| # combined-stream |
|
|
| A stream that emits multiple other streams one after another. |
|
|
| **NB** Currently `combined-stream` works with streams version 1 only. There is ongoing effort to switch this library to streams version 2. Any help is welcome. :) Meanwhile you can explore other libraries that provide streams2 support with more or less compatibility with `combined-stream`. |
|
|
| - [combined-stream2](https://www.npmjs.com/package/combined-stream2): A drop-in streams2-compatible replacement for the combined-stream module. |
|
|
| - [multistream](https://www.npmjs.com/package/multistream): A stream that emits multiple other streams one after another. |
|
|
| ## Installation |
|
|
| ``` bash |
| npm install combined-stream |
| ``` |
|
|
| ## Usage |
|
|
| Here is a simple example that shows how you can use combined-stream to combine |
| two files into one: |
|
|
| ``` javascript |
| var CombinedStream = require('combined-stream'); |
| var fs = require('fs'); |
| |
| var combinedStream = CombinedStream.create(); |
| combinedStream.append(fs.createReadStream('file1.txt')); |
| combinedStream.append(fs.createReadStream('file2.txt')); |
| |
| combinedStream.pipe(fs.createWriteStream('combined.txt')); |
| ``` |
|
|
| While the example above works great, it will pause all source streams until |
| they are needed. If you don't want that to happen, you can set `pauseStreams` |
| to `false`: |
|
|
| ``` javascript |
| var CombinedStream = require('combined-stream'); |
| var fs = require('fs'); |
| |
| var combinedStream = CombinedStream.create({pauseStreams: false}); |
| combinedStream.append(fs.createReadStream('file1.txt')); |
| combinedStream.append(fs.createReadStream('file2.txt')); |
| |
| combinedStream.pipe(fs.createWriteStream('combined.txt')); |
| ``` |
|
|
| However, what if you don't have all the source streams yet, or you don't want |
| to allocate the resources (file descriptors, memory, etc.) for them right away? |
| Well, in that case you can simply provide a callback that supplies the stream |
| by calling a `next()` function: |
|
|
| ``` javascript |
| var CombinedStream = require('combined-stream'); |
| var fs = require('fs'); |
| |
| var combinedStream = CombinedStream.create(); |
| combinedStream.append(function(next) { |
| next(fs.createReadStream('file1.txt')); |
| }); |
| combinedStream.append(function(next) { |
| next(fs.createReadStream('file2.txt')); |
| }); |
| |
| combinedStream.pipe(fs.createWriteStream('combined.txt')); |
| ``` |
|
|
| ## API |
|
|
| ### CombinedStream.create([options]) |
|
|
| Returns a new combined stream object. Available options are: |
|
|
| * `maxDataSize` |
| * `pauseStreams` |
|
|
| The effect of those options is described below. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.pauseStreams = `true` |
|
|
| Whether to apply back pressure to the underlaying streams. If set to `false`, |
| the underlaying streams will never be paused. If set to `true`, the |
| underlaying streams will be paused right after being appended, as well as when |
| `delayedStream.pipe()` wants to throttle. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.maxDataSize = `2 * 1024 * 1024` |
|
|
| The maximum amount of bytes (or characters) to buffer for all source streams. |
| If this value is exceeded, `combinedStream` emits an `'error'` event. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.dataSize = `0` |
|
|
| The amount of bytes (or characters) currently buffered by `combinedStream`. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.append(stream) |
|
|
| Appends the given `stream` to the combinedStream object. If `pauseStreams` is |
| set to `true, this stream will also be paused right away. |
|
|
| `streams` can also be a function that takes one parameter called `next`. `next` |
| is a function that must be invoked in order to provide the `next` stream, see |
| example above. |
|
|
| Regardless of how the `stream` is appended, combined-stream always attaches an |
| `'error'` listener to it, so you don't have to do that manually. |
|
|
| Special case: `stream` can also be a String or Buffer. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.write(data) |
|
|
| You should not call this, `combinedStream` takes care of piping the appended |
| streams into itself for you. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.resume() |
|
|
| Causes `combinedStream` to start drain the streams it manages. The function is |
| idempotent, and also emits a `'resume'` event each time which usually goes to |
| the stream that is currently being drained. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.pause(); |
|
|
| If `combinedStream.pauseStreams` is set to `false`, this does nothing. |
| Otherwise a `'pause'` event is emitted, this goes to the stream that is |
| currently being drained, so you can use it to apply back pressure. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.end(); |
|
|
| Sets `combinedStream.writable` to false, emits an `'end'` event, and removes |
| all streams from the queue. |
|
|
| ### combinedStream.destroy(); |
|
|
| Same as `combinedStream.end()`, except it emits a `'close'` event instead of |
| `'end'`. |
|
|
| ## License |
|
|
| combined-stream is licensed under the MIT license. |
|
|