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How to use java multi-threading properly?

I many examples in Internet there are almost all the same:
public class Test extends Thread {
public synchronized void run() {
for (int i = 0; i <= 10; i++) {
System.out.println("i::"+i);
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Test obj = new Test();
Thread t1 = new Thread(obj);
Thread t2 = new Thread(obj);
Thread t3 = new Thread(obj);
t1.start();
t2.start();
t3.start();
}
}
So why would I call same task (in run() method) three times with different threads? E.g. if I want to upload a file, then why would I call it three times?
I assume if I need multithreading then:
thread t1 would do task1, e.g.:
- update database info
thread t2 would do task2, e.g.:
- upload file to server
thread t3 would do task3, e.g.:
- bring a message to an user
Is there an example that would to work like that described above.

You can create multiple threads the code given below where you only start thread and you don't need to call multiple times a same method. As you can see, once it started, all three child threads share the CPU. Notice the call to sleep(10000) in main( ). This causes the main thread to sleep for ten seconds and ensures that it will finish last.
// Create multiple threads.
class NewThread implements Runnable
{
String name;
} // name of thread Thread t;
NewThread(String threadname)
{
name = threadname;
}
t = new Thread(this, name);
System.out.println("New thread: " + t);
t.start(); // Start the thread
}
// This is the entry point for thread.
public void run()
{
try
{
for(int i = 5; i > 0; i--)
{
System.out.println(name + ": " + i);
Thread.sleep(1000);
}
} catch (InterruptedException e)
{
System.out.println(name + "Interrupted");
}
System.out.println(name + " exiting.");
}
}
class MultiThreadDemo
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
new NewThread("One"); // start threads
new NewThread("Two");
new NewThread("Three");
try
{
// wait for other threads to end
Thread.sleep(10000);
}
catch (InterruptedException e)
{
System.out.println("Main thread Interrupted");
}
System.out.println("Main thread exiting.");
}
}
Reference from The Complete Reference By Herbert Schildt

Make running thread execute method at command by main thread

I want to have the main thread command a separate running thread to execute a method. The important part is that the separate thread is the one calling the method, it can not be executed on the main thread.
I have made a test-program doing what I want, but I highly doubt it's stable and would like to know if there is a better or rather right way to do this.
Below is the code:
Class Main.java
public class Main
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
SomeThread thread = new SomeThread();
thread.start();
try { Thread.sleep(100); } catch (InterruptedException e) {}
// Manual wait ^, simulating that something should be done at a specific time
thread.somethingShouldBeDone();
thread.interrupt();
// The thread is interrupted, nothing should be done
thread.nothingShouldBeDone();
}
}
Class SomeThread.java
public class SomeThread extends Thread
{
private boolean doSomething = false;
private boolean safeInterrupted = false;
#Override
public void run()
{
while (!safeInterrupted)
{
// System.out.println(new Date().getTime() + " - " + doSomething);
if (doSomething)
{
doSomething();
doSomething = false;
}
try { sleep(10); } catch (InterruptedException e) {}
}
}
private void doSomething()
{
System.out.println(new Date().getTime() + " - Thread did something - " + Thread.currentThread().getId());
}
void somethingShouldBeDone()
{
System.out.println(new Date().getTime() + " - Something should be done");
doSomething = true;
}
void nothingShouldBeDone()
{
doSomething = true;
}
#Override
public void interrupt()
{
System.out.println(new Date().getTime() + " - Interrupting");
try { sleep(11); } catch (InterruptedException e) {}
safeInterrupted = true;
super.interrupt();
System.out.println(new Date().getTime() + " - Interrupted");
}
}
(I have experiened problems with isInterrupted(), which is why I use the variable safeInterrupted here..)
Thanks in advance for any answers or guidance.

You can use a android handler for this task.
Handler handler = new Handler(context.getMainLooper());
handler.post<Your runnable>

NotifyAll not working properly: program to control thread execution order - print integers sequentially

