Java Swing Updates - java

So this is in reference to my previous questions here and here. Basically the problem I am having is the program goes into the Server class and stays there because there is a while look in the server code that essentially is continuously listening to the port for any response from the client; this makes the Main window completely unclickable since the program is not in the MainWindow class.
But really what I want it to do is setup the connection and then go back to MainWindow so the on-screen buttons are clickable. Or, as suggested by one poster, I could pass the MainWindow object by reference to the Server (which I have already done) and then use SwingUtilities.invokeLater() but I'm not really looking to update the GUI. I'm looking to give control back to the GUI so the user can click buttons and such.
When it goes back to MainWindow, I still need the connection to stay alive so the client can send things and I can receive it and display the received content on the screen for the user to control.

Basically, you could use a SwingWorker to perform actions in the background, off the Event Dispatching Thread, which will allow you application to continue working...
SwingWorker<Server , Object> worker = new SwingWorker<Server , Object>() {
#Override
protected ServerdoInBackground() throws Exception {
Server server = new Server();
//...
// Use publish(...) to send information
// back the EDT via the process method...
return server;
}
#Override
protected void done() {
try {
Server server = get();
} catch (InterruptedException | ExecutionException ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
}
#Override
protected void process(List<Object> chunks) {
// You can safly update the UI from here, maybe
// with some messages??
}
};
worker.execute();
Basically, this creates a new Server object in the doInBackground method, does what ever else it needs to do that might otherwise block the EDT and exits by returning the server instance.
You can use done if you want to be notified when the doInBackground method completes and either get the result of the method, or if it threw an exception, handle the exeption.
The publish/process methods can be used to send information back to the EDT, which could be used to update the state of the UI...or not...
Now, if you already have a reference to the server, may consider creating a custom SwingWorker to which you pass the reference of the Server to...
Server server = ...;
ConnectionWorker worker = new ConnectionWorker(server);
worker.execute();
//...
public class ConnectionWorker extends SwingWorker<Object, Object> {
private Server server;
public ConnectionWorker(Server server) {
this.server;
}
#Override
protected ServerdoInBackground() throws Exception {
server.doStuff(); //...
return ...;
}
}
Take a look at SwingWorker more details

Related

Dealing with multithreading in UI

I am actually using sockets listeners in a Java program.
The idea is to let my program run until it catches an external event. As soon as it catches it, I have to update my layout.
In order to let my application run while it was listening on a specific port, I did something like this :
// new thread allows me to let my program continue
new Thread() {
public void run() {
try {
while (true) {
try (ServerSocket listener = new ServerSocket(59090)) {
System.out.println("The server is running...");
// listening
while (true) {
try (Socket socket = listener.accept()) {
// catches event
System.out.println("event caught");
InputStream raw = socket.getInputStream();
headerData = getHeaders(raw);
// some code
// ...
// ...
// Update UI
}
}
}
}
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}.start();
The idea is that I constantly listen on the port 59090 and I execute my specific code once I use that port and that works well.
The problem now is when I catch an event.
It seems that I can't act on the UI if I am not in the "main" Thread. Am I right ?
Is it possible to send an information to my "main thread" in order to tell it to update UI ? Otherwise is it possible to "switch" my main thread to this one ?
EDIT:
I've seen that in Android you could use AsyncTask and the method onPostExecute() allows to send informations to the UI thread.
onPostExecute(Result), invoked on the UI thread after the background computation finishes. The result of the background computation is passed to this step as a parameter.
Is there an equivalent in Java?
Thank you

Java/Android - How to set timeout external service call with handler

My scenario is an onCreate() activity method which executes the following code (simplified):
dialog.show(); //loading wheel
try {
remote.sendRequest(myData, new MyHandler());
}
catch (Exception e) {
dialog.dismiss();
//log and react
}
class MyHandler extends SDKSpecificCompiledHandler {
#Override
public void failure() {
dialog.dismiss();
//do stuff
}
#override
public void success() {
dialog.dismiss();
//do stuff
}
}
//I have read-only access to this handler!
public abstract class SDKSpecificCompiledHandler {
public abstract void success(JSONObject successData);
public abstract void failure(JSONObject errorData);
}
Explanation: A remote service is called passing an handler that gets called when he's done. A loading wheel (dialog) is shown to the user until a success, failure or exception happens.
The problem is when the service gets successfully called but no response ever comes. In that case dialog.dismiss() doesn't get called and the loading wheel keeps spinning for ever.
What I need is a sort of timeout which dismisses the dialog (and possibly takes other actions) after some seconds if the server doesn't get back.
My first though would be to create a new thread for the service call, and right after the launch set a timer which dismisses the dialog.
Would it be a good idea?
Thank you,
EDIT:
The service is third-party/not editable. I'm using a pre-compiled artifact.
Still not really sure what you're trying to achieve but if you want to run some code after some time on main thread (i.e. your code will do stuff to the UI), you can use a android.os.Handler
mHandler = new Handler(getMainLooper());
mHandler.postDelayed(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
// do stuff on UI thread
}
},10000);
When your call returned from the server, simply cancel the messages on the queue:
mHandler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null);
It is better to use time out in service call itself, You can set the time out with service , If you need know how to set the time out then I should know what kind of service you are using ?
One more thing is that if you are using a loader you should make that loader in such a way that it can be cancel by the client.

