ParsePosition (Java Platform SE 8 )
Keywords: java.text.ParsePosition class
Date: 2026-04-17

compact1, compact2, compact3
java.text

## Class ParsePosition

- java.lang.Object
- - java.text.ParsePosition

-     public class ParsePosition
      extends Object

  `ParsePosition` is a simple class used by `Format` and its subclasses to keep track of the current position during parsing. The `parseObject` method in the various `Format` classes requires a `ParsePosition` object as an argument.

  By design, as you parse through a string with different formats, you can use the same `ParsePosition`, since the index parameter records the current position.

  See Also:
    `Format`

- - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor and Description
    `ParsePosition(int index)` Create a new ParsePosition with the given initial index.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `boolean` | `equals(Object obj)` Overrides equals
    `int` | `getErrorIndex()` Retrieve the index at which an error occurred, or -1 if the error index has not been set.
    `int` | `getIndex()` Retrieve the current parse position.
    `int` | `hashCode()` Returns a hash code for this ParsePosition.
    `void` | `setErrorIndex(int ei)` Set the index at which a parse error occurred.
    `void` | `setIndex(int index)` Set the current parse position.
    `String` | `toString()` Return a string representation of this ParsePosition.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### ParsePosition

          public ParsePosition(int index)

      Create a new ParsePosition with the given initial index.
      Parameters:
        `index` - initial index

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### getIndex

          public int getIndex()

      Retrieve the current parse position. On input to a parse method, this is the index of the character at which parsing will begin; on output, it is the index of the character following the last character parsed.
      Returns:
        the current parse position

    - #### setIndex

          public void setIndex(int index)

      Set the current parse position.
      Parameters:
        `index` - the current parse position

    - #### setErrorIndex

          public void setErrorIndex(int ei)

      Set the index at which a parse error occurred. Formatters should set this before returning an error code from their parseObject method. The default value is -1 if this is not set.
      Parameters:
        `ei` - the index at which an error occurred
      Since:
        1.2

    - #### getErrorIndex

          public int getErrorIndex()

      Retrieve the index at which an error occurred, or -1 if the error index has not been set.
      Returns:
        the index at which an error occurred
      Since:
        1.2

    - #### equals

          public boolean equals(Object obj)

      Overrides equals
      Overrides:
        `equals` in class `Object`
      Parameters:
        `obj` - the reference object with which to compare.
      Returns:
        `true` if this object is the same as the obj argument; `false` otherwise.
      See Also:
        `Object.hashCode()`, `HashMap`

    - #### hashCode

          public int hashCode()

      Returns a hash code for this ParsePosition.
      Overrides:
        `hashCode` in class `Object`
      Returns:
        a hash code value for this object
      See Also:
        `Object.equals(java.lang.Object)`, `System.identityHashCode(java.lang.Object)`

    - #### toString

          public String toString()

      Return a string representation of this ParsePosition.
      Overrides:
        `toString` in class `Object`
      Returns:
        a string representation of this object

Submit a bug or feature
For further API reference and developer documentation, see Java SE Documentation. That documentation contains more detailed, developer-targeted descriptions, with conceptual overviews, definitions of terms, workarounds, and working code examples.
Copyright © 1993, 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Use is subject to license terms. Also see the documentation redistribution policy.