First of all, this is not a homework.
I have written a piece of code so that:
Thread-1 prints 1,4,7,... (diff is 3)
Thread-2 prints 2,5,8,...
Thread-3 prints 3,6,9,...
And the final output should be:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,...
Here's the code that works wonderfully well:
package threadAlgo;
public class ControlOrder {
volatile Monitor monitor = new Monitor();
public static void main(String[] args) {
ControlOrder order = new ControlOrder();
Thread one = new Thread(new Task(order.monitor, 1));
one.setName("Thread-1");
Thread two = new Thread(new Task(order.monitor, 2));
two.setName("Thread-2");
Thread three = new Thread(new Task(order.monitor, 3));
three.setName("Thread-3");
one.start();
two.start();
three.start();
}
}
class Monitor {
int threadNumber = 1;
}
class Task implements Runnable {
private Monitor monitor;
private int myThreadNumber;
private int currentCount;
Task(Monitor monitor, int myThreadNumber) {
this.monitor = monitor;
this.myThreadNumber = myThreadNumber;
this.currentCount = myThreadNumber;
}
#Override
public void run() {
while (true) {
while (monitor.threadNumber != myThreadNumber) {
synchronized (monitor) {
try {
monitor.wait(100); //DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT THE TIMEOUT!!!
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
synchronized (monitor) {
if (monitor.threadNumber == myThreadNumber) {
System.out.println(Thread.currentThread().getName() + ": " + currentCount);
currentCount = currentCount + 3;
}
try {
Thread.sleep(500);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
if (myThreadNumber == 3) {
monitor.threadNumber = 1;
} else {
monitor.threadNumber = myThreadNumber + 1;
}
monitor.notifyAll();
}
}
}
}
The only problem is that if I use wait() instead of wait(timeout), then the thread halts.
UPDATE:
Wait condition (while loop) should be inside synchronized block. A lesson for beginners, including me.

You should always
perform notifyAll/notify in conjunction with a change in state.
check the state change before using wait() in a loop.
If you call notify() and no wait() is waiting, then the signal is lost, so unless you check a state change, (or timeout) you can block forever waiting for a signal which doesn't change.

how to pause a thread and resume it exactly where it was left off

I'm trying to come with a solution for a thread to pause and resume exactly where it was left off.
So here's a sample code emulating my problem: 2 threads are running in the background: taskThread & busyThread. When busyThread is in system is busy area, taskThread must alt/pause immediately and resume exactly where it was left off. Example, if taskThread was paused at task C (finished) it should resume at D.
I tried to use wait, notify on taskThread but without success.
public class Test
{
private Thread taskThread;
private Thread busyThread;
public static void main(String args[]) throws Exception
{
Test t = new Test();
t.runTaskThread();
t.runBusyThread();
}
public void runTaskThread()
{
taskThread = new Thread(new Runnable(){
#Override
public void run()
{
for (int x=0; x<100; x++)
{
try
{
System.out.println("I'm doing task A for process #"+x);
Thread.sleep(1000);
System.out.println("I'm doing task B for process #"+x);
Thread.sleep(200);
System.out.println("I'm doing task C for process #"+x);
Thread.sleep(300);
System.out.println("I'm doing task D for process #"+x);
Thread.sleep(800);
System.out.println("\n\n");
} catch (InterruptedException e)
{
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}});
taskThread.start();
}
public void runBusyThread()
{
busyThread = new Thread(new Runnable(){
#Override
public void run()
{
while (true)
{
Random rand = new Random();
int randomNum = rand.nextInt(1000);
if (randomNum<400)
{
System.out.println("Wait...system is busy!!!");
try
{ //what should come here to to signal taskThread to paused
Thread.sleep(3000);
//what should come here to to signal taskThread to resume
} catch (InterruptedException e)
{
}
} else
{
try
{
Thread.sleep(300);
} catch (InterruptedException e)
{
}
}
}
}});
busyThread.start();
}
}

There are two very useful classes in concurrency package - CountDownLatch and CyclicBarrier. If you need this behaviour only once, you probably want the first one (as it cannot be reset).
Thread 1 will await until notified by thread 2. Once it was counted down to 0, thread 1 will never block again at await():
CountDownLatch cdl = new CountDownLatch(1);
// thread 1:
cdl.await();
// thread 2:
cdl.countDown();
Threads will block at await() until there are exactly two threads waiting:
CyclicBarrier barrier = new CyclicBarrier(2);
// both threads:
barrier.await();
EDIT:
Here is what I came up with when modifying your code, however it is unclear to me whether it is expected behaviour.
Note a volatile keyword on the CountDownLatch - it is very important here, otherwise taskThread may cache the initial object (new CountDownLatch(0)) and hence never block.
public class Test {
private Thread taskThread;
private Thread busyThread;
private volatile CountDownLatch cdl = new CountDownLatch(0);
public static void main(String args[]) throws Exception {
Test t = new Test();
t.runTaskThread();
t.runBusyThread();
}
public void runTaskThread() {
taskThread = new Thread(() -> {
for (int x = 0; x < 100; x++) {
waitIfSystemBusy();
System.out.println("I'm doing task A for process #" + x);
sleep(1000);
waitIfSystemBusy();
System.out.println("I'm doing task B for process #" + x);
sleep(200);
waitIfSystemBusy();
System.out.println("I'm doing task C for process #" + x);
sleep(300);
waitIfSystemBusy();
System.out.println("I'm doing task D for process #" + x);
sleep(800);
System.out.println("\n\n");
}
});
taskThread.start();
}
public void runBusyThread() {
busyThread = new Thread(() -> {
while (true) {
Random rand = new Random();
int randomNum = rand.nextInt(1000);
if (randomNum < 400) {
System.out.println("Wait...system is busy!!!");
cdl = new CountDownLatch(1); // signal taskThread to pause
sleep(3000);
cdl.countDown(); // signal taskThread to resume
} else {
sleep(300);
}
}
});
busyThread.start();
}
private void waitIfSystemBusy() {
try {
cdl.await();
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
throw new RuntimeException(e);
}
}
private static void sleep(int millis) {
try {
Thread.sleep(millis);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
throw new RuntimeException(e);
}
}
}

