org.apache.commons.io

Class FileCleaningTracker

java.lang.Object

org.apache.commons.io.FileCleaningTracker

public class FileCleaningTracker
extends java.lang.Object

Keeps track of files awaiting deletion, and deletes them when an associated marker object is reclaimed by the garbage collector.

This utility creates a background thread to handle file deletion. Each file to be deleted is registered with a handler object. When the handler object is garbage collected, the file is deleted.

In an environment with multiple class loaders (a servlet container, for example), you should consider stopping the background thread if it is no longer needed. This is done by invoking the method exitWhenFinished, typically in javax.servlet.ServletContextListener.contextDestroyed(javax.servlet.ServletContextEvent) or similar.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
FileCleaningTracker()

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
void	exitWhenFinished() Call this method to cause the file cleaner thread to terminate when there are no more objects being tracked for deletion.
java.util.List<java.lang.String>	getDeleteFailures() Return the file paths that failed to delete.
int	getTrackCount() Retrieve the number of files currently being tracked, and therefore awaiting deletion.
void	track(java.io.File file, java.lang.Object marker) Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected.
void	track(java.io.File file, java.lang.Object marker, FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy) Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected.
void	track(java.lang.String path, java.lang.Object marker) Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected.
void	track(java.lang.String path, java.lang.Object marker, FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy) Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

FileCleaningTracker

public FileCleaningTracker()

Method Detail

track

public void track(java.io.File file,
                  java.lang.Object marker)

Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected. The normal deletion strategy will be used.

Parameters:

file - the file to be tracked, not null

marker - the marker object used to track the file, not null

Throws:

java.lang.NullPointerException - if the file is null

track

public void track(java.io.File file,
                  java.lang.Object marker,
                  FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy)

Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected. The specified deletion strategy is used.

Parameters:

file - the file to be tracked, not null

marker - the marker object used to track the file, not null

deleteStrategy - the strategy to delete the file, null means normal

Throws:

java.lang.NullPointerException - if the file is null

track

public void track(java.lang.String path,
                  java.lang.Object marker)

Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected. The normal deletion strategy will be used.

Parameters:

path - the full path to the file to be tracked, not null

marker - the marker object used to track the file, not null

Throws:

java.lang.NullPointerException - if the path is null

track

public void track(java.lang.String path,
                  java.lang.Object marker,
                  FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy)

Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected. The specified deletion strategy is used.

Parameters:

path - the full path to the file to be tracked, not null

marker - the marker object used to track the file, not null

deleteStrategy - the strategy to delete the file, null means normal

Throws:

java.lang.NullPointerException - if the path is null

getTrackCount

public int getTrackCount()

Retrieve the number of files currently being tracked, and therefore awaiting deletion.

Returns:

the number of files being tracked

getDeleteFailures

public java.util.List<java.lang.String> getDeleteFailures()

Return the file paths that failed to delete.

Returns:

the file paths that failed to delete

Since:

2.0

exitWhenFinished

public void exitWhenFinished()

Call this method to cause the file cleaner thread to terminate when there are no more objects being tracked for deletion.

In a simple environment, you don't need this method as the file cleaner thread will simply exit when the JVM exits. In a more complex environment, with multiple class loaders (such as an application server), you should be aware that the file cleaner thread will continue running even if the class loader it was started from terminates. This can constitute a memory leak.

For example, suppose that you have developed a web application, which contains the commons-io jar file in your WEB-INF/lib directory. In other words, the FileCleaner class is loaded through the class loader of your web application. If the web application is terminated, but the servlet container is still running, then the file cleaner thread will still exist, posing a memory leak.

This method allows the thread to be terminated. Simply call this method in the resource cleanup code, such as javax.servlet.ServletContextListener.contextDestroyed(javax.servlet.ServletContextEvent). Once called, no new objects can be tracked by the file cleaner.