Develop Reference

Intercepting ClassLoader.getResource(String) calls, with a custom ClassLoader

We're trying to debug an unreproducible issue with WebStart, where access to resources inside Jars will "randomly" fail. Maybe one every 1000 application run will end with this error, which can happen anywhere where resources are read from a jar.
Searching in Google and the Java Bug database brought nothing similar (or at least, nothing helpful).
We are trying to get more info into what happens on the client by "instrumenting" the application so we track all calls to ClassLoader.getResource(String) (including indirectly over ClassLoader.getResourceAsStream(String)). Without changing the app code, I have created a "launcher" that would run the whole app with a custom classloader.
Unfortunately, it seems my ClassLoader is somehow bypassed. I do not see any of the expected System.out output. Here is what I tried:
private static final class MyClassLoader extends ClassLoader {
private MyClassLoader() {
super(TheClassThatMainIsIn.class.getClassLoader());
}
#Override
public URL getResource(String name) {
System.out.println("getResource("+name+")");
// Snip
return super.getResource(name);
}
#Override
public InputStream getResourceAsStream(String name) {
System.out.println("getResourceAsStream("+name+")");
final URL url = getResource(name);
try {
return url != null ? url.openStream() : null;
} catch (final IOException e) {
return null;
}
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Starting MyRealApp Launcher ...");
final MyClassLoader loader = new MyClassLoader();
try {
Class<?> realAppClasss = loader.loadClass("MyRealAppClass");
Method main = realAppClasss.getMethod("main", String[].class);
main.invoke(null, (Object) args);
} catch (final RuntimeException e) {
throw e;
} catch (final Error e) {
throw e;
} catch (final InvocationTargetException e) {
final Throwable cause = e.getCause();
if (cause instanceof RuntimeException) {
throw (RuntimeException) cause;
}
if (cause instanceof Error) {
throw (Error) cause;
}
throw new UndeclaredThrowableException(cause);
} catch (final Throwable t) {
throw new UndeclaredThrowableException(t);
}
}
What am I doing wrong here?

Yes. This works, in principal.
However, you've to account how the resource loading code get's to the class loader. Since the class don't show up, it looks like they use the parents class loader.
You've to account different scenarios:
Code using context class loader, like:
Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader().getResource("via-context");
This is easy to achieve, by setting it before calling into main:
Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(loader);
Method main = realAppClasss.getMethod("main", String[].class);
main.invoke(null, (Object) args);
Next thing you've to account is code which 'takes' class loader from current class, and load it that. When you're class is loaded via the parent class loader, it will also use that class loader to get the resource. Like:
MyRealAppClass.class.getResource("via-class");
MyRealAppClass.class.getClassLoader().getResource("via-class");
objectInfApp.getClass().getClassLoader().getResource("via-class");
To avoid that you've to ensure that the apps classes are actually loaded with your class loader, not the parent. For a simple main, you can extend from the URL class loader, skip any parent and user the original class path for the URL's. Like:
// URL class loader to lookup in jars etc
private static class MyClassLoader extends URLClassLoader
{
public MyClassLoader(URL[] urls) {
// Use the given URLs and skip any parent class loader, directly go to the system loader
super(urls,null);
}
// ...
// Then setup the class path
String[] classPath = System.getProperty("java.class.path").split(";");
URL[] classPathUrls = new URL[classPath.length];
for (int i = 0; i < classPath.length; i++) {
classPathUrls[i] = new File(classPath[i]).toURL();
}
MyClassLoader loader = new MyClassLoader(classPathUrls);
This should cover the most basic cases. When you're actual application itself has more class loader trickery, there might more you need to setup.

Java dynamic loading a class issue

I am trying to write a code that compiles and runs another java class, after it creates it from a String.
My problem is when I run
Class classToLoad = null;
ClassLoader classLoader = Server.class.getClassLoader();
try {
classToLoad = classLoader.loadClass(className);
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
It throws a ClassNotFoundException. My problem isn't about the package, because if I debug the code and place a breakpoint before the "getClassLoader" and I reload the classes, then my code works fine and it sees the class that was recently created earlier in the app.
How can I reload the classes during runtime so the loadClass will work?

