SwingWorker (Java SE 15 & JDK 15)
Description: declaration: module: java.desktop, package: javax.swing, class: SwingWorker
Keywords: javax.swing.SwingWorker class

Module java.desktop
Package javax.swing

# Class SwingWorker<T,​V>

java.lang.Object
javax.swing.SwingWorker<T,​V>

Type Parameters:
  `T` - the result type returned by this `SwingWorker's` `doInBackground` and `get` methods
  `V` - the type used for carrying out intermediate results by this `SwingWorker's` `publish` and `process` methods

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `Runnable`, `Future<T>`, `RunnableFuture<T>`

    public abstract class SwingWorker<T,​V>
    extends Object
    implements RunnableFuture<T>

An abstract class to perform lengthy GUI-interaction tasks in a background thread. Several background threads can be used to execute such tasks. However, the exact strategy of choosing a thread for any particular `SwingWorker` is unspecified and should not be relied on.

When writing a multi-threaded application using Swing, there are two constraints to keep in mind: (refer to Concurrency in Swing for more details):

- Time-consuming tasks should not be run on the Event Dispatch Thread. Otherwise the application becomes unresponsive.
- Swing components should be accessed on the Event Dispatch Thread only.

These constraints mean that a GUI application with time intensive computing needs at least two threads: 1) a thread to perform the lengthy task and 2) the Event Dispatch Thread (EDT) for all GUI-related activities. This involves inter-thread communication which can be tricky to implement.

`SwingWorker` is designed for situations where you need to have a long running task run in a background thread and provide updates to the UI either when done, or while processing. Subclasses of `SwingWorker` must implement the `doInBackground()` method to perform the background computation.

Workflow

There are three threads involved in the life cycle of a `SwingWorker` :

- Current thread: The `execute()` method is called on this thread. It schedules `SwingWorker` for the execution on a worker thread and returns immediately. One can wait for the `SwingWorker` to complete using the `get` methods.

- Worker thread: The `doInBackground()` method is called on this thread. This is where all background activities should happen. To notify `PropertyChangeListeners` about bound properties changes use the `firePropertyChange` and `getPropertyChangeSupport()` methods. By default there are two bound properties available: `state` and `progress`.

- Event Dispatch Thread: All Swing related activities occur on this thread. `SwingWorker` invokes the `process` and `done()` methods and notifies any `PropertyChangeListeners` on this thread.

Often, the Current thread is the Event Dispatch Thread.

Before the `doInBackground` method is invoked on a worker thread, `SwingWorker` notifies any `PropertyChangeListeners` about the `state` property change to `StateValue.STARTED`. After the `doInBackground` method is finished the `done` method is executed. Then `SwingWorker` notifies any `PropertyChangeListeners` about the `state` property change to `StateValue.DONE`.

`SwingWorker` is only designed to be executed once. Executing a `SwingWorker` more than once will not result in invoking the `doInBackground` method twice.

Sample Usage

The following example illustrates the simplest use case. Some processing is done in the background and when done you update a Swing component.

Say we want to find the "Meaning of Life" and display the result in a `JLabel`.

       final JLabel label;
       class MeaningOfLifeFinder extends SwingWorker<String, Object> {
           @Override
           public String doInBackground() {
               return findTheMeaningOfLife();
           }

           @Override
           protected void done() {
               try {
                   label.setText(get());
               } catch (Exception ignore) {
               }
           }
       }

       (new MeaningOfLifeFinder()).execute();

The next example is useful in situations where you wish to process data as it is ready on the Event Dispatch Thread.