Android UI Thread stop other Threads

I have a code in the UI Thread that call to another Thread. This new Thread wait for a server response to execute an database update.
When the new Thread send the post content the server send the answer fine, but the update process to the database stops when the screen (activity) load the next item to calculate and send it to the server again.
My code looks like this
public class MyActivity extends Activity {
onCreate(){ ... }
public void pushButton(View v) {
...
//Call the Thread
MyOwnThread t = new MyOwnThread(arg1, arg2);
t.start();
showTheNextItemToProcess();
}
}
MyOwnThread looks like this
public class MyOwnThread extends Thread {
public MyOwnThread(String arg1, Object arg2) { ... }
public void run() {
if(arg1.equals("ok_status") {
//The code on this part stops wen the UI Thread show the next item to process
for( ... ) {
// ...
}
}
}
}
I tried with send a clone of the variables inside the new Thread constructor, but the result it's the same. I don´t know why the UI Thread interrupts the another Thread. With the ListenableFuture (Google Guava) it´s the same.
ListeningExecutorService service = MoreExecutors.listeningDecorator(Executors.newFixedThreadPool(1));
ListenableFuture<String> futureTask = service.submit(new Callable<String>(){
public String call() {
//Send the post to the server
}
});
Futures.addCallback(futureTask, new FutureCallback<String>() {
#Override
public void onSuccess(String arg0) {
//when get the answer from the server, executes the db update
//the UI thread stop this too
}
});
I don't see errors in the LogCat. Your help is welcome, sorry for my bad english.
Thanks!
EDIT
I changed my code to use full threads (extends Thread), with WIFI connection the app sends the package to the server and the server returns the response, the app takes the value sended from the server and trigger the db update, it's fine!. But with the movil data (local operator), the app calls and runs the Thread but the thread simply not continue running. I had set the priority to MAX and it's the same. Anyone know why????
Thanks!

JavaFx Progress Indicator freezes when I run another thread

So I have been trying to implement a progress indicator with no luck. I am not sure I understand managing threads with JavaFx very well, despite having read a bit about the Platform.RunLater and Tasks. So here is my use case.
My program allows users to connect to a database and look at some of the schemas and other objects in the database. Sometimes connecting to a large database and pulling up all its tables and info takes a while, so I would like to show a progress indicator. I am not trying to update the progress at all I would just like to make the progress indicator visible at a value of -1 while the process is running to pull everything from the database. Ideally I will have a progress indicator loaded in from an FXML file invisible. When I start the process of pulling info from the database I would like to make it visible.
When trying to make my progress visible it never showed up, so I decide to start out having it visible and making it invisible, just to see what happens. The progress indicator rotated nicely when I opened the program up, but as soon as I try to connect to the database it stopped rotating and just froze. I assume this is what happens when I try to make it visible too which is why it was never showing up.
The following is my current code, I would appreciate any detailed help with explanations so I can understand what is going on. Thanks
from the method that is doing most of the work.
//make progress indicator visible
pi.setVisible(true);
// separate non-FX thread
ExtractorThread t = new ExtractorThread();
t.setCp(cp);
t.start();
//Wait until the thread is done
try{
t.join();
}
catch(Exception e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
//Retrieve the dbextractor from the thread
DbExtractor dbe = t.getDbe();
//move on to the next page in the application
this.caster.goToDataSource(c, cp, dbe);
The ExtractorThread which does the work.
private class ExtractorThread extends Thread{
private ConnectionProperties cp;
private DbExtractor dbe;
public void run() {
dbe = new DbExtractor(cp);
try {
dbe.extract();
} catch (Exception e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
public DbExtractor getDbe() {
return dbe;
}
public void setCp(ConnectionProperties cp) {
this.cp = cp;
}
}
If I am supposed to use the Platform.RunLater I am not sure where to use it or why. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Use the javafx.concurrent API. Extend Task instead of Thread:
private class ExtractorThread extends Task<DbExtractor>{
private ConnectionProperties cp;
public DbExtractor call() throws Exception {
dbe = new DbExtractor(cp);
dbe.extract();
return dbe;
}
public void setCp(ConnectionProperties cp) {
this.cp = cp;
}
}
Then do:
//make progress indicator visible
pi.setVisible(true);
// separate non-FX thread
final ExtractorThread t = new ExtractorThread();
t.setCp(cp);
t.setOnSucceeded(new EventHandler<WorkerStateEvent>() {
public void handle(WorkerStateEvent event) {
DbExtractor dbExtractor = t.getValue();
this.caster.goToDataSource(c, cp, dbe);
}
});
t.setOnFailed(...); // similarly, to handle exceptions
new Thread(t).start();
I don't code JavaFX, and so I can't give you chapter and verse, but this line:
t.join();
will block the calling code until the background thread is through. Don't do this. Instead use some type of listener to get notified when the background thread finishes. If this were Swing, I'd use a PropertyChangeListener added to a SwingWorker to notify me when the background thread was done. I think that you can still use a PropertyChangeListener to do a similar thing with with JavaFX, but I cannot tell you if this would represent the canonical solution.
Also, don't extend Thread but instead implement Runnable. This won't fix your problem but is basic Java common sense.