It would be done using the deprecated methods Thread.suspend/resume.
They are deprecated as they are deadlock prone, whereas concurrency mechanisms like locks behave in a designed explicit manner (but still deadlock prone).

I would suggest create a class that implements Runnable which simply keep track of the stages you are in
just as an example (please change accordingly)
class MyRunnable implements Runnable {
private int stage = 0; // if you want it gloabally, then use static
#Override
public void run() {
try{
switch(stage){
case 1:
System.out.println("1");
stage++;
case 2:
System.out.println("2");
Thread.sleep(2000);
stage++;
default:
stage = 0;
}
}catch (Exception e){
}
}
}
now to use such class you just need to create a new thread
for example:
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception{
MyRunnable myRunnable=new MyRunnable();
new Thread(myRunnable).start(); //it prints 1
Thread.sleep(1000);
new Thread(myRunnable).start(); //prints 2 follow by 2 sec sleep
}
NOTE:
this example wasn't intended to answer the question exactly but rather show a logic how it can be done.
EDIT 1:
what should come here to to signal taskThread to paused
taskThread.interupt();
what should come here to to signal taskThread to resume
taskThread=new Thread(myRunnable);
taskThread.start();

Instead of sleep() I would prefer wait() and notifyAll().
have a Boolean systemBusy, implement get and set methods;
now in thread1
run(){
synchronize(something){
while(isSystemBusy()){
try{
wait();}
catch{}
}
}
}
and on the other thread
run(){
setSystemBusy(true);
//piece of code
//task finished
notifyAll();
setSystemBusy(false);
}
you can use this in multiple waiting threads just remember to set appropriate while condition false after notify all.

Execute two threads which wait one for the other while main thread continues

How can I start two threads where thread1 executes first, thread2 starts when thread1 ends while the main method thread can continue its work without locking on the other two?
I have tried join() however it needs to be called from the thread which has to wait for the other, there's no way to do something like thread2.join(thread1);
If I call for a join inside main() I therefore effectively stop execution of the main thread and not only of thread2.
I therefore tried with ExecutorService but again same problem.
import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
public class Test
{
public static void main(String args[]) throws InterruptedException
{
System.out.println(Thread.currentThread().getName() + " is Started");
class TestThread extends Thread
{
String name;
public TestThread(String name)
{
this.name = name;
}
#Override
public void run()
{
try
{
System.out.println(this + " is Started");
Thread.sleep(2000);
System.out.println(this + " is Completed");
}
catch (InterruptedException ex) { ex.printStackTrace(); }
}
#Override
public String toString() { return "Thread " + name; }
}
ExecutorService executor = Executors.newCachedThreadPool();
executor.execute(new TestThread("1"));
boolean finished = executor.awaitTermination(1, TimeUnit.HOURS);
if(finished)
{
//I should execute thread 2 only after thread 1 has finished
executor.execute(new TestThread("2"));
}
//I should arrive here while process 1 and 2 go on with their execution
System.out.println("Hello");
}
}
#EDIT: Why I need this:
I need this because Thread1 copies elements from a database table into another database, thread2 has to copy a linking table which references the table copied from thread1.
Consequently thread2 has to start populating its linking table only when thread1 has finished otherwise an integrity error is given by the database.
Now imagine I have several threads with different priorities due to complex linking tables and you have an idea.