Now we want to find the first N prime numbers and display the results in a `JTextArea`. While this is computing, we want to update our progress in a `JProgressBar`. Finally, we also want to print the prime numbers to `System.out`.

     class PrimeNumbersTask extends
             SwingWorker<List<Integer>, Integer> {
         PrimeNumbersTask(JTextArea textArea, int numbersToFind) {
             //initialize
         }

         @Override
         public List<Integer> doInBackground() {
             while (! enough && ! isCancelled()) {
                     number = nextPrimeNumber();
                     publish(number);
                     setProgress(100 * numbers.size() / numbersToFind);
                 }
             }
             return numbers;
         }

         @Override
         protected void process(List<Integer> chunks) {
             for (int number : chunks) {
                 textArea.append(number + "\n");
             }
         }
     }

     JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea();
     final JProgressBar progressBar = new JProgressBar(0, 100);
     PrimeNumbersTask task = new PrimeNumbersTask(textArea, N);
     task.addPropertyChangeListener(
         new PropertyChangeListener() {
             public  void propertyChange(PropertyChangeEvent evt) {
                 if ("progress".equals(evt.getPropertyName())) {
                     progressBar.setValue((Integer)evt.getNewValue());
                 }
             }
         });

     task.execute();
     System.out.println(task.get()); //prints all prime numbers we have got

Because `SwingWorker` implements `Runnable`, a `SwingWorker` can be submitted to an `Executor` for execution.

Since:
  1.6

- ## Nested Class Summary

  Nested Classes
  Modifier and Type | Class | Description
  --- | --- | ---
  `static class` | `SwingWorker.StateValue` | Values for the `state` bound property.

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Constructor | Description
  --- | ---
  `SwingWorker()` | Constructs this `SwingWorker`.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type | Method | Description
  --- | --- | ---
  `void` | `addPropertyChangeListener​(PropertyChangeListener listener)` | Adds a `PropertyChangeListener` to the listener list.
  `protected abstract T` | `doInBackground()` | Computes a result, or throws an exception if unable to do so.
  `protected void` | `done()` | Executed on the Event Dispatch Thread after the `doInBackground` method is finished.
  `void` | `execute()` | Schedules this `SwingWorker` for execution on a worker thread.
  `void` | `firePropertyChange​(String propertyName, Object oldValue, Object newValue)` | Reports a bound property update to any registered listeners.
  `T` | `get()` | Waits if necessary for the computation to complete, and then retrieves its result.
  `T` | `get​(long timeout, TimeUnit unit)` | Waits if necessary for at most the given time for the computation to complete, and then retrieves its result, if available.
  `int` | `getProgress()` | Returns the `progress` bound property.
  `PropertyChangeSupport` | `getPropertyChangeSupport()` | Returns the `PropertyChangeSupport` for this `SwingWorker`.
  `SwingWorker.StateValue` | `getState()` | Returns the `SwingWorker` state bound property.
  `protected void` | `process​(List<V> chunks)` | Receives data chunks from the `publish` method asynchronously on the Event Dispatch Thread.
  `protected void` | `publish​(V... chunks)` | Sends data chunks to the `process(java.util.List<V>)` method.
  `void` | `removePropertyChangeListener​(PropertyChangeListener listener)` | Removes a `PropertyChangeListener` from the listener list.
  `void` | `run()` | Sets this `Future` to the result of computation unless it has been cancelled.
  `protected void` | `setProgress​(int progress)` | Sets the `progress` bound property.

  ### Methods declared in class java.lang.Object

  `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

  ### Methods declared in interface java.util.concurrent.Future

  `cancel, isCancelled, isDone`

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### SwingWorker

    public SwingWorker()
    Constructs this `SwingWorker`.

- ## Method Details

  - ### doInBackground

    protected abstract T doInBackground() throws Exception
    Computes a result, or throws an exception if unable to do so.

    Note that this method is executed only once.

    Note: this method is executed in a background thread.

    Returns:
      the computed result
    Throws:
      `Exception` - if unable to compute a result

  - ### run

    public final void run()
    Sets this `Future` to the result of computation unless it has been cancelled.
    Specified by:
      `run` in interface `Runnable`
    Specified by:
      `run` in interface `RunnableFuture<T>`
    See Also:
      `Thread.run()`

  - ### publish

    @SafeVarargs protected final void publish​(V... chunks)
    Sends data chunks to the `process(java.util.List<V>)` method. This method is to be used from inside the `doInBackground` method to deliver intermediate results for processing on the Event Dispatch Thread inside the `process` method.