Take a look at this tutorial:
ClassLoader Load / Reload Example
... Let's look at a simple
example. Below is an example of a simple ClassLoader subclass. Notice
how it delegates class loading to its parent except for the one class
it is intended to be able to reload. If the loading of this class is
delegated to the parent class loader, it cannot be reloaded later.
Remember, a class can only be loaded once by the same ClassLoader
instance.
As said earlier, this is just an example that serves to show you the
basics of a ClassLoader's behaviour. It is not a production ready
template for your own class loaders. Your own class loaders should
probably not be limited to a single class, but a collection of classes
that you know you will need to reload. In addition, you should
probably not hardcode the class paths either.
public class MyClassLoader extends ClassLoader{
public MyClassLoader(ClassLoader parent) {
super(parent);
}
public Class loadClass(String name) throws ClassNotFoundException {
if(!"reflection.MyObject".equals(name))
return super.loadClass(name);
try {
String url = "file:C:/data/projects/tutorials/web/WEB-INF/" +
"classes/reflection/MyObject.class";
URL myUrl = new URL(url);
URLConnection connection = myUrl.openConnection();
InputStream input = connection.getInputStream();
ByteArrayOutputStream buffer = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
int data = input.read();
while(data != -1){
buffer.write(data);
data = input.read();
}
input.close();
byte[] classData = buffer.toByteArray();
return defineClass("reflection.MyObject",
classData, 0, classData.length);
} catch (MalformedURLException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
return null;
}
}
Below is an example use of the MyClassLoader.
public static void main(String[] args) throws
ClassNotFoundException,
IllegalAccessException,
InstantiationException {
ClassLoader parentClassLoader = MyClassLoader.class.getClassLoader();
MyClassLoader classLoader = new MyClassLoader(parentClassLoader);
Class myObjectClass = classLoader.loadClass("reflection.MyObject");
AnInterface2 object1 =
(AnInterface2) myObjectClass.newInstance();
MyObjectSuperClass object2 =
(MyObjectSuperClass) myObjectClass.newInstance();
//create new class loader so classes can be reloaded.
classLoader = new MyClassLoader(parentClassLoader);
myObjectClass = classLoader.loadClass("reflection.MyObject");
object1 = (AnInterface2) myObjectClass.newInstance();
object2 = (MyObjectSuperClass) myObjectClass.newInstance();
}

Probably asking: "What is the context in which you are loading the class?" will help answer your question better.
Most standard frameworks like Spring handle loading classes internally and exposing only the methods that those classes provide.
Try Class.forName(String name) to attempt to load the class and return the handle to the class object.
If you want to specifically use your own classloader to load the class, use the overloaded: Class.forName(String name, boolean initialize, ClassLoader loader)
But you will need to ensure that your classloader is able to locate the class to load correctly.
For the classloader you are using, try:
Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader()

How to reload previously loaded classes that changed during runtime?

I'm writing an application that needs to reload a previously loaded class during runtime. The reason is that the class is auto-generated during runtime, and the new implementation changes the way the app works. I generate only one object of the said class, and I stripped it from all dependencies but an interface that defines constant values. There's no problem reseting the values of any or all of the members when reloading. I know exactly when it changes and I can control it. The only problem I have is the reload itself.
From what I read, I should use a ClassLoader. I tried to do so, but I can't make it work.
I tried the following:
Getting the current ClassLoader (myClassObject.getClass().getClassLoader()) and using it to reload the class - Doesn't work. It probably keeps loading the old implementation.
Generating my own (AKA copy-paste from SO with modifications) - Doesn't work because the ClassLoader I generate is different than the one that generated the class (Exception: myClass cannot be casted to myClass).
Creating a constructor that sets the ClassLoader of the superclass doesn't seem to have any effect.
Using my new ClassLoader to generate the class that has myClassObject as a member solved the ClassLoader mismatch for myClassObject, but created a new mismatch one level up. I used getClassLoader() everytime and I see they don't match.
I tried adding -Djava.system.class.loader=com.test.Reoader com.test.myMainClass to make it my default reloader, but I get an error from the compiler.
Google keeps pointing me back to the same stuff I read already.
EDIT: I tried creating an interface and reload the class implementing it. That didn't solve it either.
I know I should override the default ClassLoader, but nothing I do seems to succeed at that.
My ClassLoader:
public class Reloader extends ClassLoader {
public Reloader(){
super(Reloader.class.getClassLoader());
}
#Override
public Class<?> loadClass(String s) {
return findClass(s);
}
#Override
public Class<?> findClass(String s) {
try {
byte[] bytes = loadClassData(s);
return defineClass(s, bytes, 0, bytes.length);
} catch (IOException ioe) {
try {
return super.loadClass(s);
} catch (ClassNotFoundException ignore) {}
ioe.printStackTrace(java.lang.System.out);
return null;
}
}
private byte[] loadClassData(String className) throws IOException {
File f = new File("out\\production\\ManoCPU\\" + className.replaceAll("\\.", "/") + ".class");
int size = (int) f.length();
byte buff[] = new byte[size];
FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(f);
DataInputStream dis = new DataInputStream(fis);
dis.readFully(buff);
dis.close();
return buff;
}
}
Thanks very much to anyone that can help.

You can only load a class once (per instance of a classloader). That means you have to throw away the classloader you have loaded your class with and instantiate a new one for your updated version of the class.
When dealing with multiple class loaders also have in mind that if you load the same class with several classloaders they are NOT recognized as being the same class.

Which classloader will be used in this case?

