Java SE Base API - Intermed

• Discuss the basic usage of the following classes:
  • java.lang.String
  • java.lang.StringBuffer
  • java.util.StringTokenizer
  • java.lang.StringBuilder
  • java.util.Scanner
• Discuss that the StringTokenizer class is a legacy class that is retained for compatibility reasons although its use is discouraged in new code and instead split() method or the Scanner class should be used.
• Develop code that uses the methods String.substring() and split().
  
• Use the Scanner class with simple regular expressions to parse a text.

• Explain the legal casts between the different wrapper classes.
• Write code that uses Autoboxing/Unboxing.
• Use the convenience methods in Character, Integer and Long (e.g. toHexString() and isLetter()).

The basic knowledge about Internationalization is covered in the Sun Tutorial and Java Internationalization Homepage.

• Work with the following classes to handle dates, time, locales, timezones and currencies:
  • java.util.Date
  • java.sql.Date
  • java.sql.Time
  • java.sql.Timestamp
  • java.util.Calendar
  • java.util.GregorianCalendar
  • java.util.TimeZone
  • java.util.SimpleTimeZone
  • java.util.Locale
  • java.util.Currency
• Explain the difference between Time and Timestamp.
• Create Calendar objects and manipulate them with set(), add(), and roll().
• Create code that compares Calendar objects by using the methods before(), after(), and compareTo().
• Discuss and use lenient and non-lenient Calendar objects.
• Use of ISO Language Code (lower-case two-letter words) and ISO Country Code (upper-case two-letter words) to create a Locale.
• Identify code that displays content for different Locale.
• Explain what Internationalization and Localization is.
• Develop code that gets the ISO currency identifier and symbol for a given Locale.

Not covered: All valid ISO Language Codes and/or ISO Country Codes.

• Identify the abstract and concrete classes of the following list:
  • Format
  • DateFormat
  • MessageFormat
  • NumberFormat
  • SimpleDateFormat
  • DecimalFormat
  • ChoiceFormat.
• Create code that use MessageFormat together with ChoiceFormat.
• Explain the connection between printf() and java.util.Formatter.
• Create code that shows the basic use of printf() and make use of conversions(only d,f for numbers and D,F,c for dates) and flags (only '0' and ',').

Not covered: Synchronized problems with Format. All Date/Time Conversions, other Conversions, and flags for printf().

• Identify valid methods of the Math class.
• Discuss the appropriate use of BigDecimal and BigInteger.
• Explain the difference between Math and StrictMath.
• Identify the constant values NaN, NEGATIVE_INFINITY, POSITIVE_INFINITY (from java.lang.Double and java.lang.Float).

Not covered: Special things about sin, cos, tan, log, ...

• Create code that makes simple use of the java.util.logging package (e.g. Simple Logging Example).
• Identify the different log levels and explain the appropriate use of them.

• Write code that uses java.util.zip to create and read ZIP files. (A sample could be found here.)
• Create code that uses Deflater and Inflater to compress and uncompress data.
• Use the java.util.jar package to create and read JAR files.

Not covered: The jar command line tool, this is covered in the Tools exam. The Pack200 class.

• Use some of the methods in java.lang.System (like gc(), exit(), getEnv(), and getProperties()).
• Explain the connection between java.lang.System and java.lang.Runtime.
• Write code that uses the standard input, standard output, and standard error streams.
• Create code that changes the standard input, standard output, and standard error streams by using setIn(), setOut(), and setErr() and discuss why a SecurityException could be thrown.

Simple usage of Regular Expressions is required for this category.

• Use a regular expression to scan for a telephone number.
• Write code to match a valid email address.