# Interface Blob

All Known Implementing Classes:
  `SerialBlob`

public interface Blob
The representation (mapping) in the Java programming language of an SQL `BLOB` value. An SQL `BLOB` is a built-in type that stores a Binary Large Object as a column value in a row of a database table. By default drivers implement `Blob` using an SQL `locator(BLOB)`, which means that a `Blob` object contains a logical pointer to the SQL `BLOB` data rather than the data itself. A `Blob` object is valid for the duration of the transaction in which is was created.

Methods in the interfaces `ResultSet`, `CallableStatement`, and `PreparedStatement`, such as `getBlob` and `setBlob` allow a programmer to access an SQL `BLOB` value. The `Blob` interface provides methods for getting the length of an SQL `BLOB` (Binary Large Object) value, for materializing a `BLOB` value on the client, and for determining the position of a pattern of bytes within a `BLOB` value. In addition, this interface has methods for updating a `BLOB` value.

All methods on the `Blob` interface must be fully implemented if the JDBC driver supports the data type.

Since:
  1.2

## Method Summary

Modifier and Type
Method
Description
`void`
`free()`
This method frees the `Blob` object and releases the resources that it holds.
`InputStream`
`getBinaryStream()`
Retrieves the `BLOB` value designated by this `Blob` instance as a stream.
`InputStream`
`getBinaryStream(long pos, long length)`
Returns an `InputStream` object that contains a partial `Blob` value, starting with the byte specified by pos, which is length bytes in length.
`byte[]`
`getBytes(long pos, int length)`
Retrieves all or part of the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents, as an array of bytes.
`long`
`length()`
Returns the number of bytes in the `BLOB` value designated by this `Blob` object.
`long`
`position(byte[] pattern, long start)`
Retrieves the byte position at which the specified byte array `pattern` begins within the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents.
`long`
`position(Blob pattern, long start)`
Retrieves the byte position in the `BLOB` value designated by this `Blob` object at which `pattern` begins.
`OutputStream`
`setBinaryStream(long pos)`
Retrieves a stream that can be used to write to the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents.
`int`
`setBytes(long pos, byte[] bytes)`
Writes the given array of bytes to the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents, starting at position `pos`, and returns the number of bytes written.
`int`
`setBytes(long pos, byte[] bytes, int offset, int len)`
Writes all or part of the given `byte` array to the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents and returns the number of bytes written.
`void`
`truncate(long len)`
Truncates the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents to be `len` bytes in length.

## Method Details

### length

long length() throws SQLException
Returns the number of bytes in the `BLOB` value designated by this `Blob` object.

Returns:
  length of the `BLOB` in bytes
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the length of the `BLOB`
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.2

### getBytes

byte[] getBytes(long pos, int length) throws SQLException
Retrieves all or part of the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents, as an array of bytes. This `byte` array contains up to `length` consecutive bytes starting at position `pos`.

Parameters:
  `pos` - the ordinal position of the first byte in the `BLOB` value to be extracted; the first byte is at position 1
  `length` - the number of consecutive bytes to be copied; the value for length must be 0 or greater
Returns:
  a byte array containing up to `length` consecutive bytes from the `BLOB` value designated by this `Blob` object, starting with the byte at position `pos`
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` value; if pos is less than 1 or length is less than 0
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.2
See Also:
  - `setBytes(long, byte[])`

### getBinaryStream

InputStream getBinaryStream() throws SQLException
Retrieves the `BLOB` value designated by this `Blob` instance as a stream.

Returns:
  a stream containing the `BLOB` data
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` value
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.2
See Also:
  - `setBinaryStream(long)`

### position

long position(byte[] pattern, long start) throws SQLException
Retrieves the byte position at which the specified byte array `pattern` begins within the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents. The search for `pattern` begins at position `start`.

Parameters:
  `pattern` - the byte array for which to search
  `start` - the position at which to begin searching; the first position is 1
Returns:
  the position at which the pattern appears, else -1
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` or if start is less than 1
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.2

### position

long position(Blob pattern, long start) throws SQLException
Retrieves the byte position in the `BLOB` value designated by this `Blob` object at which `pattern` begins. The search begins at position `start`.

