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## java.awt
Class GraphicsDevice

    java.lang.Object
      |
      +--java.awt.GraphicsDevice

public abstract class GraphicsDevice
extends Object

The `GraphicsDevice` class describes the graphics devices that might be available in a particular graphics environment. These include screen and printer devices. Note that there can be many screens and many printers in an instance of `GraphicsEnvironment`. Each graphics device has one or more `GraphicsConfiguration` objects associated with it. These objects specify the different configurations in which the `GraphicsDevice` can be used.

In a multi-screen environment, the `GraphicsConfiguration` objects can be used to render components on multiple screens. The following code sample demonstrates how to create a `JFrame` object for each `GraphicsConfiguration` on each screen device in the `GraphicsEnvironment`:

       GraphicsEnvironment ge = GraphicsEnvironment.
       getLocalGraphicsEnvironment();
       GraphicsDevice[] gs = ge.getScreenDevices();
       for (int j = 0; j < gs.length; j++) {
          GraphicsDevice gd = gs[j];
          GraphicsConfiguration[] gc =
     	gd.getConfigurations();
          for (int i=0; i < gc.length; i++) {
             JFrame f = new
             JFrame(gs[j].getDefaultConfiguration());
             Canvas c = new Canvas(gc[i]);
             Rectangle gcBounds = gc[i].getBounds();
             int xoffs = gcBounds.x;
             int yoffs = gcBounds.y;
    	   f.getContentPane().add(c);
    	   f.setLocation((i*50)+xoffs, (i*60)+yoffs);
             f.show();
          }
       }

See Also:
  `GraphicsEnvironment`, `GraphicsConfiguration`

Field Summary
`static int` | `TYPE_IMAGE_BUFFER` Device is an image buffer.
`static int` | `TYPE_PRINTER` Device is a printer.
`static int` | `TYPE_RASTER_SCREEN` Device is a raster screen.

Constructor Summary
`protected` | `GraphicsDevice()` This is an abstract class that cannot be instantiated directly.

Method Summary
`int` | `getAvailableAcceleratedMemory()` This method returns the number of bytes available in accelerated memory on this device.
`GraphicsConfiguration` | `getBestConfiguration(GraphicsConfigTemplate gct)` Returns the "best" configuration possible that passes the criteria defined in the `GraphicsConfigTemplate`.
`abstract GraphicsConfiguration[]` | `getConfigurations()` Returns all of the `GraphicsConfiguration` objects associated with this `GraphicsDevice`.
`abstract GraphicsConfiguration` | `getDefaultConfiguration()` Returns the default `GraphicsConfiguration` associated with this `GraphicsDevice`.
`DisplayMode` | `getDisplayMode()` Returns the current display mode of this `GraphicsDevice`.
`DisplayMode[]` | `getDisplayModes()` Returns all display modes available for this `GraphicsDevice`.
`Window` | `getFullScreenWindow()` Returns the `Window` object representing the full-screen window if the device is in full-screen mode.
`abstract String` | `getIDstring()` Returns the identification string associated with this `GraphicsDevice`.
`abstract int` | `getType()` Returns the type of this `GraphicsDevice`.
`boolean` | `isDisplayChangeSupported()` Returns `true` if this `GraphicsDevice` supports low-level display changes.
`boolean` | `isFullScreenSupported()` Returns `true` if this `GraphicsDevice` supports full-screen exclusive mode.
`void` | `setDisplayMode(DisplayMode dm)` Sets the display mode of this graphics device.
`void` | `setFullScreenWindow(Window w)` Enter full-screen mode, or return to windowed mode.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

Field Detail

### TYPE_RASTER_SCREEN

    public static final int TYPE_RASTER_SCREEN

  Device is a raster screen.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

### TYPE_PRINTER

    public static final int TYPE_PRINTER

  Device is a printer.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

### TYPE_IMAGE_BUFFER

    public static final int TYPE_IMAGE_BUFFER

  Device is an image buffer. This buffer can reside in device or system memory but it is not physically viewable by the user.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

Constructor Detail

### GraphicsDevice

    protected GraphicsDevice()

  This is an abstract class that cannot be instantiated directly. Instances must be obtained from a suitable factory or query method.

See Also:
  `GraphicsEnvironment.getScreenDevices()`, `GraphicsEnvironment.getDefaultScreenDevice()`, `GraphicsConfiguration.getDevice()`

Method Detail

### getType

    public abstract int getType()

  Returns the type of this `GraphicsDevice`.

  Returns:
    the type of this `GraphicsDevice`, which can either be TYPE_RASTER_SCREEN, TYPE_PRINTER or TYPE_IMAGE_BUFFER.
  See Also:
    `TYPE_RASTER_SCREEN`, `TYPE_PRINTER`, `TYPE_IMAGE_BUFFER`

### getIDstring

    public abstract String getIDstring()

  Returns the identification string associated with this `GraphicsDevice`.

  A particular program might use more than one `GraphicsDevice` in a `GraphicsEnvironment`. This method returns a `String` identifying a particular `GraphicsDevice` in the local `GraphicsEnvironment`. Although there is no public method to set this `String`, a programmer can use the `String` for debugging purposes. Vendors of the JavaTM Runtime Environment can format the return value of the `String`. To determine how to interpret the value of the `String`, contact the vendor of your Java Runtime. To find out who the vendor is, from your program, call the `getProperty` method of the System class with "java.vendor".

