DecoderFallbackBuffer Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.Text

Assembly:

System.Runtime.dll

Source:

DecoderFallback.cs

Provides a buffer that allows a fallback handler to return an alternate string to a decoder when it cannot decode an input byte sequence.

public ref class DecoderFallbackBuffer abstract

public abstract class DecoderFallbackBuffer

type DecoderFallbackBuffer = class

Public MustInherit Class DecoderFallbackBuffer

Inheritance

Object

DecoderFallbackBuffer

Derived

System.Text.DecoderExceptionFallbackBuffer

System.Text.DecoderReplacementFallbackBuffer

Remarks

An encoding defines a mapping between a Unicode character and an encoded sequence of bytes. A decoding operation, which converts an input byte sequence to an output character, fails if no mapping is defined for a particular byte sequence.

The .NET Framework provides a failure handling mechanism, called a fallback, if a conversion cannot be performed. All decoder fallback handlers must implement the following:

• A decoder fallback, which is represented by a class derived from the DecoderFallback class.

• A decoder fallback buffer, which is represented by a type derived from the DecoderFallbackBuffer class that can return a string to the conversion operation.

Fallbacks can use three strategies to handle conversion failures:

• Best-fit mapping. The decoder fallback buffer can return a string that represents a close approximation to the input byte sequence. The .NET Framework does not provide a public best-fit DecoderFallbackBuffer implementation.

• Replacement. The decoder fallback buffer can return a string, such as a question mark ("?"), that indicates that a byte sequence could not be decoded. In the .NET Framework, the DecoderReplacementFallback and DecoderReplacementFallbackBuffer classes provide a public replacement fallback buffer implementation. The constructor of the DecoderReplacementFallback class enables you to define the replacement string.

• Exception. The DecoderFallbackBuffer implementation throws an exception, which indicates that a byte sequence cannot be decoded, and terminates the decoding operation. In this case, the fallback handler must provide a DecoderFallbackBuffer implementation, although it does not return a string to the decoder. In the .NET Framework, the DecoderExceptionFallback and DecoderExceptionFallbackBuffer classes provide a public exception fallback implementation that throws a DecoderFallbackException when a byte sequence cannot be decoded.

The buffer in a DecoderFallbackBuffer implementation represents the entire string to be returned to the decoder in response to a decoder fallback. Generally, implementations also include state information, such as the index of the next character to return to the decoder and the number of remaining characters to be returned. Because DecoderFallbackBuffer is an abstract class, it requires derived classes to implement the following members at a minimum:

• The Fallback method, which is called by the decoder when it cannot decode a byte sequence. The decoder passes two pieces of information to the fallback buffer implementation: an array containing the bytes that could not be decoded and the index of the first byte in the input byte array. In a decoder fallback exception handler, the exception is thrown in this method. Otherwise, the method returns true if it provides a fallback, or false if it does not.

• The GetNextChar method, which is called repeatedly by the decoder if the Fallback method returns true. In successive calls, the handler should return each character in its buffer. When it has returned all characters, it should return U+0000. An exception fallback handler always returns U+0000.

• The MovePrevious method, which tries to move the pointer to the previous position in the buffer and indicates whether the move was successful. An exception handler always returns false.

• The Remaining property, which indicates the number of remaining characters to be returned to the decoder. An exception fallback handler always returns zero.

Constructors

DecoderFallbackBuffer()

Initializes a new instance of the DecoderFallbackBuffer class.

Properties

Remaining

When overridden in a derived class, gets the number of characters in the current DecoderFallbackBuffer object that remain to be processed.

Methods

Equals(Object)	Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object. (Inherited from Object)
Fallback(Byte[], Int32)	When overridden in a derived class, prepares the fallback buffer to handle the specified input byte sequence.
GetHashCode()	Serves as the default hash function. (Inherited from Object)
GetNextChar()	When overridden in a derived class, retrieves the next character in the fallback buffer.
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
MovePrevious()	When overridden in a derived class, causes the next call to the GetNextChar() method to access the data buffer character position that is prior to the current character position.
Reset()	Initializes all data and state information pertaining to this fallback buffer.
ToString()	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object)

See also

• DecoderFallback
• Character Encoding in the .NET Framework