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 * contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
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 * The ASF licenses this file to You under the Apache License, Version 2.0
 * (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
 * the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
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 *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
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 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
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package org.apache.commons.io;

import java.io.File;
import java.lang.ref.PhantomReference;
import java.lang.ref.ReferenceQueue;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.List;

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.

/** * Keeps track of files awaiting deletion, and deletes them when an associated * marker object is reclaimed by the garbage collector. * <p> * 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. * <p> * 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 * {@link #exitWhenFinished}, typically in * {@code javax.servlet.ServletContextListener.contextDestroyed(javax.servlet.ServletContextEvent)} or similar. * */
public class FileCleaningTracker { // Note: fields are package protected to allow use by test cases
Queue of Tracker instances being watched.
/** * Queue of <code>Tracker</code> instances being watched. */
ReferenceQueue<Object> q = new ReferenceQueue<>();
Collection of Tracker instances in existence.
/** * Collection of <code>Tracker</code> instances in existence. */
final Collection<Tracker> trackers = Collections.synchronizedSet(new HashSet<Tracker>()); // synchronized
Collection of File paths that failed to delete.
/** * Collection of File paths that failed to delete. */
final List<String> deleteFailures = Collections.synchronizedList(new ArrayList<String>());
Whether to terminate the thread when the tracking is complete.
/** * Whether to terminate the thread when the tracking is complete. */
volatile boolean exitWhenFinished = false;
The thread that will clean up registered files.
/** * The thread that will clean up registered files. */
Thread reaper; //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Params:
  • file – the file to be tracked, not null
  • marker – the marker object used to track the file, not null
Throws:
/** * Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file * when the marker instance is garbage collected. * The {@link FileDeleteStrategy#NORMAL normal} deletion strategy will be used. * * @param file the file to be tracked, not null * @param marker the marker object used to track the file, not null * @throws NullPointerException if the file is null */
public void track(final File file, final Object marker) { track(file, marker, null); }
Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected. The specified deletion strategy is used.
Params:
  • 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:
/** * Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file * when the marker instance is garbage collected. * The specified deletion strategy is used. * * @param file the file to be tracked, not null * @param marker the marker object used to track the file, not null * @param deleteStrategy the strategy to delete the file, null means normal * @throws NullPointerException if the file is null */
public void track(final File file, final Object marker, final FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy) { if (file == null) { throw new NullPointerException("The file must not be null"); } addTracker(file.getPath(), marker, deleteStrategy); }
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.
Params:
  • path – the full path to the file to be tracked, not null
  • marker – the marker object used to track the file, not null
Throws:
/** * Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file * when the marker instance is garbage collected. * The {@link FileDeleteStrategy#NORMAL normal} deletion strategy will be used. * * @param path the full path to the file to be tracked, not null * @param marker the marker object used to track the file, not null * @throws NullPointerException if the path is null */
public void track(final String path, final Object marker) { track(path, marker, null); }
Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file when the marker instance is garbage collected. The specified deletion strategy is used.
Params:
  • 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:
/** * Track the specified file, using the provided marker, deleting the file * when the marker instance is garbage collected. * The specified deletion strategy is used. * * @param path the full path to the file to be tracked, not null * @param marker the marker object used to track the file, not null * @param deleteStrategy the strategy to delete the file, null means normal * @throws NullPointerException if the path is null */
public void track(final String path, final Object marker, final FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy) { if (path == null) { throw new NullPointerException("The path must not be null"); } addTracker(path, marker, deleteStrategy); }
Adds a tracker to the list of trackers.
Params:
  • 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
/** * Adds a tracker to the list of trackers. * * @param path the full path to the file to be tracked, not null * @param marker the marker object used to track the file, not null * @param deleteStrategy the strategy to delete the file, null means normal */
private synchronized void addTracker(final String path, final Object marker, final FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy) { // synchronized block protects reaper if (exitWhenFinished) { throw new IllegalStateException("No new trackers can be added once exitWhenFinished() is called"); } if (reaper == null) { reaper = new Reaper(); reaper.start(); } trackers.add(new Tracker(path, deleteStrategy, marker, q)); } //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Retrieve the number of files currently being tracked, and therefore awaiting deletion.
Returns:the number of files being tracked
/** * Retrieve the number of files currently being tracked, and therefore * awaiting deletion. * * @return the number of files being tracked */
public int getTrackCount() { return trackers.size(); }
Return the file paths that failed to delete.
Returns:the file paths that failed to delete
Since:2.0
/** * Return the file paths that failed to delete. * * @return the file paths that failed to delete * @since 2.0 */
public List<String> getDeleteFailures() { return deleteFailures; }
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.

/** * Call this method to cause the file cleaner thread to terminate when * there are no more objects being tracked for deletion. * <p> * 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. * <p> * 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. * <p> * This method allows the thread to be terminated. Simply call this method * in the resource cleanup code, such as * {@code javax.servlet.ServletContextListener.contextDestroyed(javax.servlet.ServletContextEvent)}. * Once called, no new objects can be tracked by the file cleaner. */
public synchronized void exitWhenFinished() { // synchronized block protects reaper exitWhenFinished = true; if (reaper != null) { synchronized (reaper) { reaper.interrupt(); } } } //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The reaper thread.
/** * The reaper thread. */
private final class Reaper extends Thread {
Construct a new Reaper
/** Construct a new Reaper */
Reaper() { super("File Reaper"); setPriority(Thread.MAX_PRIORITY); setDaemon(true); }
Run the reaper thread that will delete files as their associated marker objects are reclaimed by the garbage collector.
/** * Run the reaper thread that will delete files as their associated * marker objects are reclaimed by the garbage collector. */
@Override public void run() { // thread exits when exitWhenFinished is true and there are no more tracked objects while (exitWhenFinished == false || trackers.size() > 0) { try { // Wait for a tracker to remove. final Tracker tracker = (Tracker) q.remove(); // cannot return null trackers.remove(tracker); if (!tracker.delete()) { deleteFailures.add(tracker.getPath()); } tracker.clear(); } catch (final InterruptedException e) { continue; } } } } //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Inner class which acts as the reference for a file pending deletion.
/** * Inner class which acts as the reference for a file pending deletion. */
private static final class Tracker extends PhantomReference<Object> {
The full path to the file being tracked.
/** * The full path to the file being tracked. */
private final String path;
The strategy for deleting files.
/** * The strategy for deleting files. */
private final FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy;
Constructs an instance of this class from the supplied parameters.
Params:
  • path – the full path to the file to be tracked, not null
  • deleteStrategy – the strategy to delete the file, null means normal
  • marker – the marker object used to track the file, not null
  • queue – the queue on to which the tracker will be pushed, not null
/** * Constructs an instance of this class from the supplied parameters. * * @param path the full path to the file to be tracked, not null * @param deleteStrategy the strategy to delete the file, null means normal * @param marker the marker object used to track the file, not null * @param queue the queue on to which the tracker will be pushed, not null */
Tracker(final String path, final FileDeleteStrategy deleteStrategy, final Object marker, final ReferenceQueue<? super Object> queue) { super(marker, queue); this.path = path; this.deleteStrategy = deleteStrategy == null ? FileDeleteStrategy.NORMAL : deleteStrategy; }
Return the path.
Returns:the path
/** * Return the path. * * @return the path */
public String getPath() { return path; }
Deletes the file associated with this tracker instance.
Returns:true if the file was deleted successfully; false otherwise.
/** * Deletes the file associated with this tracker instance. * * @return {@code true} if the file was deleted successfully; * {@code false} otherwise. */
public boolean delete() { return deleteStrategy.deleteQuietly(new File(path)); } } }