    Because the `process` method is invoked asynchronously on the Event Dispatch Thread multiple invocations to the `publish` method might occur before the `process` method is executed. For performance purposes all these invocations are coalesced into one invocation with concatenated arguments.

    For example:

         publish("1");
         publish("2", "3");
         publish("4", "5", "6");

    might result in:

         process("1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6")

    Sample Usage. This code snippet loads some tabular data and updates `DefaultTableModel` with it. Note that it safe to mutate the tableModel from inside the `process` method because it is invoked on the Event Dispatch Thread.

         class TableSwingWorker extends
                 SwingWorker<DefaultTableModel, Object[]> {
             private final DefaultTableModel tableModel;

             public TableSwingWorker(DefaultTableModel tableModel) {
                 this.tableModel = tableModel;
             }

             @Override
             protected DefaultTableModel doInBackground() throws Exception {
                 for (Object[] row = loadData();
                          ! isCancelled() && row != null;
                          row = loadData()) {
                     publish((Object[]) row);
                 }
                 return tableModel;
             }

             @Override
             protected void process(List<Object[]> chunks) {
                 for (Object[] row : chunks) {
                     tableModel.addRow(row);
                 }
             }
         }

    Parameters:
      `chunks` - intermediate results to process
    See Also:
      `process(java.util.List<V>)`

  - ### process

    protected void process​(List<V> chunks)
    Receives data chunks from the `publish` method asynchronously on the Event Dispatch Thread.

    Please refer to the `publish(V...)` method for more details.

    Parameters:
      `chunks` - intermediate results to process
    See Also:
      `publish(V...)`

  - ### done

    protected void done()
    Executed on the Event Dispatch Thread after the `doInBackground` method is finished. The default implementation does nothing. Subclasses may override this method to perform completion actions on the Event Dispatch Thread. Note that you can query status inside the implementation of this method to determine the result of this task or whether this task has been cancelled.
    See Also:
      `doInBackground()`, `Future.isCancelled()`, `get()`

  - ### setProgress

    protected final void setProgress​(int progress)
    Sets the `progress` bound property. The value should be from 0 to 100.

    Because `PropertyChangeListener`s are notified asynchronously on the Event Dispatch Thread multiple invocations to the `setProgress` method might occur before any `PropertyChangeListeners` are invoked. For performance purposes all these invocations are coalesced into one invocation with the last invocation argument only.

    For example, the following invokations:

         setProgress(1);
         setProgress(2);
         setProgress(3);

    might result in a single `PropertyChangeListener` notification with the value `3`.
    Parameters:
      `progress` - the progress value to set
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - is value not from 0 to 100

  - ### getProgress

    public final int getProgress()
    Returns the `progress` bound property.
    Returns:
      the progress bound property.

  - ### execute

    public final void execute()
    Schedules this `SwingWorker` for execution on a worker thread. There are a number of worker threads available. In the event all worker threads are busy handling other `SwingWorkers` this `SwingWorker` is placed in a waiting queue.

    Note: `SwingWorker` is only designed to be executed once. Executing a `SwingWorker` more than once will not result in invoking the `doInBackground` method twice.

  - ### get

    public final T get() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException
    Waits if necessary for the computation to complete, and then retrieves its result.

    Note: calling `get` on the Event Dispatch Thread blocks all events, including repaints, from being processed until this `SwingWorker` is complete.

    When you want the `SwingWorker` to block on the Event Dispatch Thread we recommend that you use a modal dialog.