I have the following problem.
A HashMap is used to set properties and the key is a ClassLoader.
The code that sets a property is the following (AxisProperties):
public static void setProperty(String propertyName, String value, boolean isDefault){
if(propertyName != null)
synchronized(propertiesCache)
{
ClassLoader classLoader = getThreadContextClassLoader();
HashMap properties = (HashMap)propertiesCache.get(classLoader);
if(value == null)
{
if(properties != null)
properties.remove(propertyName);
} else
{
if(properties == null)
{
properties = new HashMap();
propertiesCache.put(classLoader, properties);
}
properties.put(propertyName, new Value(value, isDefault));
}
}
}
One of these values is cached somewhere and I need to reset this hashmap but the problem is I don't know how to do this.
I thought to load the class (delegating to axis using a URLClassLoader) but I see that the code does getThreadContextClassLoader(); which is:
public ClassLoader getThreadContextClassLoader()
{
ClassLoader classLoader;
try
{
classLoader = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
}
catch(SecurityException e)
{
classLoader = null;
}
return classLoader;
}
So I think it will use the classloader of my current thread not the one that I used to load the class to use (i.e. axis).
So is there a way around this?
Note: I already have loaded axis as part of my application. So the idea would be to reload it via a different classloader

If you know the class loader in question, you can set the context class loader before making the call into axis:
ClassLoader key = ...;
ClassLoader oldCtx = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
try {
Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(key);
// your code here.
}
finally {
Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(oldCtx);
}
You often have to do this in cases when you are outside a servlet container, but the library assumes that you are in one. For instance, you have to do this with CXF in an OSGi container, where the semantics of context class loader are not defined. You can use a template like this to keep things clean:
public abstract class CCLTemplate<R>
{
public R execute( ClassLoader context )
throws Exception
{
ClassLoader oldCtx = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
try {
Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(context);
return inContext();
}
finally {
Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(oldCtx);
}
}
public abstract R inContext() throws Exception;
}
And then do this when interacting with Axis:
ClassLoader context = ...;
new CCLTemplate<Void>() {
public Void inContext() {
// your code here.
return null;
}
}.execute(context);

Chained classloader conundrum

I'm having some hard time with Java classloaders, maybe somebody could shed some light on this. I have extracted the essence of the problem to the follwing:
There are three classes - ClassLoaderTest, LoadedClass and LoadedClassDep. They are all on different paths.
ClassLoaderTest instantiates a new URLClassLoader - myClassLoader, priming it with the paths to the remaining two classes and it's own classloader (i.e. the application classloader) as parent. It then uses Class.forName("com.example.LoadedClass", true, myClassLoader) to load the LoadedClass through reflection. The LoadedClass imports the LoadedClassDep. If I run the above, using:
java -cp /path/to/the/ClassLoaderTest ClassLoaderTest "/path/to/LoadedClass" "/path/to/LoadedClassDep"
and using the command line arguments to prime the URLClassLoader everything works fine. Using static initialisers I confirm that the two classes are loaded with an instance of a URLClassLoader.
HOWEVER, and this is the problem, if I do:
java -cp /path/to/the/ClassLoaderTest:/path/to/the/LoadedClass ClassLoaderTest "/path/to/LoadedClassDep"
this fails to load the LoadedClassDep (ClassNotFoundException). The LoadedClass is loaded correctly, but with sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader, not the URLClassLoader!
It would appear that since the application classloader is capable of loading the LoadedClass it also attempts to load the LoadedClassDep, disregarding the URLClassLoader.
Here's the full source code:
package example.bc;
public class ClassloaderTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
new ClassloaderTest().run(args);
}
private void run(String[] args) {
URLClassLoader myClasLoader = initClassLoader(args);
try {
Class<?> cls = Class.forName("com.example.bc.LoadedClass", true, myClasLoader);
Object obj = cls.newInstance();
cls.getMethod("call").invoke(obj);
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
private URLClassLoader initClassLoader(String[] args) {
URL[] urls = new URL[args.length];
try {
for (int i = 0; i < args.length; i++) {
urls[i] = new File(args[i]).toURI().toURL();
}
} catch (MalformedURLException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
return new URLClassLoader(urls, getClass().getClassLoader());
}
}
package com.example.bc;
import com.bc.LoadedClassDep;
public class LoadedClass {
static {
System.out.println("LoadedClass " + LoadedClass.class.getClassLoader().getClass());
}
public void call() {
new LoadedClassDep();
}
}
package com.bc;
public class LoadedClassDep {
static {
System.out.println("LoadedClassDep " + LoadedClassDep.class.getClassLoader().getClass());
}
}
I hope I made this clear enough. My issue is, I only know the path to ClassLoadeTest at compile time, I have to use strings at runtime for the other paths. So, any ideas how to make the second scenario work?

I'd expect the application classloader to load LoadedClass in the second case, since classloaders delegate to their parent initially - this is the standard behaviour. In the second case, LoadedClass is on the parent's classpath, so it loads the class instead of giving up and letting the URLClassLoader try.
The application classloader then attempts to load the LoadedClassDep because it is imported and referenced directly in LoadedClass:
public void call() {
new LoadedClassDep();
}
If you need to load these classes dynamically and independently at runtime, you can't have direct references between them in this way.
It is also possible to change the order in which classloaders are tried - see Java classloaders: why search the parent classloader first? for some discussion of this.