Launching Java thread

Hello There,

I need to have one task checking some files each hour, I was thinking in use a java thread to do that. I would like to know if there is a way to run/stop that kind of services. I know I could launch the thread in static way, and If the thread is not a daemon, the system is going to kill it once the server stops, but I dont want the server kill the thread if it is executing the task. Has teamsite something to do that? I didnt find nothing useful.

Thanks in advance.

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Adam Stoller

Hello There,

I need to have one task checking some files each hour, I was thinking in use a java thread to do that. I would like to know if there is a way to run/stop that kind of services. I know I could launch the thread in static way, and If the thread is not a daemon, the system is going to kill it once the server stops, but I dont want the server kill the thread if it is executing the task. Has teamsite something to do that? I didnt find nothing useful.

Thanks in advance.

Do you need to have the process check files each hour, or based on some other event taking place?

If the former - look at what your OS provides as a scheduler (e.g.: on Unix look at cron)

If the latter - look at information in the CLT manual for iwat.

In either case, you may have to deal with authentication issues.

jestudillo

It's going to be every hour and without any kind of evens. The thing is this task (check the files) can be executed manually as well so I have to control the task overlapping with java (if the task is already running just ignore the execution). That is why I need to use java to do that background check as well. I could lauch the thread in static way, but then I have to able to stop the thread in a proper way (if it is executing a task wait until the task is done). Do you know something to do that? Thanks

Rick Poulin

Why can't you cron a Java process that, as a first step, checks if another instance of itself already running? Easy enough to do, even if it's just by using a lockfile.

jestudillo

Thanks for your answer.

yes, it is easy enough, but imagine this situation:

- I start the thread for example in an static way, or initialice a Timer on static way as well:

static {
//Thread or timer initialization
//Launch the Thread or the timer
}

//Period working in a proper way

//Someone decides stop the server but in that moment the task is running

so I would like to have something like this (because I need all the execution get the complete task done):

TaskThread.stopThread() // method for let the thread know I dont want it to still running once It has done with what it is doing right now

TaskThread.join(); //if it is running I'll wait for it, if it isnt I'll continue with the execution

//do whatever the server needs to stop

I think in the way you are telling me about that is not possible, please let me know if im wrong. Thanks

Rick Poulin

Whether or not the suggestion is possible really depends on what your process is doing. The key is that you should try to do the bulk of the processing before, so that your process allows for a relatively quick "commit" step where connectivity to the server is critical. That way, if TeamSite dies somewhere before the commit, your process can just quit and start over when TeamSite is up again.

I think the biggest gap between the above suggestion and the pseudocode you posted, is that we're suggesting you use a standalone Java process (as opposed to a thread) that terminates upon a single iteration of what you're trying to do. Let cron (or the windows task scheduler) manage the execution loop.

jestudillo

Thanks for your answer. I think the cron is not a solution because I cant control the process overlapping (the cron would launch a standalone process, and the teamsite java virtual machine another one and there is no way to synchronize both). I dont know even it is possible to get the solution Im looking for... Thanks again.