closes a previously opened BFILE.

closeStream()

Closes the stream obtained from the BFILE.

fileExists()

Tests whether the BFILE exists.

getDirAlias()

Returns the directory object of the BFILE.

getFileName()

Returns the name of the BFILE.

getStream()

Returns data from the BFILE as a Stream object.

getUStringDirAlias()

Returns a UString containing the directory object associated with the BFILE.

getUStringFileName()

Returns a UString containing the file name associated with the BFILE.

isInitialized()

Tests whether the Bfile object is initialized.

isNull()

Tests whether the Bfile object is atomically NULL.

isOpen()

Tests whether the BFILE is open.

length()

Returns the number of bytes in the BFILE.

open()

Opens the BFILE with read-only access.

operator=()

Assigns a BFILE locator to the Bfile object.

operator==()

Tests whether two Bfile objects are equal.

operator!=()

Tests whether two Bfile objects are not equal.

operator==()

Reads a specified portion of the BFILE into a buffer.

setName()

Sets the directory object and file name of the BFILE.

setNull()

Sets the Bfile object to atomically NULL.

Bfile()

Bfile class constructor.

Syntax Description 
Bfile();
Creates a NULL Bfile object. 
Bfile(
   const Connection *connectionp);
Creates an uninitialized Bfile object. 
Bfile(
   const Bfile &srcBfile);
Creates a copy of a Bfile object.

Parameter Description 
connectionp
The connection pointer 
srcBfile
The source Bfile object

close()

Closes a previously opened Bfile.

Syntax

void close();

closeStream()

Closes the stream obtained from the Bfile.

Syntax

void closeStream(
   Stream *stream);
Parameter Description 
stream
The stream to be closed.

fileExists()

Tests whether the BFILE exists. If the BFILE exists, then TRUE is returned; otherwise, FALSE is returned.

Syntax

bool fileExists() const;

getDirAlias()

Returns a string containing the directory object associated with the BFILE.

Syntax

string getDirAlias() const;

getFileName()

Returns a string containing the file name associated with the BFILE.

Syntax

string getFileName() const;

getStream()

Returns a Stream object read from the BFILE. If a stream is open, it is disallowed to open another stream on the Bfile object. The stream must be closed before performing any Bfile object operations.

Syntax

Stream* getStream(
   unsigned int offset = 1,
   unsigned int amount = 0);
Parameter Description 
offset
The starting position at which to begin reading data from the BFILE. If offset is not specified, the data is written from the beginning of the BLOB. Valid values are numbers greater than or equal to 1. 
amount
The total number of bytes to be read from the BFILE; if amount is 0, the data is read in a streamed mode from input offset until the end of the BFILE.

getUStringDirAlias()

Returns a UString containing the directory object associated with the BFILE. Note the UString object is in UTF16 character set. The environment associated with BFILE should be associated with UTF16 characterset.

Syntax

UString getUStringDirAlias() const;

getUStringFileName()

Returns a UString containing the file name associated with the BFILE. Note the UString object is in UTF16 characterset. The environment associated with BFILE should be associated with UTF16 characterset.

Syntax

UString getUStringFileName() const;

isInitialized()

Tests whether the Bfile object has been initialized. If the Bfile object has been initialized, then TRUE is returned; otherwise, FALSE is returned.

Syntax

bool isInitialized() const;

isNull()

Tests whether the Bfile object is atomically NULL. If the Bfile object is atomically NULL, then TRUE is returned; otherwise, FALSE is returned.

Syntax

bool isNull() const;

isOpen()

Tests whether the BFILE is open. The BFILE is considered to be open only if it was opened by a call on this Bfile object. (A different Bfile object could have opened this file as multiple open() calls can be performed on the same file by associating the file with different Bfile objects). If the BFILE is open, then TRUE is returned; otherwise, FALSE is returned.

Syntax

bool isOpen() const;

length()

Returns the number of bytes (inclusive of the end of file marker) in the BFILE.

Syntax

unsigned int length() const;

open()

Opens an existing BFILE for read-only access. This function is meaningful the first time it is called for a Bfile object.

Syntax

void open();

operator=()

Assigns a Bfile object to the current Bfile object. The source Bfile object is assigned to this Bfile object only when this Bfile object gets stored in the database.

Syntax

Bfile& operator=(
   const Bfile &srcBfile);
Parameter Description 
srcBfile
The Bfile object to be assigned to the current Bfile object.

operator==()

Compares two Bfile objects for equality. The Bfile objects are equal if they both refer to the same BFILE. If the Bfile objects are NULL, then FALSE is returned. If the Bfile objects are equal, then TRUE is returned; otherwise, FALSE is returned.

Syntax

bool operator==(
   const Bfile &srcBfile) const;
Parameter Description 
srcBfile
The Bfile object to be compared with the current Bfile object.

operator!=()

Compares two Bfile objects for inequality. The Bfile objects are equal if they both refer to the same BFILE. If the Bfile objects are not equal, then TRUE is returned; otherwise, FALSE is returned.

Syntax

bool operator!=(
   const Bfile &srcBfile) const;
Parameter Description 
srcBfile
The Bfile object to be compared with the current Bfile object.

read()

Reads a part or all of the BFILE into the buffer specified, and returns the number of bytes read.

Syntax

unsigned int read(
   unsigned int amt,
   unsigned char *buffer,
   unsigned int bufsize,
   unsigned int offset = 1) const;
Parameter Description 
amt
The number of bytes to be read. Valid values are numbers greater than or equal to 1. 
buffer
The buffer that the BFILE data is to be read into. Valid values are numbers greater than or equal to amt. 
buffsize
The size of the buffer that the BFILE data is to be read into. Valid values are numbers greater than or equal to amt. 
offset
The starting position at which to begin reading data from the BFILE. If offset is not specified, the data is written from the beginning of the BFILE.

setName()

Sets the directory object and file name of the BFILE.

Syntax Description 
void setName(
   const string &dirAlias,
   const string &fileName);
Sets the directory object and file name of the BFILE. 
void setName(
   const UString &dirAlias,
   const UString &fileName);
Sets the directory object and file name of the BFILE (Unicode support). The client Environment should be initialized in OCCIUTIF16 mode.

Parameter Description 
dirAlias
The directory object to be associated with the BFILE. 
fileName
The file name to be associated with the BFILE.

setNull()

Sets the Bfile object to atomically NULL.

Syntax

void setNull();