A question about Java Thread

java-programmer, A question about Java Thread I see a code like this:

in a Thread:
--------------------------
public void run() {

Thread currentThread = Thread.currentThread();

while (thread == currentThread) {

try {
repaint();
thread.sleep(100);
}
catch (InterruptedException ex) {
}

}
}
---------------------------

what's the "while (thread == currentThread) " codes mean?
what is it used for?

Thank you in advance.

java-programmer >> A question about Java Thread JTL.zheng wrote:
> I see a code like this:
>
> in a Thread:
> --------------------------
> public void run() {
>
> Thread currentThread = Thread.currentThread();
>
> while (thread == currentThread) {
>
> try {
> repaint();
> thread.sleep(100);
> }
> catch (InterruptedException ex) {
> }
>
> }
> }
> ---------------------------
>
> what's the "while (thread == currentThread) " codes mean?
> what is it used for?

There really needs to be more context to be certain. I will make a guess,
though. Apparently 'thread' is an instance variable or final method variable
from outside the Runnable that keeps track of some sort of "active" Thread
knowledge.

If you provide a short, complete example we'll know better.

One observation - the code you're reading might be flawed. It uses the expression

thread.sleep(100);

But sleep() is a static method, so it should not be called via the instance
'thread' but via the class 'Thread':

Thread.sleep(100);

The instance reference implies to some people that sleep() operates on the
specified instance; it does not, necessarily. (In this example it works
because the logic 'thread == currentThread' guarantees that 'thread' refers to
the current Thread, so the two idioms are equivalent this time, luckily.)

To make the logic clear, static methods should be called via class references,
not object references.

--
Lew

java-programmer >> A question about Java Thread Lew wrote:
> JTL.zheng wrote:
>> I see a code like this:
>>
>> in a Thread:
>> --------------------------
>> public void run() {
>>
>> Thread currentThread = Thread.currentThread();
>>
>> while (thread == currentThread) {
>>
>> try {
>> repaint();
>> thread.sleep(100);
>> }
>> catch (InterruptedException ex) {
>> }
>>
>> }
>> }
>> ---------------------------
>>
>> what's the "while (thread == currentThread) " codes mean?
>> what is it used for?
>
> There really needs to be more context to be certain. I will make a
> guess, though. Apparently 'thread' is an instance variable or final
> method variable from outside the Runnable that keeps track of some sort
> of "active" Thread knowledge.
>
> If you provide a short, complete example we'll know better.
>
> One observation - the code you're reading might be flawed. It uses the
> expression
>
> thread.sleep(100);
>
> But sleep() is a static method, so it should not be called via the
> instance 'thread' but via the class 'Thread':
>
> Thread.sleep(100);
>
> The instance reference implies to some people that sleep() operates on
> the specified instance; it does not, necessarily. (In this example it
> works because the logic 'thread == currentThread' guarantees that
> 'thread' refers to the current Thread, so the two idioms are equivalent
> this time, luckily.)
>
> To make the logic clear, static methods should be called via class
> references, not object references.
>

This used to be a fairly commonly seen bit of code for applets. The
thread reference is changed somewhere else (eg. the stop method) to end
the execution of this run method. You don't see many people writing
applets or asking questions about them here very often.

--

Knute Johnson
email s/nospam/knute/

java-programmer >> A question about Java Thread JTL.zheng wrote:
> I see a code like this:
>
> in a Thread:
> --------------------------
> public void run() {
>
> Thread currentThread = Thread.currentThread();
>
> while (thread == currentThread) {
>
> try {
> repaint();
> thread.sleep(100);
> }
> catch (InterruptedException ex) {
> }
>
> }
> }
> ---------------------------
>
> what's the "while (thread == currentThread) " codes mean?
> what is it used for?

Usually one uses such constructs to determine the validity of the
thread. That means a Thread-Object holds a reference to itself ("thread"
in the example) which can be set to null from the _outside_ of the
thread. Any 100 ms the thread awakes and checks if it's "thread"
reference still points to itself or has been set to null. If it has been
set to null, the thread exits the while loop and therefore the run()
method returns (say: thread is dead).

whenever you see such constructs, you can be sure they are used to
signal the thread to exit.

But one more Point: Don't use the ref-name "thread" for a reference to a
"Thread" Object! This can easily be misunderstood.