Java Scanner - findInLine() Method

The java.util.Scanner.findInLine() method attempts to find the next occurrence of the specified pattern ignoring delimiters. If the pattern is found before the next line separator, the scanner advances past the input that matched and returns the string that matched the pattern. If no such pattern is detected in the input up to the next line separator, then null is returned and the scanner's position is unchanged. This method may block waiting for input that matches the pattern.

Since this method continues to search through the input looking for the specified pattern, it may buffer all of the input searching for the desired token if no line separators are present.

Syntax

public String findInLine(Pattern pattern)

Parameters

Return Value

Returns the text that matched the specified pattern.

Exception

Throws IllegalStateException, if the scanner is closed.

Example:

In the example below, the java.util.Scanner.findInLine() method returns next occurrence of the specified pattern ignoring delimiters.

import java.util.*;

public class MyClass {
  public static void main(String[] args) {

    //String to scan
    String MyString = "Hello Cello Hullo Hallo Jello";

    //creating a Scanner
    Scanner MyScan = new Scanner(MyString);

    while(MyScan.hasNext()) {
      //print five word pattern that ends with ello
      System.out.println(MyScan.findInLine(".ello"));
    }

    //close the scanner
    MyScan.close();
  }
}

The output of the above code will be:

Hello
Cello
Jello