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javabufferedreadersystem.in

Common way to use System.in several times without closing

I have a console menu that has to read inputs a few times in different methods. I use a new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in)) to do that. But if this reader is closed in a method it's not useable/openable again because of System.in.

To solve this problem one possibility is to static BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in)); so it's usable several times in different methods with Main.br.readLine();.

Is this a good way or are there much better methods?

Solution

  • Pass the BufferedReader into your method(s) (or make it a shared field), that way you don't have to re-create it. Also, you are correct that closing System.in (or something wrapping System.in) will cause you issues. Instead of

    public void foo()

    something like

    public void foo(BufferedReader reader)