Java Character toChars() Method

The toChars(int codePoint) method of Character class generally converts the specified character into its UTF-16 representation which is usually stored in a char array. If the specified codePoint is a BMP value, the resulting char value array has the same value as the codePoint. On the other hand, if the specified codePoint is a supplementary codePoint, then the resulting char array contains the corresponding surrogate pair.

Syntax

Parameter

codePoint: It is the codePoint which is the character that needs to be tested.

Return Value

The toChars(int codePoint)method returns the char array which has the UTF-16 representation of the character.

Example 1

public class JavaCharcatertoCharsExample1 {
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      // Create a char array ch.
      char ch[];
      // Create an integer primitive cp and assign the value.
      int cp = 0x006e;
      // Assign the result of integer primitive cp to ch.
      ch = Character.toChars(cp);
      String str = "The char array with the UTF-16 representation is given as: ";
      System.out.print( str );
      // Consider a for loop to print the value for ch.
      for (int i = 0; i < ch.length; i++) {
         System.out.print( ch[i] );
            }  
     }
} 

Output:

The char array with the UTF-16 representation is given as: n

Example 2

public class JavaCharcatertoCharsExample2 {
   public static void main(String[] args) {
       // Create a char array ch.
      int cp = 0x006f;
      // Create a char primitive ch and assign the value.
      char[] ch = Character.toChars(cp);
      // Print the values.
      System.out.print( "The char array with the UTF-16 representation is given as: " );
      for (int i=0; i<ch.length; i++){
         System.out.print( ch[i] );
      }
   }
}

Output:

The char array with the UTF-16 representation is given as: o

Java Character toChars(int codePoint, char[] dst, int dstIndex)Method

The toChars(int codePoint, char[] dst, int dstIndex) method of Character class converts the specified character into their respective UTF-16 representation.

If the specified codePoint is BMP(Basic Multilingual Plane) codePoint value, the obtained value is stored in the dstIndex, and 1 is returned. On the other hand, if the specified codePoint is a supplementary character, the obtained surrogate value is stored in the dstIndex, and 1 is returned.

Syntax

Parameter

The above method requires three parameters:

a.)The codePoint which is the character that needs to be tested.

b.)The dst which is an array of character in which the UTF-16 value of the codePoint is stored.

c.)The dstIndex is generally the start index of the dst array in which the converted value is stored.

Returns

The toChars(int codePoint, char[] dst, int dstIndex)method returns 1 if the desired codePoint is a BMP codePoint. Otherwise, the method returns 2 if the desired codePoint is a supplementary codePoint.

Example 1

public class JavaCharactertoCharsExample1 {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      // Create two integer primitives cp1 and cp2 and then assign the values.
      int cp1 = 0x0090;
      int cp2 = 0x0044;
      // Create two integer primitives result1 and result2.
      int result1, result2;
       // Create two char array ch1 and ch2.
      char ch1[] = Character.toChars(cp1);
      char ch2[] = Character.toChars(cp2);

      // Check whether the primitives are BMP or supplementary code point using toChars().
      result1 = Character.toChars(cp1, ch1, 0);
      result2 = Character.toChars(cp2, ch2, 0);

      String str1 = "The primitive is a BMP code point.";
      String str2 = "The primitive is a supplementary code point.";

      // print res value
      if ( result1 == 1 ) {
         System.out.println( str1 );
      } else if ( result1 == 2 ) {
         System.out.println( str2 );
      }
      if ( result2 == 1 ) {
         System.out.println( str1 );
      } else if ( result2 == 2 ) {
         System.out.println( str2 );
      }
   }
}

Output:

The primitive is a BMP code point.
The primitive is a BMP code point.

Example 2

public class JavaCharactertoCharsExample2 {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
     int cp1 = 121;

     char ch1[] = Character.toChars(cp1);
     
      int result1 = Character.toChars(cp1, ch1, 0);
     
      String str1 = "The primitive is a BMP code point.";
      String str2 = "The primitive is a supplementary code point.";

      if ( result1 == 1 ){
         System.out.println( str1);
      }
      else if ( result1 == 2 ){
         System.out.println( str2);
         }
     }
}

Output: