“Closing” a blocking queue

Question

I’m using java.util.concurrent.BlockingQueue in a very simple producer-consumer scenario. E.g. this pseudo code depicts the consumer part:

class QueueCo         


        

Answer 1

Another idea for making this simple:

class ComplexObject implements QueueableComplexObject
{
    /* the meat of your complex object is here as before, just need to
     * add the following line and the "implements" clause above
     */
    @Override public ComplexObject asComplexObject() { return this; }
}

enum NullComplexObject implements QueueableComplexObject
{
    INSTANCE;

    @Override public ComplexObject asComplexObject() { return null; }
}

interface QueueableComplexObject
{
    public ComplexObject asComplexObject();
}

Then use BlockingQueue as the queue. When you wish to end the queue's processing, do queue.offer(NullComplexObject.INSTANCE). On the consumer side, do

boolean ok = true;
while (ok)
{
    ComplexObject obj = queue.take().asComplexObject();
    if (obj == null)
        ok = false;
    else
        process(obj);
}

/* interrupt handling elided: implement this as you see fit,
 * depending on whether you watch to swallow interrupts or propagate them
 * as in your original post
 */

No instanceof required, and you don't have to construct a fake ComplexObject which may be expensive/difficult depending on its implementation.