Different ways of calling sleep method in threads

Question

I am a beginner to threading. I dont know exactly what is the difference between the three different types of way the thread object has called the sleep method. Also can you please clarify in which type of cases there is a limitation on using the way the sleep method has been called

The code is given below

    // implementing thread by extending THREAD class//

class Logic1 extends Thread
{
    public void run()
    {
        for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
        {
            Thread s = Thread.currentThread();
            System.out.println("Child :"+i);
            try{
                s.sleep(1000);              // these are the three types of way i called sleep method
                Thread.sleep(1000);         //      
                this.sleep(1000);           //
            } catch(Exception e){

            }
        }
    }
}

class ThreadDemo1 
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        Logic1 l1=new Logic1();
        l1.start();
    }
}

`sleep()` is a static method that always references the current executing thread. — Sotirios Delimanolis, Aug 19 '13 at 15:23
There are no *three* ways to call the `sleep` method, `Thread#sleep` is `static`, so you can call it directly from `Thread` class or from the current `Thread` object reference. — Luiggi Mendoza, Aug 19 '13 at 15:24

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 19 '13 at 15:24

sleep() is a static method that always references the current executing thread.

From the javadoc:

/**
 * Causes the currently executing thread to sleep (temporarily cease
 * execution) for the specified number of milliseconds, subject to
 * the precision and accuracy of system timers and schedulers. The thread
 * does not lose ownership of any monitors.
 *
 * @param  millis
 *         the length of time to sleep in milliseconds
 *
 * @throws  IllegalArgumentException
 *          if the value of {@code millis} is negative
 *
 * @throws  InterruptedException
 *          if any thread has interrupted the current thread. The
 *          <i>interrupted status</i> of the current thread is
 *          cleared when this exception is thrown.
 */
public static native void sleep(long millis) throws InterruptedException;

These calls

s.sleep(1000); // even if s was a reference to another Thread
Thread.sleep(1000);      
this.sleep(1000);

are all equivalent to

Thread.sleep(1000);

Thanks but if i implement runnable interface rather than extending thread class and directly use sleep(1000); then it is saying sleep method not found, why is it hapenning — roshan dhb, Aug 19 '13 at 15:35
Because the `Runnable` interface does not have a `sleep(long)` method. `Thread` has it. — Sotirios Delimanolis, Aug 19 '13 at 15:36

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 19 '13 at 15:55

In general, if ClassName.method is a static method of ClassName, and x is an expression whose type is ClassName, then you can use x.method() and it will be the same as calling ClassName.method(). It doesn't matter what the value of x is; the value is discarded. It will work even if x is null.

String s = null;
String t = s.format ("%08x", someInteger);  // works fine 
                                            // (String.format is a static method)

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 19 '13 at 15:25

1

All three are same. These are different way to reference the currently executing thread.

answered Aug 19 '13 at 15:25

Ragavan

997
7
11

Different ways of calling sleep method in threads

3 Answers3