create new thread inside actionPerformed and Event Dispatch Thread (EDT) issue

Question

As stated from Sun that actionPerformed() from ActionListener is executed in EDT automatically so I've decided to create new thread inside actionPerformed() method and the problem is this thread is not running inside EDT. Can someone explain this? Thanks

Answer 1

1) AWT or Swing GUI invoked and created EDT, this event is done by (maybe there are another) methods pack() and setVisible(true)

2) if all events waiting in EDT are done and EDT is empty then if (EventQueue.isDispatchThread()) { returns false, but EDT thread is there until current JVM instance exist

3) as mentioned for invoke EDT queue you can use invokeLater or invokeAndWait, notice invokeAndWait you can use only if isDispatchThread returns false, otherwise returns exceptions

4) by calling Thread.sleep(int) from Swing Listener or its method can freeze and lock EDT, causing lost some event from event queue,

two codes example for testing isDispatchThread() and how to alive EDT from Java Objects

import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.concurrent.*;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import javax.swing.*;

public class IsThereEDT {

    private ScheduledExecutorService scheduler;
    private AccurateScheduledRunnable periodic;
    private ScheduledFuture<?> periodicMonitor;
    private int taskPeriod = 30;
    private SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("HH:mm:ss");
    private Date dateRun;
    private JFrame frame1 = new JFrame("Frame 1");

    public IsThereEDT() {
        scheduler = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor();
        periodic = new AccurateScheduledRunnable() {

            private final int ALLOWED_TARDINESS = 200;
            private int countRun = 0;
            private int countCalled = 0;
            private int maxCalled = 10;

            @Override
            public void run() {
                countCalled++;
                if (countCalled < maxCalled) {
                    if (countCalled % 3 == 0) {
                        /*if (EventQueue.isDispatchThread()) {
                            SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

                                @Override
                                public void run() {
                                    //some stuff
                                }
                            });
                        } else {
                            try {
                                SwingUtilities.invokeAndWait(new Runnable() {

                                    @Override
                                    public void run() {
                                        //some stuff
                                    }
                                });
                            } catch (InterruptedException ex) {
                                Logger.getLogger(IsThereEDT.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
                            } catch (InvocationTargetException ex) {
                                Logger.getLogger(IsThereEDT.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
                            }
                        }*/
                        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

                            @Override
                            public void run() {
                                System.out.println("Push a new event to EDT");
                                frame1.repaint();
                                isThereReallyEDT();
                            }
                        });
                    } else {
                        if (this.getExecutionTime() < ALLOWED_TARDINESS) {
                            countRun++;
                            isThereReallyEDT(); // non on EDT
                        }
                    }
                } else {
                    System.out.println("Terminating this madness");
                    System.exit(0);
                }
            }
        };
        periodicMonitor = scheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(periodic, 0, taskPeriod, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
        periodic.setThreadMonitor(periodicMonitor);
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                isThereReallyEDT();
                frame1.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame1.getContentPane().add(new JLabel("Hello in frame 1"));
                frame1.pack();
                frame1.setLocation(100, 100);
                frame1.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
        try {
            Thread.sleep(500);
        } catch (InterruptedException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(IsThereEDT.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                JFrame frame2 = new JFrame("Frame 2");
                frame2.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame2.getContentPane().add(new JLabel("Hello in frame 2"));
                frame2.pack();
                frame2.setLocation(200, 200);
                frame2.setVisible(true);
                isThereReallyEDT();
            }
        });
    }

    private void isThereReallyEDT() {
        dateRun = new java.util.Date();
        System.out.println("                         Time at : " + sdf.format(dateRun));
        if (EventQueue.isDispatchThread()) {
            System.out.println("EventQueue.isDispatchThread");
        } else {
            System.out.println("There isn't Live EventQueue.isDispatchThread, why any reason for that ");
        }
        if (SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread()) {
            System.out.println("SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread");
        } else {
            System.out.println("There isn't Live SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread, why any reason for that ");
        }
        System.out.println();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        IsThereEDT isdt = new IsThereEDT();
    }
}

abstract class AccurateScheduledRunnable implements Runnable {

    private ScheduledFuture<?> thisThreadsMonitor;

    public void setThreadMonitor(ScheduledFuture<?> monitor) {
        this.thisThreadsMonitor = monitor;
    }

    protected long getExecutionTime() {
        long delay = -1 * thisThreadsMonitor.getDelay(TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
        return delay;
    }
}

and simpler code

.

