ByteOrder.java

/*
 * %W% %E%
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2006, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
 * ORACLE PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */

package java.nio;

/**
 * A typesafe enumeration for byte orders.
 * 
 * @author Mark Reinhold
 * @author JSR-51 Expert Group
 * @version %I%, %E%
 * @since 1.4
 */

public final class ByteOrder {

	private String name;

	private ByteOrder(String name) {
		this.name = name;
	}

	/**
	 * Constant denoting big-endian byte order. In this order, the bytes of a
	 * multibyte value are ordered from most significant to least significant.
	 * </p>
	 */
	public static final ByteOrder BIG_ENDIAN = new ByteOrder("BIG_ENDIAN");

	/**
	 * Constant denoting little-endian byte order. In this order, the bytes of a
	 * multibyte value are ordered from least significant to most significant.
	 * </p>
	 */
	public static final ByteOrder LITTLE_ENDIAN = new ByteOrder("LITTLE_ENDIAN");

	/**
	 * Retrieves the native byte order of the underlying platform.
	 * 
	 * <p>
	 * This method is defined so that performance-sensitive Java code can
	 * allocate direct buffers with the same byte order as the hardware. Native
	 * code libraries are often more efficient when such buffers are used.
	 * </p>
	 * 
	 * @return The native byte order of the hardware upon which this Java
	 *         virtual machine is running
	 */
	public static ByteOrder nativeOrder() {
		// return Bits.byteOrder();
		return null;
	}

	/**
	 * Constructs a string describing this object.
	 * 
	 * <p>
	 * This method returns the string <tt>"BIG_ENDIAN"</tt> for
	 * {@link #BIG_ENDIAN} and <tt>"LITTLE_ENDIAN"</tt> for
	 * {@link #LITTLE_ENDIAN}.
	 * </p>
	 * 
	 * @return The specified string
	 */
	public String toString() {
		return name;
	}

}