Stop, and restart Threads

You cannot restart a stopped thread, you need to recreate a new thread.
stop() is also deprectaed and its use should be avoided.

Maybe better if I work with ExecutorService and Threads ?

If you just want pause the thread then use wait() and notify()

Kay, I tried it another way .. but erm, now I have another problem.
I have this methods setStatusWindow(JTextPane window), printStatusMessage(String message). In the constructor of the gui I run setStatusWindow .. and then printStatusMessage ... and I get a NullPointerException... is it because of the executorService ?

Here's the code:

RiotServer.class

public class RiotServer extends Thread {
   
    private static ServerSocket sock;
    private static final int PORT = 1800;
    private ExecutorService pool = Executors.newCachedThreadPool();
    private Vector<RiotClientHandler> clientHandlers = new Vector<RiotClientHandler>();
   
    private JTextPane statusWindow;
    private JTextPane convoWindow;
               
    /** Creates a new instance of Riotserver */
   
   
    public RiotServer() {
    }
   
    public void run() {
        startServer();
    }
   
    private void startServer() {
       
      printStatusMessage("Starting server ...");
        try {
            sock = new ServerSocket(PORT);
            printStatusMessage("SUCCESS ! Socket is open (" + PORT + ")");
            do {
                acceptConnections();
            } while (true);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            printStatusMessage("ERROR ! Socket is already open or inaccessible (" + PORT + ")");
        }
    }
   
    private void stopServer() {
       
        printStatusMessage("Terminating server ...");
       
        try {
            sock.close();
            sock = null;
            pool = null;
            clientHandlers.clear();            
        } catch (IOException e) {
           
        }
    }
   
    public void setStatusWindow(JTextPane statusWindow) {
        this.statusWindow = statusWindow;
    }
   
    public void setConvoWindow(JTextPane convoWindow) {
        this.convoWindow = convoWindow;
    }

    private void acceptConnections() {
        Socket link = null;
        try {
            Socket client = sock.accept();
            printStatusMessage("*** [JOIN] "+client.getInetAddress());
            RiotClientHandler handler = new RiotClientHandler(client,this);
          clientHandlers.add(handler);
            pool.execute(handler);
        } catch(IOException ioe) {
            printStatusMessage(ioe.getMessage());
      }
    }

    public void printStatusMessage(String message) {
        // ERROR NullPointerException ...
        this.statusWindow.setText(statusWindow.getText()+message+"\n");
    }
   
    public void printConvoMessage(String message) {
        this.convoWindow.setText(convoWindow.getText()+message+"\n");
    }
   
    public void echoToClients(String s){
      for (RiotClientHandler clh : clientHandlers) {
            clh.echoToClient(s);
      }
    }
}


In the GUI I have this:

   public RiotServerGUI() {
       
        pool = Executors.newCachedThreadPool();
       
        guiThread = new Thread(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                initComponents();
            }
        });
       
        guiThread.start();
       
        server = new RiotServer();
        server.setStatusWindow(txtStatus);
        server.setConvoWindow(txtConvo);
       
       
    }

Thats because you call them beofre statusWindow has been set.

Then the window just stays empty .. I call the printMessage for the first time when I press a "Connect" button.

if it doesn't know about the window then it cannot display to it :)

Perhaps pass the window in the ctor.

Found it. I'm using guiThread.start() ... replaced it with run().

Thanks for your time objects !

> I'm using guiThread.start() ... replaced it with run().

That doesn't start a new thread, it calls the run() method of your thread instance (on the same thread)