The second Thread can be custom like this (takes as argument the previous thread):
public static void main(String[] a) {
Thread first = new Thread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
}
});
Thread second = new MyThread(first);
first.start();
second.start();
//continue executing
}
public static class MyThread extends Thread {
private Thread predecessor;
public MyThread(Thread predecessor) {
this.predecessor = predecessor;
}
public void run() {
if (predecessor != null && predecessor.isAlive()) {
try {
predecessor.join();
} catch (InterruptedException e) {}
}
//do your stuff
}
}

You can use a CountDownLatch:
create it in the main thread, pass it on to both threads and call countdown on it in thread one when it exits and await it being counted down at the start of thread 2.

I am pretty sure you got something wrong because this must work and it does work:
new Thread() {
#Override
public void run() {
TestThread t1= new TestThread("1");
TestThread t2= new TestThread("2");
try {
t1.start();
t1.join();
t2.start();
t2.join();
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}.start();
The ouput is:
main is Started
Hello
Thread 1 is Started
Thread 1 is Completed
Thread 2 is Started
Thread 2 is Completed
Another option would be to extend the TestThread for the "Thread 1" to execute the work of "Thread 2" after it has been done with its own work. Something similar to this:
final TestThread t2= new TestThread("2");
TestThread t1= new TestThread("1") {
#Override
public void run() {
super.run(); //finish t1 work
t2.start(); // start t2 work
}
};
t1.start();

Why not just have thread1 be the one to start thread2?
// in main
new Thread(new Runnable() {
#Override public void run() {
// do thread1 work
new Thread(new Runnable() {
#Override public void run() { /* do thread2 work */ }
}).start();
}
}).start();
However, it's not at all clear why you would want to do this as opposed to just having thread1 do 100% of the background work.

You can use SingleThreadExecutor to run one task after another Java doc
So it will put your task one after another and they will execute in sequence without blocking main thread

Try this, This will work as expected. Two threads printing odd and even one after another and main exiting as soon as possible.
public class YoThreD {
static boolean isThread1 = false;
public static synchronized boolean isThread1() {
return isThread1 = !isThread1;
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
Runnable runnableObject = new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
synchronized (this) {
for (int i = 1; i <= 100; i++) {
try {
if (Thread.currentThread().getName().equals("thread1")) {
if (isThread1()){
System.out.println(Thread.currentThread().getName() + " : " + i);
}else{
this.notify();
this.wait();
}
} else {
if (!isThread1()){
System.out.println(Thread.currentThread().getName() + " : " + i);
this.notify();
this.wait();
}
else{
}
}
} catch (Exception e) {
}
}
}
}
};
Thread thread1 = new Thread(runnableObject);
thread1.setName("thread1");
thread1.start();
Thread thread2 = new Thread(runnableObject);
thread2.setName("thread2");
thread2.start();
System.out.println(Thread.currentThread().getName() + "Main thread finished");
}
}

Silly question, but if thread 2 is supposed to execute when thread 1 is done... why not just start it from thread 1?
Or maybe just have thread 1 trigger an event and the main thread can just launch the new one in response to that.
I found this example, should work for you.

You can run two thread one after other by using several ways:
by using join() method. ex:
Thread t1=new Thread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
System.out.println("A " + i);
}
}
});
Thread t2=new Thread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
System.out.println("B " + i);
}
}
});
by using wait() and notify() methods: ex.
`
{
public class NotiffyAllExample {
int flag = 1;
public static void main(String[] args) {
NotiffyAllExample notiffyAllExample = new NotiffyAllExample();
A1 a = new A1(notiffyAllExample);
B1 b = new B1(notiffyAllExample);
C1 c = new C1(notiffyAllExample);
a.start();
b.start();
}
}
class A1 extends Thread {
NotiffyAllExample notiffyAllExample;
public A1(net.citigroup.mexico.pg.test.test.NotiffyAllExample notiffyAllExample) {
this.notiffyAllExample = notiffyAllExample;
}
#Override
public void run() {
try {
synchronized (notiffyAllExample) {
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
while (notiffyAllExample.flag != 1) {
notiffyAllExample.wait();
}
System.out.print("A ");
}
notiffyAllExample.flag = 2;
notiffyAllExample.notifyAll();
}
} catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println("Exception 1 :" + e.getMessage());
}
}
}
class B1 extends Thread {
NotiffyAllExample notiffyAllExample;
public B1(NotiffyAllExample notiffyAllExample) {
this.notiffyAllExample = notiffyAllExample;
}
#Override
public void run() {
try {
synchronized (notiffyAllExample) {
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
while (notiffyAllExample.flag != 2) {
notiffyAllExample.wait();
}
System.out.print("B ");
}
notiffyAllExample.flag = 1;
notiffyAllExample.notifyAll();
}
} catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println("Exception 2 :" + e.getMessage());
}
}
}
}
`