public static LinkProperties read(DataInput dis,LinkProperties props) throws IOException {
  int numArgs=dis.readInt();
  if (numArgs == 0) {
    return EMPTY_PROPERTIES;
  }
  if (props == null) {
    props=new LinkProperties();
  }
  props.readArgs(numArgs,dis);
  return props;
}

public static LinkProperties read ( DataInput dis , LinkProperties props ) throws IOException { int numArgs = dis . readInt ( ) ; if ( numArgs == 0 ) { return EMPTY_PROPERTIES ; } if ( props == null ) { props = new LinkProperties ( ) ; } props . readArgs ( numArgs , dis ) ; return props ; }
new , static method for more efficient property handling .
