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Groups > comp.lang.java.programmer > #20944

Re: single instance

From Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid>
Newsgroups comp.lang.java.programmer
Subject Re: single instance
Date 2013-01-04 12:18 -0500
Organization Zamps Anonymous
Message-ID <kc72u5$a1g$1@news.mixmin.net> (permalink)
References <iah6e8hb9ssp4q46ukh3scb81bjb9fdq1k@4ax.com> <1rxjd74kjrhfc.mdbq9v09dxbn$.dlg@40tude.net> <kc5iep$ut1$1@dont-email.me> <hibz2z26ytrl$.1fonx36mlvf78$.dlg@40tude.net>

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On Thu, 3 Jan 2013 19:56:37 -0800, Peter Duniho wrote:

> On Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:31:37 -0800, Knute Johnson wrote:
> 
>> [...]
>> So what do you think of this implementation?  I did try to start two 
>> copies with a batch file and I could get them to fail on occasion.  I 
>> don't think it would be possible for a user to start two copies 
>> simultaneously though.
> 
> Oh, and it should go without saying that in a real implementation, each
> program would have a way to include a unique identifier (i.e. similar to
> the name one would use for a named mutex on Windows) in the transmitted
> message, to insure against two completely different programs that are using
> the same "exclusive" implementation from conflicting with each other.
> 
> But I'll say it anyway. :)

Why not just use the process PID as unique identifier?

> It is important to keep in mind that even this approach is not 100%
> reliable.  UDP messages are not guaranteed delivery,

This is loopback interface we're talking about, not the wild wild internet.

In any event, the error message that was proposed isn't a very useful way
of handling the situation. I'd suggest that once the old and new instance
are in communication and agree on which is which:

- The new instance sends the old its invocation command-line, then quietly
  terminates.
- The old interprets this command-line and e.g. opens named documents in
  additional document windows. If those are JFrames the last one should
  automatically wind up with window focus.
- If those are JInternalFrames, or there were no new documents to open, the
  old instance's main/most recently active JFrame grabs window focus.

So, if you just double-click on the program somewhere, the existing
instance jumps to the front of the window stack. If you double-click on a
document associated with the program, it opens in the existing instance.
This pattern of behavior is common in native apps that don't like running
in multiple instances, and so replicating it would be best given the
principle of least astonishment.

Wagging a naughty-finger in the user's face because they double-clicked a
document file associated with an already-open application, on the other
hand, and forcing them to instead drag and drop it into the existing
instance (or, worse, switch to the existing instance to use its File Open
menu and re-browse the directory tree) would violate the same principle.

-- 
Hexapodia is the key insight.

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Thread

single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-01 12:23 -0800
  Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-01 16:40 -0500
    Re: single instance Robert Tomsick <robert+usenet@tomsick.net> - 2013-01-03 01:20 -0500
  Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-03 00:55 -0800
    Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-03 19:31 -0800
      Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-03 19:49 -0800
      Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-03 19:56 -0800
        Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-04 12:18 -0500
          Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-04 10:22 -0800
            Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-04 13:44 -0500
              Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-04 11:03 -0800
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-04 14:12 -0500
              Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-05 21:56 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 19:22 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 20:23 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 20:43 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 20:47 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 20:51 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 20:24 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 20:46 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 20:58 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 21:08 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 21:19 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 21:31 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 21:41 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 22:00 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 22:11 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-07 00:23 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-02-24 18:20 -0500
                Re: single instance Joshua Cranmer <Pidgeot18@verizon.invalid> - 2013-01-06 21:39 -0600
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-07 00:30 -0500
                Re: single instance lipska the kat <lipskathekat@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-01-07 08:53 +0000
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-02-24 18:18 -0500
                Re: single instance lipska the kat <"nospam at neversurrender dot co dot uk"> - 2013-02-25 08:31 +0000
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-02-24 18:17 -0500
                Re: single instance Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2013-01-06 17:32 -0800
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 20:47 -0500
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 20:53 -0500
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 21:01 -0500
          Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-05 21:59 -0500
            Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 19:34 -0500
              Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 20:00 -0500
  Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-03 07:12 -0800
    Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-03 09:56 -0800
      Re: single instance Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2013-01-03 21:05 +0000
        Re: single instance Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2013-01-03 22:08 +0000
        Re: single instance "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2013-01-05 12:48 +0000
          Re: single instance Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2013-01-05 17:43 +0000
            Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-05 09:49 -0800
            Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-05 13:02 -0500
              Re: single instance Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2013-01-05 20:29 +0000
                Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-05 19:07 -0800
                Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-06 20:04 -0500
            Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-05 21:40 -0500
    Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-05 22:10 -0500
      Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-05 19:49 -0800
        Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-05 23:09 -0500
          Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 11:00 -0500
            Re: single instance Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2013-01-06 09:41 -0800
              Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-06 20:41 -0500
        Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-15 22:51 -0800
          Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-15 23:12 -0800
            Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-15 23:49 -0800
          Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-15 23:16 -0800
            Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-15 23:52 -0800
            Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-16 08:46 -0800
              Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-16 10:46 -0800
                Re: single instance markspace <markspace@nospam.nospam> - 2013-01-16 13:01 -0800
                Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-16 17:10 -0800
          Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-15 23:50 -0800
            Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-16 00:13 -0800
              Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-16 02:48 -0800
                Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-16 07:28 -0800
                Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-16 10:46 -0800
                Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-16 16:53 -0800
                Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-16 23:44 -0800
                Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-17 07:03 -0800
                Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-17 14:25 -0800
                Re: single instance Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2013-01-17 16:31 -0800
                Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-17 22:11 -0800
                Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-17 22:36 -0800
              Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-16 13:34 -0500
          Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-16 08:45 -0800
          Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-16 13:29 -0500
            Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-16 17:14 -0800
              Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-16 20:20 -0500
              Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-16 23:52 -0800
              Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-17 01:44 -0800
        Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-18 01:47 -0800
          Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-18 20:50 -0800
            Re: single instance Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2013-01-20 00:53 -0800
              Re: single instance Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2013-01-20 12:00 -0800
                Re: single instance Knute Johnson <nospam@knutejohnson.com> - 2013-01-20 13:33 -0800
                Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-02-24 18:12 -0500
              Re: single instance Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2013-01-20 21:33 -0500
      Re: single instance "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2013-01-06 13:34 +0000
  Re: single instance Daniel Pitts <newsgroup.nospam@virtualinfinity.net> - 2013-01-04 10:26 -0800
    Re: single instance Twirlip of the Mists <twirlip@killfile.me.now.invalid> - 2013-01-04 14:04 -0500
  Re: single instance stledger@lanl.gov - 2013-01-16 14:51 -0800
    Re: single instance stledger@lanl.gov - 2013-01-16 15:09 -0800

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