public boolean ready() throws IOException {
  if (_inputStream == null)   throw new IOException("Stream closed");
  return ((_end - _start) > 0) || (_inputStream.available() != 0);
}

public boolean ready ( ) throws IOException { if ( _inputStream == null ) throw new IOException ( "Stream closed" ) ; return ( ( _end - _start ) > 0 ) || ( _inputStream . available ( ) != 0 ) ; }
indicates if this stream is ready to be read .
