A synchronization point at which two threads can exchange objects.
Each thread presents some object on entry to the exchange method, and receives the object presented by the other
thread on return.
Sample Usage:
Here are the highlights of a class that uses an Exchanger to
swap buffers between threads so that the thread filling the
buffer gets a freshly
emptied one when it needs it, handing off the filled one to
the thread emptying the buffer.
class FillAndEmpty {
Exchanger<DataBuffer> exchanger = new Exchanger();
DataBuffer initialEmptyBuffer = ... a made-up type
DataBuffer initialFullBuffer = ...
class FillingLoop implements Runnable {
public void run() {
DataBuffer currentBuffer = initialEmptyBuffer;
try {
while (currentBuffer != null) {
addToBuffer(currentBuffer);
if (currentBuffer.full())
currentBuffer = exchanger.exchange(currentBuffer);
}
} catch (InterruptedException ex) { ... handle ... }
}
}
class EmptyingLoop implements Runnable {
public void run() {
DataBuffer currentBuffer = initialFullBuffer;
try {
while (currentBuffer != null) {
takeFromBuffer(currentBuffer);
if (currentBuffer.empty())
currentBuffer = exchanger.exchange(currentBuffer);
}
} catch (InterruptedException ex) { ... handle ...}
}
}
void start() {
new Thread(new FillingLoop()).start();
new Thread(new EmptyingLoop()).start();
}
}
Sample Usage: Here are the highlights of a class that uses an Exchanger to swap buffers between threads so that the thread filling the buffer gets a freshly emptied one when it needs it, handing off the filled one to the thread emptying the buffer.
class FillAndEmpty { Exchanger<DataBuffer> exchanger = new Exchanger(); DataBuffer initialEmptyBuffer = ... a made-up type DataBuffer initialFullBuffer = ... class FillingLoop implements Runnable { public void run() { DataBuffer currentBuffer = initialEmptyBuffer; try { while (currentBuffer != null) { addToBuffer(currentBuffer); if (currentBuffer.full()) currentBuffer = exchanger.exchange(currentBuffer); } } catch (InterruptedException ex) { ... handle ... } } } class EmptyingLoop implements Runnable { public void run() { DataBuffer currentBuffer = initialFullBuffer; try { while (currentBuffer != null) { takeFromBuffer(currentBuffer); if (currentBuffer.empty()) currentBuffer = exchanger.exchange(currentBuffer); } } catch (InterruptedException ex) { ... handle ...} } } void start() { new Thread(new FillingLoop()).start(); new Thread(new EmptyingLoop()).start(); } }