  Returns:
    a `String` that is the identification of this `GraphicsDevice`.

### getConfigurations

    public abstract GraphicsConfiguration[] getConfigurations()

  Returns all of the `GraphicsConfiguration` objects associated with this `GraphicsDevice`.

  Returns:
    an array of `GraphicsConfiguration` objects that are associated with this `GraphicsDevice`.

### getDefaultConfiguration

    public abstract GraphicsConfiguration getDefaultConfiguration()

  Returns the default `GraphicsConfiguration` associated with this `GraphicsDevice`.

  Returns:
    the default `GraphicsConfiguration` of this `GraphicsDevice`.

### getBestConfiguration

    public GraphicsConfiguration getBestConfiguration(GraphicsConfigTemplate gct)

  Returns the "best" configuration possible that passes the criteria defined in the `GraphicsConfigTemplate`.

  Parameters:
    `gct` - the `GraphicsConfigTemplate` object used to obtain a valid `GraphicsConfiguration`
  Returns:
    a `GraphicsConfiguration` that passes the criteria defined in the specified `GraphicsConfigTemplate`.
  See Also:
    `GraphicsConfigTemplate`

### isFullScreenSupported

    public boolean isFullScreenSupported()

  Returns `true` if this `GraphicsDevice` supports full-screen exclusive mode.

  Returns:
    whether full-screen exclusive mode is available for this graphics device
  Since:
    1.4

### setFullScreenWindow

    public void setFullScreenWindow(Window w)

  Enter full-screen mode, or return to windowed mode.

  If `isFullScreenSupported` returns `true`, full screen mode is considered to be exclusive, which implies:

  - Windows cannot overlap the full-screen window. All other application windows will always appear beneath the full-screen window in the Z-order.
  - Input method windows are disabled. It is advisable to call `Component.enableInputMethods(false)` to make a component a non-client of the input method framework.

  If `isFullScreenSupported` returns `false`, full-screen exclusive mode is simulated by resizing the window to the size of the screen and positioning it at (0,0).

  When returning to windowed mode from an exclusive full-screen window, any display changes made by calling `setDisplayMode` are automatically restored to their original state.

  Parameters:
    `w` - a window to use as the full-screen window; `null` if returning to windowed mode.
  Since:
    1.4
  See Also:
    `isFullScreenSupported()`, `getFullScreenWindow()`, `setDisplayMode(java.awt.DisplayMode)`, `Component.enableInputMethods(boolean)`

### getFullScreenWindow

    public Window getFullScreenWindow()

  Returns the `Window` object representing the full-screen window if the device is in full-screen mode.

  Returns:
    the full-screen window, `null` if the device is not in full-screen mode.
  Since:
    1.4
  See Also:
    `setFullScreenWindow(Window)`

### isDisplayChangeSupported

    public boolean isDisplayChangeSupported()

  Returns `true` if this `GraphicsDevice` supports low-level display changes.

  Returns:
    whether low-level display changes are supported for this graphics device. Note that this may or may not be dependent on full-screen exclusive mode.
  Since:
    1.4
  See Also:
    `setDisplayMode(java.awt.DisplayMode)`

### setDisplayMode

    public void setDisplayMode(DisplayMode dm)

  Sets the display mode of this graphics device. This may only be allowed in full-screen, exclusive mode.

  Parameters:
    `dm` - the new display mode of this graphics device
  Throws:
    `IllegalArgumentException` - if the `DisplayMode` supplied is `null`, or is not available in the array returned by `getDisplayModes`
    `UnsupportedOperationException` - if `isDisplayChangeSupported` returns `false`
  Since:
    1.4
  See Also:
    `getDisplayMode()`, `getDisplayModes()`, `isDisplayChangeSupported()`

### getDisplayMode

    public DisplayMode getDisplayMode()

  Returns the current display mode of this `GraphicsDevice`.

  Returns:
    the current display mode of this graphics device.
  Since:
    1.4
  See Also:
    `setDisplayMode(DisplayMode)`

### getDisplayModes

    public DisplayMode[] getDisplayModes()

  Returns all display modes available for this `GraphicsDevice`.

  Returns:
    all of the display modes available for this graphics device.
  Since:
    1.4

### getAvailableAcceleratedMemory

    public int getAvailableAcceleratedMemory()

  This method returns the number of bytes available in accelerated memory on this device. Some images are created or cached in accelerated memory on a first-come, first-served basis. On some operating systems, this memory is a finite resource. Calling this method and scheduling the creation and flushing of images carefully may enable applications to make the most efficient use of that finite resource.
  Note that the number returned is a snapshot of how much memory is available; some images may still have problems being allocated into that memory. For example, depending on operating system, driver, memory configuration, and thread situations, the full extent of the size reported may not be available for a given image. There are further inquiry methods on the `ImageCapabilities` object associated with a VolatileImage that can be used to determine whether a particular VolatileImage has been created in accelerated memory.

  Returns:
    number of bytes available in accelerated memory. A negative return value indicates that accelerated memory is unlimited.
  See Also:
    `VolatileImage.flush()`, `ImageCapabilities.isAccelerated()`

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For further API reference and developer documentation, see Java 2 SDK SE Developer Documentation. That documentation contains more detailed, developer-targeted descriptions, with conceptual overviews, definitions of terms, workarounds, and working code examples.

Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Use is subject to license terms.