Java - alternative to thread.sleep

java sleep milliseconds
user1189747 picture user1189747 · Feb 4, 2012 · Viewed 45.9k times · Source

I have a requirement to pause a while loop for a specific number of milliseconds. I have tried using Thread.sleep(duration) but it is not accurate, especially in a looping scenario. Millisecond accuracy is important in my program.

Here is the algorithm where I don't want to go back to check for condition until expectedElapsedTime has passed by. 

while (condition) {
    time = System.currentTimeMillis();
    //do something
    if (elapsedTime(time) < expectedElapsedTime) ) {
        pause the loop  // NEED SUBSTITUTE FOR Thread.sleep()
    }
    // Alternative that I have tried but not giving good results is 
    while ((elapsedTime(time) < expectedElapsedTime)) {
        //do nothing
    }
}

long elapsedTime(long time) {
   long diff = System.currentTimeMillis() - time;
   return diff;
}

Answer

Bill picture Bill · Feb 4, 2012

Try a ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor. It's supposed to give more reliable timing results.

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