.

import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.concurrent.*;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import javax.swing.*;

public class IsThereEDT {

    private ScheduledExecutorService scheduler;
    private AccurateScheduledRunnable periodic;
    private ScheduledFuture<?> periodicMonitor;
    private int taskPeriod = 30;
    private SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("HH:mm:ss");
    private Date dateRun;
    private JFrame frame1 = new JFrame("Frame 1");

    public IsThereEDT() {
        scheduler = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor();
        periodic = new AccurateScheduledRunnable() {

            private final int ALLOWED_TARDINESS = 200;
            private int countRun = 0;
            private int countCalled = 0;
            private int maxCalled = 10;

            @Override
            public void run() {
                countCalled++;
                if (countCalled < maxCalled) {
                    if (countCalled % 3 == 0) {
                        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

                            @Override
                            public void run() {
                                System.out.println("Push a new event to EDT");
                                frame1.repaint();
                                isThereReallyEDT();
                            }
                        });
                    } else {
                        if (this.getExecutionTime() < ALLOWED_TARDINESS) {
                            countRun++;
                            isThereReallyEDT(); // non on EDT
                        }
                    }
                } else {
                    System.out.println("Terminating this madness");
                    System.exit(0);
                }
            }
        };
        periodicMonitor = scheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(periodic, 0, taskPeriod, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
        periodic.setThreadMonitor(periodicMonitor);
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                isThereReallyEDT();
                frame1.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame1.getContentPane().add(new JLabel("Hello in frame 1"));
                frame1.pack();
                frame1.setLocation(100, 100);
                frame1.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
        try {
            Thread.sleep(500);
        } catch (InterruptedException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(IsThereEDT.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                JFrame frame2 = new JFrame("Frame 2");
                frame2.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame2.getContentPane().add(new JLabel("Hello in frame 2"));
                frame2.pack();
                frame2.setLocation(200, 200);
                frame2.setVisible(true);
                isThereReallyEDT();
            }
        });
    }

    private void isThereReallyEDT() {
        dateRun = new java.util.Date();
        System.out.println("                         Time at : " + sdf.format(dateRun));
        if (EventQueue.isDispatchThread()) {
            System.out.println("EventQueue.isDispatchThread");
        } else {
            System.out.println("There isn't Live EventQueue.isDispatchThread, why any reason for that ");
        }
        if (SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread()) {
            System.out.println("SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread");
        } else {
            System.out.println("There isn't Live SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread, why any reason for that ");
        }
        System.out.println();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        IsThereEDT isdt = new IsThereEDT();
    }
}

abstract class AccurateScheduledRunnable implements Runnable {

    private ScheduledFuture<?> thisThreadsMonitor;

    public void setThreadMonitor(ScheduledFuture<?> monitor) {
        this.thisThreadsMonitor = monitor;
    }

    protected long getExecutionTime() {
        long delay = -1 * thisThreadsMonitor.getDelay(TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
        return delay;
    }
}

Answer 2

If you create a new thread from EDT that thread is different than the EDT. Isn't that clear?
You are supposed to update controls via the EDT.
You can create your own background threads for heavy tasks but the update of the controls should be only via the EDT. There are constructs for you to use to facilitate your code e.g. pass a Runnable to be called by EDT via SwingUtilities invoke Runnable. You should study about Concurrency in Swing