/*====================================================================*/
/*            D O    N O T    E D I T    T H I S    F I L E           */
/*====================================================================*/

import java.io.*;

/**
 * CS1312: IOHelper
 * <PRE>
 * IOHelper - a utility for reading input from the keyboard
 *
 * Revisions:  3.0  January 19, 2000
 *                  Re-created class IOHelper
 *                  Completetly Trashed old versions
 *                  Removed backwards compatibility
 *
 * </PRE>
 * @author <A HREF="mailto:cs1312@prism.gatech.edu">CS1312</A>
 * @version Version 3.0, January 19, 2000
 */
public class IOHelper
  {
   /*=================================================================*/
   /*                        C O N S T A N T S                        */
   /*=================================================================*/

   /**
    *  A Debug flag.
    */
   public static final boolean bDEBUG = false;

   /*=================================================================*/
   /*                      C O N S T R U C T O R                      */
   /*=================================================================*/

   /**
    *   Declaring the default constructor private prevents anyone from
    *   making an instance of this class.
    */
   private IOHelper()
     {
      System.err.println("IOHelper is not meant to be instantiated");
     } // end of default constructor, IOHelper()

   /*=================================================================*/
   /*                 S T A T I C   V A R I A B L E S                 */
   /*=================================================================*/

   /**
    *  Used by the BufferedReader to retrieve input.
    *  <BR><BR>
    *  @see #bReader bReader
    */
   protected static InputStreamReader iStreamReader = new
                    InputStreamReader(System.in);

   /**
    *  Retrieves input from the user using a wrapped InputStreamReader.
    *  <BR><BR>
    *  @see #iStreamReader iStreamReader
    */
   protected static BufferedReader bReader = new
                    BufferedReader(iStreamReader);

   /*=================================================================*/
   /*                  S T A T I C    M E T H O D S                   */
   /*=================================================================*/

   /**
    *  Retrieves input from the user using a BufferedReader
    *  <BR><BR>
    *  @return a String entered by the User
    */
   public static final String readLine()
     {
      String strReturn = "";
      try
         {
          strReturn = bReader.readLine();
         } // end of try
      catch (IOException ioe)
         {
          if (bDEBUG)
            {
             System.err.println("IOHelper: " + ioe.getMessage());
            } // end of if
         } // end of catch(IOException)
      catch (NullPointerException npe)
         {
          /* This should NEVER happen */
          System.err.println("IOHelper: " + npe.getMessage());
          System.err.println("Please report this error to cs1312");
          System.exit(1);
         } // end of catch(NullPointerException)
      return strReturn;
     } // end of static method, readLine()

  } // end of class IOHelper