Applet start() running twice, in Microsoft IE 5.5.

Question

It seems to me that that the Applet start() method is running twice, on Microsoft IE 5.5, Microsoft Java (with no service pack�s). Does someone reconice this problem ?
(I know that people should not use Microsoft Java, but I cannot control the behavior of the users).
Best Regards.

Answer 1

Well, you can live with it if stop is not being called
between both start calls. You could simply set a flag
on the start and if it's set return from start.. and
reset the flag in stop.
static boolean started = false;
public void start() {
if(started) return;        
started = true;
super.start();
... rest of start 
public void stop() {-------------------------------------
** Don't do this. It is unsafe and will crash.
See http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/post1.0/preview/threads.html
super.stop(); --------------------------------------
started = false;
Otherwise the Javascript idea would work. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
the old NS 1.1.5 JVM did this as well. The cause is a race and even worse,
stop/start/run can be called in multiple and erronious succession.
Use the Runnable interface and synchronize to force startup serialization.
public class MyClass implements Runnable
boolean initialized = false; // Same concept.
Object waitObject = new Object();
Thread task = null;
public synchronized void init()
if(!initialized)
// Do your initialization
initialized = true;
notifyall();
public synchronized void start()
task = new Thread(this);
task.start();
notifyAll();
public synchronized void stop()
task = null;
notifyAll();
public void run()
Thread controlThread = Thread.currentThread();
// Force synch with start / stop
synchronized(this)
notifyAll();
while(controlThread == task)
// Do your stuff. I fyou have nothing to do, then
// lazily do a wait() NOT a sleep.
synchronized(waitObject)
try
waitObject.wait(1000); // 200 or 5 X a second
} // is an unnoticable and responsive
catch(InterruptedException ie) // poll time If you find a second too slow.
What this does.
It not only forces serialization of start, stop, and run, but it also uses the Sun Engineer's
recommendations pertaining to the deprecation of stop.
I have mentioned this before but some people didn't belive me.
Then again some people just like to argue :)
Because of the deprecation of stop, some JVMs versions handled it differently, and
you should overwrite overwrite it as prescribed in the aformentioned link.
(T)