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package org.apache.http.message;

import org.apache.http.HeaderElement;
import org.apache.http.NameValuePair;
import org.apache.http.ParseException;
import org.apache.http.util.CharArrayBuffer;

Interface for parsing header values into elements. Instances of this interface are expected to be stateless and thread-safe.
Since:4.0
/** * Interface for parsing header values into elements. * Instances of this interface are expected to be stateless and thread-safe. * * @since 4.0 */
public interface HeaderValueParser {
Parses a header value into elements. Parse errors are indicated as RuntimeException.

Some HTTP headers (such as the set-cookie header) have values that can be decomposed into multiple elements. In order to be processed by this parser, such headers must be in the following form:

header  = [ element ] *( "," [ element ] )
element = name [ "=" [ value ] ] *( ";" [ param ] )
param   = name [ "=" [ value ] ]
name    = token
value   = ( token | quoted-string )
token         = 1*<any char except "=", ",", ";", <"> and
                      white space>
quoted-string = <"> *( text | quoted-char ) <">
text          = any char except <">
quoted-char   = "\" char

Any amount of white space is allowed between any part of the header, element or param and is ignored. A missing value in any element or param will be stored as the empty String; if the "=" is also missing null will be stored instead.

Note that this parser does not apply to list-typed HTTP header fields in general; it is only suitable for fields that use the syntax described above. Counter-examples are "Link" (RFC 8288), "If-None-Match" (RFC 7232) or "Dav" (RFC 4918).

Params:
  • buffer – buffer holding the header value to parse
  • cursor – the parser cursor containing the current position and the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation
Throws:
Returns: an array holding all elements of the header value
/** * Parses a header value into elements. * Parse errors are indicated as {@code RuntimeException}. * <p> * Some HTTP headers (such as the set-cookie header) have values that * can be decomposed into multiple elements. In order to be processed * by this parser, such headers must be in the following form: * </p> * <pre> * header = [ element ] *( "," [ element ] ) * element = name [ "=" [ value ] ] *( ";" [ param ] ) * param = name [ "=" [ value ] ] * * name = token * value = ( token | quoted-string ) * * token = 1*&lt;any char except "=", ",", ";", &lt;"&gt; and * white space&gt; * quoted-string = &lt;"&gt; *( text | quoted-char ) &lt;"&gt; * text = any char except &lt;"&gt; * quoted-char = "\" char * </pre> * <p> * Any amount of white space is allowed between any part of the * header, element or param and is ignored. A missing value in any * element or param will be stored as the empty {@link String}; * if the "=" is also missing <var>null</var> will be stored instead. * </p> * <p> * Note that this parser does not apply to list-typed HTTP header fields in * general; it is only suitable for fields that use the syntax described * above. Counter-examples are "Link" (RFC 8288), "If-None-Match" (RFC 7232) * or "Dav" (RFC 4918). * </p> * * @param buffer buffer holding the header value to parse * @param cursor the parser cursor containing the current position and * the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation * * @return an array holding all elements of the header value * * @throws ParseException in case of a parsing error */
HeaderElement[] parseElements( CharArrayBuffer buffer, ParserCursor cursor) throws ParseException;
Parses a single header element. A header element consist of a semicolon-separate list of name=value definitions.
Params:
  • buffer – buffer holding the element to parse
  • cursor – the parser cursor containing the current position and the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation
Throws:
Returns: the parsed element
/** * Parses a single header element. * A header element consist of a semicolon-separate list * of name=value definitions. * * @param buffer buffer holding the element to parse * @param cursor the parser cursor containing the current position and * the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation * * @return the parsed element * * @throws ParseException in case of a parse error */
HeaderElement parseHeaderElement( CharArrayBuffer buffer, ParserCursor cursor) throws ParseException;
Parses a list of name-value pairs. These lists are used to specify parameters to a header element. Parse errors are indicated as ParseException.
Params:
  • buffer – buffer holding the name-value list to parse
  • cursor – the parser cursor containing the current position and the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation
Throws:
Returns: an array holding all items of the name-value list
/** * Parses a list of name-value pairs. * These lists are used to specify parameters to a header element. * Parse errors are indicated as {@code ParseException}. * * @param buffer buffer holding the name-value list to parse * @param cursor the parser cursor containing the current position and * the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation * * @return an array holding all items of the name-value list * * @throws ParseException in case of a parse error */
NameValuePair[] parseParameters( CharArrayBuffer buffer, ParserCursor cursor) throws ParseException;
Parses a name=value specification, where the = and value are optional.
Params:
  • buffer – the buffer holding the name-value pair to parse
  • cursor – the parser cursor containing the current position and the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation
Returns: the name-value pair, where the value is null if no value is specified
/** * Parses a name=value specification, where the = and value are optional. * * @param buffer the buffer holding the name-value pair to parse * @param cursor the parser cursor containing the current position and * the bounds within the buffer for the parsing operation * * @return the name-value pair, where the value is {@code null} * if no value is specified */
NameValuePair parseNameValuePair( CharArrayBuffer buffer, ParserCursor cursor) throws ParseException; }