Applets - init(), EDT and threads

Java is not my mother tongue and I've been fighting with this problem for a little while.
Basically, I am finding a behavioural difference between calling method switchApplets() directly from init(), and calling it from within a new thread spawned by init().
The consequence of calling it from inside the new thread is that the new applet whitescreens -- until/unless the user resizes or minimizes their browser. If called at the end of init(), the new UI renders immediately without any input from the user. But that's not an option because it doesn't wait for the thread to finish its prep work.
Trimmed-down code:
public class PreLoader extends Applet implements AppletStub {
static JProgressBar pBar = null;
static JLabel message;
public void switchApplets() {
try {
Class main_class = Class.forName("MainClass");
Applet main_applet = (Applet)main_class.newInstance();
removeAll();
setSize(0,0);
setLayout(new GridLayout(1,0));
add(main_applet);
main_applet.init();
main_applet.start();
main_applet.setStub(this);
}
catch (Exception e) {
}
}
public void init() {
pBar = new JProgressBar(0, 100);
pBar.setValue(0);
pBar.setStringPainted(true);
message = new JLabel("Beginning work!");
add(message);
add(pBar);
FlowLayout flow = new FlowLayout();
setLayout(flow);
Thread t = new Thread ( new Runnable () {
public void run ()
{
longRunningFunction1();
longRunningFunction2();
message.setText("Work complete! Stand by..");
switchApplets(); //does NOT work as intended from here
return;
}
} );
t.start();
//switchApplets(); //works as intended if called HERE
}
public void longRunningFunction1() {
//perform some tasks, advance progress bar
}
public void longRunningFunction2() {
//perform some tasks, advance progress bar
}
public void start() {
return;
}
public void appletResize(int width, int height) {
return;
}
}
I tried making init() wait for the thread to finish so that I could call switchApplets() from there, but that only blocked the EDT and prevented the UI from updating. Also tried playing with SwingUtilities' invokeLater/invokeAndWait, but even though switchApplets() gets run on the EDT, it seems that it MUST be called directly from init() (or at least the thread init is running on) to have the desired effect.
Why does calling switchApplets() from within a new thread result in a slightly different (and unwanted) UI behaviour?
The consequence of calling it from inside the new thread is that the new applet whitescreens -- until/unless the user resizes or minimizes their browser.
It's likely a deadlock caused by trying to do UI code on the wrong thread.
I tried making init() wait for the thread to finish so that I could call switchApplets() from there, but that only blocked the EDT and prevented the UI from updating.
You're on the right track. You need to call switchApplets() only from the EDT, and only after the work is done on the other thread.
Are you sure you tried using invokeLater() or invokeAndWait() from within the spawned thread after the long running functions were done? It's been a long while since I did applets but I'm not aware of any applet-specific reason why it wouldn't work, and it would work in any other case. I.e.,
public void run()
{
longRunningFunction1();
longRunningFunction2();
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
message.setText("Work complete! Stand by..");
switchApplets();
}
});
}
However, the most proper way to do this is with a SwingWorker rather than a manually created thread. SwingWorker (which is not nearly as well-known as it should be) is designed exactly for the goal of performing background tasks on a separate thread while still being able to update the GUI with progress updates and the results. E.g.,
new SwingWorker<Void,Void>() {
#Override
protected Void doInBackground() { // is called on a background thread
longRunningFunction1();
longRunningFunction2();
return null;
}
#Override
protected void done() { // is called on the Swing thread
message.setText("Work complete! Stand by..");
switchApplets();
}
}.execute();
The Void stuff is because SwingWorker is also capable of returning results and sending intermediate progress updates, but this example doesn't use those features.
You indicated that your long running functions are also updating a progress bar. That's another thing that should happen only on the Swing thread. In practice you can often get away without it, but it's dodgy. Your progress updates can use one of the SwingUtilities.invoke methods, or the mechanisms of SwingWorker; either should work. (SwingWorker itself provides two different ways to do it: Call addPropertyChangeListener (Swing thread) and setProgress (background thread), or call publish (background thread) and override process (Swing thread).)
Also, a small suggestion: if it's inconvenient to deal with a checked exception (or impossible to usefully do so), rather than catching and ignoring it, you should at least catch & rethrow it as an unchecked exception:
catch (Exception e) {
throw new RuntimeException(e);
}
That way, the stacktrace and error message of any exception will not be lost.

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