*
     * @return <code>true</code> if the metadata may be ignored.
     *
     * @see #setInput
     */
    public boolean isIgnoringMetadata() {
        return ignoreMetadata;
    }

    /**
     * Returns the lowest valid index for reading an image, thumbnail,
     * or image metadata.  If <code>seekForwardOnly()</code> is
     * <code>false</code>, this value will typically remain 0,
     * indicating that random access is possible.  Otherwise, it will
     * contain the value of the most recently accessed index, and
     * increase in a monotonic fashion.
     *
     * @return the minimum legal index for reading.
     */
    public int getMinIndex() {
        return minIndex;
    }

    // Localization

    /**
     * Returns an array of <code>Locale</code>s that may be used to
     * localize warning listeners and compression settings.  A return
     * value of <code>null</code> indicates that localization is not
     * supported.
     *
     * <p> The default implementation returns a clone of the
     * <code>availableLocales</code> instance variable if it is
     * non-<code>null</code>, or else returns <code>null</code>.
     *
     * @return an array of <code>Locale</code>s that may be used as
     * arguments to <code>setLocale</code>, or <code>null</code>.
     */
    public Locale[] getAvailableLocales() {
        if (availableLocales == null) {
            return null;
        } else {
            return (Locale[])availableLocales.clone();
        }
    }

    /**
     * Sets the current <code>Locale</code> of this
     * <code>ImageReader</code> to the given value.  A value of
     * <code>null</code> removes any previous setting, and indicates
     * that the reader should localize as it sees fit.
     *
     * @param locale the desired <code>Locale</code>, or
     * <code>null</code>.
     *
     * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>locale</code> is
     * non-<code>null</code> but is not one of the values returned by
     * <code>getAvailableLocales</code>.
     *
     * @see #getLocale
     */
    public void setLocale(Locale locale) {
        if (locale != null) {
            Locale[] locales = getAvailableLocales();
            boolean found = false;
            if (locales != null) {
                for (int i = 0; i < locales.length; i++) {
                    if (locale.equals(locales[i])) {
                        found = true;
                        break;
                    }
                }
            }
            if (!found) {
                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid locale!");
            }
        }
        this.locale = locale;
    }

    /**
     * Returns the currently set <code>Locale</code>, or
     * <code>null</code> if none has been set.
     *
     * @return the current <code>Locale</code>, or <code>null</code>.
     *
     * @see #setLocale
     */
    public Locale getLocale() {
        return locale;
    }

    // Image queries

    /**
     * Returns the number of images, not including thumbnails, available
     * from the current input source.
     *
     * <p> Note that some image formats (such as animated GIF) do not
     * specify how many images are present in the stream.  Thus