    For example:

         class SwingWorkerCompletionWaiter implements PropertyChangeListener {
             private JDialog dialog;

             public SwingWorkerCompletionWaiter(JDialog dialog) {
                 this.dialog = dialog;
             }

             public void propertyChange(PropertyChangeEvent event) {
                 if ("state".equals(event.getPropertyName())
                         && SwingWorker.StateValue.DONE == event.getNewValue()) {
                     dialog.setVisible(false);
                     dialog.dispose();
                 }
             }
         }
         JDialog dialog = new JDialog(owner, true);
         swingWorker.addPropertyChangeListener(
             new SwingWorkerCompletionWaiter(dialog));
         swingWorker.execute();
         //the dialog will be visible until the SwingWorker is done
         dialog.setVisible(true);

    Specified by:
      `get` in interface `Future<T>`
    Returns:
      the computed result
    Throws:
      `CancellationException` - if the computation was cancelled
      `InterruptedException` - if the current thread was interrupted while waiting
      `ExecutionException` - if the computation threw an exception

  - ### get

    public final T get​(long timeout, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    Waits if necessary for at most the given time for the computation to complete, and then retrieves its result, if available.

    Please refer to `get()` for more details.

    Specified by:
      `get` in interface `Future<T>`
    Parameters:
      `timeout` - the maximum time to wait
      `unit` - the time unit of the timeout argument
    Returns:
      the computed result
    Throws:
      `CancellationException` - if the computation was cancelled
      `InterruptedException` - if the current thread was interrupted while waiting
      `ExecutionException` - if the computation threw an exception
      `TimeoutException` - if the wait timed out

  - ### addPropertyChangeListener

    public final void addPropertyChangeListener​(PropertyChangeListener listener)
    Adds a `PropertyChangeListener` to the listener list. The listener is registered for all properties. The same listener object may be added more than once, and will be called as many times as it is added. If `listener` is `null`, no exception is thrown and no action is taken.

    Note: This is merely a convenience wrapper. All work is delegated to `PropertyChangeSupport` from `getPropertyChangeSupport()`.

    Parameters:
      `listener` - the `PropertyChangeListener` to be added

  - ### removePropertyChangeListener

    public final void removePropertyChangeListener​(PropertyChangeListener listener)
    Removes a `PropertyChangeListener` from the listener list. This removes a `PropertyChangeListener` that was registered for all properties. If `listener` was added more than once to the same event source, it will be notified one less time after being removed. If `listener` is `null`, or was never added, no exception is thrown and no action is taken.

    Note: This is merely a convenience wrapper. All work is delegated to `PropertyChangeSupport` from `getPropertyChangeSupport()`.

    Parameters:
      `listener` - the `PropertyChangeListener` to be removed

  - ### firePropertyChange

    public final void firePropertyChange​(String propertyName, Object oldValue, Object newValue)
    Reports a bound property update to any registered listeners. No event is fired if `old` and `new` are equal and non-null.

    This `SwingWorker` will be the source for any generated events.

    When called off the Event Dispatch Thread `PropertyChangeListeners` are notified asynchronously on the Event Dispatch Thread.

    Note: This is merely a convenience wrapper. All work is delegated to `PropertyChangeSupport` from `getPropertyChangeSupport()`.

    Parameters:
      `propertyName` - the programmatic name of the property that was changed
      `oldValue` - the old value of the property
      `newValue` - the new value of the property

  - ### getPropertyChangeSupport

    public final PropertyChangeSupport getPropertyChangeSupport()
    Returns the `PropertyChangeSupport` for this `SwingWorker`. This method is used when flexible access to bound properties support is needed.

    This `SwingWorker` will be the source for any generated events.

    Note: The returned `PropertyChangeSupport` notifies any `PropertyChangeListener`s asynchronously on the Event Dispatch Thread in the event that `firePropertyChange` or `fireIndexedPropertyChange` are called off the Event Dispatch Thread.

    Returns:
      `PropertyChangeSupport` for this `SwingWorker`

  - ### getState

    public final SwingWorker.StateValue getState()
    Returns the `SwingWorker` state bound property.
    Returns:
      the current state