If you want to clear a buffer, but you want to keep the unread data in the buffer then you need to use the compact() method of the buffer. The compact() method will copy the unread data to the beginning of the buffer and set the position right after the unread data. The limit itself still have the value equals to the buffer capacity. The buffer will be ready to be written again without overwriting the unread data.

package org.kodejava.io;

import java.nio.CharBuffer;

public class BufferCompact {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        CharBuffer buffer = CharBuffer.allocate(64);
        buffer.put("Let's write some Java code! ");

        System.out.println("Position: " + buffer.position());
        System.out.println("Limit   : " + buffer.limit());

        // Read 10 chars from the buffer.
        buffer.flip();
        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
            System.out.print(buffer.get());
        }
        System.out.println();

        System.out.println("Position: " + buffer.position());
        System.out.println("Limit   : " + buffer.limit());

        // clear the buffer using compact() method.
        buffer.compact();
        System.out.println("Position: " + buffer.position());
        System.out.println("Limit   : " + buffer.limit());

        // Write and read some more data.
        buffer.put("Add some more data.");

        buffer.flip();
        while (buffer.hasRemaining()) {
            System.out.print(buffer.get());
        }
    }
}

The output of the code snippet above is:

Position: 28
Limit   : 64
Let's writ
Position: 10
Limit   : 28
Position: 18
Limit   : 64
e some Java code! Add some more data.

A buffer can be read or written. To change the mode between the write mode and read mode we use the flip() method call on the buffer.

There are few things that you should know when you change between the write mode to the read mode. A buffer have the capacity, position and limit properties. The capacity will always be the same on write or read mode. But the position and limit will store different information in each mode.

In write mode the limit will be equals to the capacity, but in read mode the limit will be equals to the last position where the last data were written. The position on the write mode point where the data will be written in the buffer. When calling the flip() method the position will be set to 0 and the limit will be set to the last value of the position.

package org.kodejava.io;

import java.nio.CharBuffer;

public class BufferFlip {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        CharBuffer buffer = CharBuffer.allocate(1024);
        System.out.println("capacity = " + buffer.capacity());
        System.out.println("position = " + buffer.position());
        System.out.println("limit    = " + buffer.limit());

        buffer.put("Java NIO Programming");

        System.out.println("capacity = " + buffer.capacity());
        System.out.println("position = " + buffer.position());
        System.out.println("limit    = " + buffer.limit());

        buffer.flip();
        System.out.println("capacity = " + buffer.capacity());
        System.out.println("position = " + buffer.position());
        System.out.println("limit    = " + buffer.limit());
    }
}

The program will print the following result:

capacity = 1024
position = 0
limit    = 1024
capacity = 1024
position = 20
limit    = 1024
capacity = 1024
position = 0
limit    = 20