'Declaration
Public Function GetItemDataStream() As Stream
'Usage
Dim instance As ZipWriter
Dim value As Stream
value = instance.GetItemDataStream()
Return Value
A write-only System.IO.Stream object.
Remarks
The method creates a new write-only, non-seeking stream object based on the ZipWriter instance's current item. Each call to the stream's Stream.Write method will call WriteItemData.
The method allows you to use the Stream class interface to write item data into ZipWriter instead of using WriteItemData directly. This makes it possible to integrate ZipWriter with other classes that use the Stream class interface without the need for "glue code."
Dispose should be called on the stream when all the current item's data has been written.
The stream returned by the method should be considered unique to the current item. This means you should not reuse the stream with later items. Instead, get a new stream instance by calling the method again. The example below illustrates this.
WriteItemData can still be called to write data even if this method is used. This can be done after the stream returned by the method has been closed or even while the stream is active.
The method can be used to create nested zip archives with ZipWriter. A nested zip archive is when an item in an archive is another zip archive. By providing the stream returned by the method to a new instance of ZipWriter, a nested zip archive will be created. See this page for an example.
Example
The following examples show how to create a ZipWriter instance that will write into a stream that has been prepared.
// Create a ZipWriter instance that will write into a stream that has been prepared
using( ZipWriter writer = new ZipWriter( someStream ) )
{
ZipItemLocalHeader header = new ZipItemLocalHeader();
header.FileName = "File1.xml";
writer.WriteItemLocalHeader( header );
// Instead of using WriteItemData(), we will get a writing stream to the item's data
using( Stream itemStream = writer.GetItemDataStream() )
{
// The stream will be 'closed' automatically by the 'using' statement. This will not
// close the zip file or the current item. It will only indicate to the stream
// that its work is done and clear its resources.
// Having a stream object handy here makes using a XmlWriter very easy
using( XmlWriter xml = XmlWriter.Create( itemStream ) )
{
xml.WriteStartDocument();
xml.WriteStartElement( "SomeType" );
xml.WriteElementString( "ID", "Something" );
xml.WriteEndElement();
xml.WriteEndDocument();
}
}
header.FileName = "File2.xml";
writer.WriteItemLocalHeader( header );
using( Stream itemStream = writer.GetItemDataStream() )
{
using( XmlWriter xml = XmlWriter.Create( itemStream ) )
{
xml.WriteStartDocument();
xml.WriteStartElement( "SomeOtherType" );
// This is legal
writer.WriteItemData( someData );
xml.WriteEndElement();
xml.WriteEndDocument();
}
}
// This is also legal
writer.WriteItemData( someData );
}
' Create a ZipWriter instance that will write into a stream that has been prepared
Using writer AsNew ZipWriter(someStream)
Dim header AsNew ZipItemLocalHeader()
header.FileName = "File1.xml"
writer.WriteItemLocalHeader(header)
' Instead of using WriteItemData(), we will get a writing stream to the item's data
Using itemStream As Stream = writer.GetItemDataStream()
' The stream will be 'closed' automatically by the 'using' statement. This will not
' close the zip file or the current item. It will only indicate to the stream
' that its work is done and clear its resources.
' Having a stream object handy here makes using a XmlWriter very easy
Using xml As XmlWriter = XmlWriter.Create(itemStream)
xml.WriteStartDocument()
xml.WriteStartElement("SomeType")
xml.WriteElementString("ID", "Something")
xml.WriteEndElement()
xml.WriteEndDocument()
EndUsingEndUsing
header.FileName = "File2.xml"
writer.WriteItemLocalHeader(header)
Using itemStream As Stream = writer.GetItemDataStream()
Using xml As XmlWriter = XmlWriter.Create(itemStream)
xml.WriteStartDocument()
xml.WriteStartElement("SomeOtherType")
' This is legal
writer.WriteItemData(someData)
xml.WriteEndElement()
xml.WriteEndDocument()
EndUsingEndUsing' This is also legal
writer.WriteItemData(someData)
EndUsing
Requirements
Target Platforms: Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2