Parameters:
  `pattern` - the `Blob` object designating the `BLOB` value for which to search
  `start` - the position in the `BLOB` value at which to begin searching; the first position is 1
Returns:
  the position at which the pattern begins, else -1
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` value or if start is less than 1
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.2

### setBytes

int setBytes(long pos, byte[] bytes) throws SQLException
Writes the given array of bytes to the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents, starting at position `pos`, and returns the number of bytes written. The array of bytes will overwrite the existing bytes in the `Blob` object starting at the position `pos`. If the end of the `Blob` value is reached while writing the array of bytes, then the length of the `Blob` value will be increased to accommodate the extra bytes.

Note: If the value specified for `pos` is greater than the length+1 of the `BLOB` value then the behavior is undefined. Some JDBC drivers may throw an `SQLException` while other drivers may support this operation.

Parameters:
  `pos` - the position in the `BLOB` object at which to start writing; the first position is 1
  `bytes` - the array of bytes to be written to the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents
Returns:
  the number of bytes written
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` value or if pos is less than 1
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.4
See Also:
  - `getBytes(long, int)`

### setBytes

int setBytes(long pos, byte[] bytes, int offset, int len) throws SQLException
Writes all or part of the given `byte` array to the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents and returns the number of bytes written. Writing starts at position `pos` in the `BLOB` value; `len` bytes from the given byte array are written. The array of bytes will overwrite the existing bytes in the `Blob` object starting at the position `pos`. If the end of the `Blob` value is reached while writing the array of bytes, then the length of the `Blob` value will be increased to accommodate the extra bytes.

Note: If the value specified for `pos` is greater than the length+1 of the `BLOB` value then the behavior is undefined. Some JDBC drivers may throw an `SQLException` while other drivers may support this operation.

Parameters:
  `pos` - the position in the `BLOB` object at which to start writing; the first position is 1
  `bytes` - the array of bytes to be written to this `BLOB` object
  `offset` - the offset into the array `bytes` at which to start reading the bytes to be set
  `len` - the number of bytes to be written to the `BLOB` value from the array of bytes `bytes`
Returns:
  the number of bytes written
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` value or if pos is less than 1
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.4
See Also:
  - `getBytes(long, int)`

### setBinaryStream

OutputStream setBinaryStream(long pos) throws SQLException
Retrieves a stream that can be used to write to the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents. The stream begins at position `pos`. The bytes written to the stream will overwrite the existing bytes in the `Blob` object starting at the position `pos`. If the end of the `Blob` value is reached while writing to the stream, then the length of the `Blob` value will be increased to accommodate the extra bytes.

Note: If the value specified for `pos` is greater than the length+1 of the `BLOB` value then the behavior is undefined. Some JDBC drivers may throw an `SQLException` while other drivers may support this operation.

Parameters:
  `pos` - the position in the `BLOB` value at which to start writing; the first position is 1
Returns:
  a `java.io.OutputStream` object to which data can be written
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` value or if pos is less than 1
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.4
See Also:
  - `getBinaryStream()`

### truncate

void truncate(long len) throws SQLException
Truncates the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents to be `len` bytes in length.

Note: If the value specified for `pos` is greater than the length+1 of the `BLOB` value then the behavior is undefined. Some JDBC drivers may throw an `SQLException` while other drivers may support this operation.

Parameters:
  `len` - the length, in bytes, to which the `BLOB` value that this `Blob` object represents should be truncated
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if there is an error accessing the `BLOB` value or if len is less than 0
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.4

### free

void free() throws SQLException
This method frees the `Blob` object and releases the resources that it holds. The object is invalid once the `free` method is called.

After `free` has been called, any attempt to invoke a method other than `free` will result in an `SQLException` being thrown. If `free` is called multiple times, the subsequent calls to `free` are treated as a no-op.

Throws:
  `SQLException` - if an error occurs releasing the Blob's resources
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.6

### getBinaryStream

InputStream getBinaryStream(long pos, long length) throws SQLException
Returns an `InputStream` object that contains a partial `Blob` value, starting with the byte specified by pos, which is length bytes in length.

Parameters:
  `pos` - the offset to the first byte of the partial value to be retrieved. The first byte in the `Blob` is at position 1.
  `length` - the length in bytes of the partial value to be retrieved
Returns:
  `InputStream` through which the partial `Blob` value can be read.
Throws:
  `SQLException` - if pos is less than 1 or if pos is greater than the number of bytes in the `Blob` or if pos + length is greater than the number of bytes in the `Blob`
  `SQLFeatureNotSupportedException` - if the JDBC driver does not support this method
Since:
  1.6