Timer
is a utility class which is used to schedule tasks for both one time and repeated execution. Through timer tasks, Spring framework provide support for executing tasks which are scheduled to get executed periodically for multiple times or even single time also.
There are other ways to achieve scheduler functionality in java e.g. running thread in infinite loop, using executor service, or using 3rd party APIs like quartz. Timer
just happens to be one of them.
Timer
is dependent on system clock so setting back system clock by n hours, would prevent the next execution of timer task also by n hours.In Spring, there are two ways to use timer tasks:
- Configure
MethodInvokingTimerTaskFactoryBean
- Extend
java.util.TimerTask
Lets demo usage of each one using example.
1. Configure MethodInvokingTimerTaskFactoryBean
In this method, timer task bean and method to be executed inside it, is configured in org.springframework.scheduling.timer.MethodInvokingTimerTaskFactoryBean
definition. This is a factory bean which exposes a TimerTask
object which delegates job execution to a specified (static or non-static) method. This avoids the need to implement a one-line TimerTask
that just invokes an existing business method.
A sample spring configuration will look like this:
<beans> <bean id="demoTimerTask" class="com.howtodoinjava.task.DemoTimerTask"></bean> <bean id="timerTaskFactoryBean" class="org.springframework.scheduling.timer.MethodInvokingTimerTaskFactoryBean"> <property name="targetObject" ref="demoTimerTask"></property> <property name="targetMethod" value="execute"></property> </bean> <bean id="scheduledTimerTask" class="org.springframework.scheduling.timer.ScheduledTimerTask"> <property name="timerTask" ref="timerTaskFactoryBean"></property> <property name="period" value="5000"></property> </bean> <bean class="org.springframework.scheduling.timer.TimerFactoryBean"> <property name="scheduledTimerTasks"> <list> <ref local="scheduledTimerTask"></ref> </list> </property> </bean> </beans>
Above timer task will get executed in every 5 seconds
. Lets write out demo timer task and test it.
package com.howtodoinjava.task; import java.util.Date; /** * No need to implement any interface * */ public class DemoTimerTask { //Define the method to be called as configured public void execute() { System.out.println("Executed task on :: " + new Date()); } }
Now, lets test the timer task.
package com.howtodoinjava.timer; import org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext; public class TestDemoTimerTask { public static void main(String[] args) { new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext("application-config.xml"); } }
Executed task on :: Mon Apr 22 09:53:39 IST 2017 Executed task on :: Mon Apr 22 09:53:44 IST 2017
2. Extend java.util.TimerTask
Using this way, we define out timer task by extending java.util.TimerTask and pass it to spring configuration for executing it repeatedly.
Lets see, how to do it:
<beans> <bean id="demoTimerTask" class="com.howtodoinjava.task.DemoTimerTask2"></bean> <bean id="scheduledTimerTask" class="org.springframework.scheduling.timer.ScheduledTimerTask"> <!-- run every 3 secs --> <property name="period" value="3000"></property> <property name="timerTask" ref="demoTimerTask"></property> </bean> <bean class="org.springframework.scheduling.timer.TimerFactoryBean"> <property name="scheduledTimerTasks"> <list> <ref local="scheduledTimerTask"></ref> </list> </property> </bean> </beans>
Above task will get executed in every 3 seconds
. Lets extend out timer task from TimerTask provided by java.
package com.howtodoinjava.task; import java.util.Date; import java.util.TimerTask; public class DemoTimerTask2 extends TimerTask { public void run() { System.out.println("DemoTimerTask2 running at: " + new Date(this.scheduledExecutionTime())); } }
Lets test the configuration:
package com.howtodoinjava.timer; import org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext; public class TestDemoTimerTask2 { public static void main(String[] args) { new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext("application-config2.xml"); } }
DemoTimerTask2 running at: Mon Apr 22 10:01:33 IST 2013 DemoTimerTask2 running at: Mon Apr 22 10:01:36 IST 2013 DemoTimerTask2 running at: Mon Apr 22 10:01:39 IST 2013
Happy Learning !!
sridhar Gadde
Hi, I Used fixed delay and run the web application, it’s working perfect on the JBOSS server, but recently we moved our web application from JBOSS to tomcat, this scheduler function is not working… is there any suggestion for this.
Lokesh Gupta
Anybody would like to suggest anything??
josh
simple, straight forward tutorial that I can apply in my work, thanks for this
Prasad
How can I change the “period” programmatically?
Lokesh Gupta
Try creating an instance of “ScheduledTimerTask” and set the period of your choice. Now try to add this in list of “scheduledTimerTasks”.
https://docs.spring.io/spring-framework/docs/2.0.x/javadoc-api/org/springframework/scheduling/timer/TimerFactoryBean.html
Use method: registerTasks(ScheduledTimerTask[] tasks, Timer timer)
Please let me know if you was able to do it.
hamid samani (@hamid1129)
yes , but both TimerTask and Spring’s built-in scheduler creates new Thread’s for scheduling and they have same functionality, in addition using spring’s built-in scheduler like Quartz, we can use flexible ‘cron’ expressions for running tasks.
Lokesh Gupta
Your comment inspired me dig more on other ways for task scheduling. I will cover more of them in future posts. But, for now I just posted my learning around @Scheduled annotation in below post:
https://howtodoinjava.com/spring/spring-core/4-ways-to-schedule-tasks-in-spring-3-scheduled-example/
hamid samani (@hamid1129)
Good , I’m happy for that ๐
Ohad
note that in Spring3, “ScheduledTimerTask” is deprecated. The better way to work with timers is like you describe in your other blog post….
hamid samani (@hamid1129)
I think using @Scheduled annotation is easiest way to execute timer tasks in spring 3.
Lokesh Gupta
Hamid, I doubt that @Scheduled is not used for timer tasks, though it serve the same purpose i.e. executing task periodically.
Above both techniques use java.util.TimerTask class internally. But in case of @Scheduled, Spring 3’s built-in scheduler just like quartz.
Please correct me if i am missing anything ??