Can't rename a file using File.renameTo(...)

Question

Hi,
I have a servlet, RenameFile, that receives audio file via HTTP Post and writes it to /tmp/recording.0002002B-0C0022BB-0001.1.20050622.073208.wav. Then it creates directories under /alert_messages directory based on the timing parameters that it get. Finally, it renames /tmp/recording.0002002B-0C0022BB-0001.1.20050622.073208.wav to /alert_messages/2005/06/22/22/00/79_0_200506222200_001.WAV. RenameFile runs fine when it runs by itself (ONLY one Tomcat, jakarta-tomcat-4.1.30, is running). However, RenameFile fails to rename the /tmp/recording.0002002B-0C0022BB-0001.1.20050622.073208.wav to /alert_messages/2005/06/22/22/00/79_0_200506222200_001.WAV when it runs in a Linux box that jboss-3.2.1_tomcat-4.1.24 is also running. In this box, TWO versions of Tomcat are running at the same time. I set the /alert_messages directory with �chmod �R 777� and run jakarta-tomcat-4.1.30 as tomcat user. RenameFile fails the rename operation. But, it creates the /alert_messages/2005/06/22/22/00/ directories.
It seem like RenameFile can create directory but can�t create file in the /alert_messages directory when both version of tomcats are running at the same time.
Can it be due to both the jakarta-tomcat-4.1.30 and the jboss-3.2.1_tomcat-4.1.24 versions are running at the same time in one Linux box?
Can this be Jboss prevented the operation?
I did not receive any io exception!!!
Any help in this issue is greatly appreciated.
Debug listing from the RenameFile;
- originalFilename: recording.0002002B-0C0022BB-0001.1.20050622.073208.wav
- file.toString(): /tmp/recording.0002002B-0C0022BB-0001.1.20050622.073208.wav
- file.getName(): recording.0002002B-0C0022BB-0001.1.20050622.073208.wav
- file.length(): 122986
- file /alert_messages/2005/06/22/22/00/79_0_200506222200_001.WAV
- file NOT renamed /alert_messages/2005/06/22/22/00/79_0_200506222200_001.WAV
File Listing in the /tmp directory create by RenameFile;
-rw-r--r-- 1 tomcat tomcat 122986 Jun 22 07:33 recording.0002002B-0C0022BB-0001.1.20050622.073208.wav
Directoy Listing in the / directory with �ls �la�;
drwxrwxrwx 3 tomcat tomcat 4096 Jun 22 07:28 alert_messages
Directory created by the RenameFile with �ls -la /alert_messages/2005/06/22/22/00�;
drwxr-xr-x 2 tomcat tomcat 4096 Jun 22 07:33 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 tomcat tomcat 4096 Jun 22 07:33 ..
Out put from catalina.out;
!!!!! Can Read the old File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!! Can Write the old File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!! Can Not Read the new File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!! Can Not Write the new File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!! renameTo return false !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Code That rename a file:
  public synchronized String renameAlertMessageFile(String oldFileName,
                            String newFileName)
            throws SecurityException, NullPointerException
    File oldFile = null;
    File newFile = null;
    String result = null;
    StringBuffer myNewFileName = null;
    boolean renamed = false;
    try {
      int indexStringValue;
      int newFileLength;
      int indexOfPeriod;
      int indexOfLastUnderScore;
      int lengthOfExtension;
      boolean  Contin = true;
      String sNumber = null;
      String indexString = null;
      myNewFileName = new StringBuffer(newFileName);
      oldFile = new File(oldFileName);
      newFile = new File(myNewFileName.toString());
      if (oldFile.canRead() == false) {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Not Read the old File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      } else {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Read the old File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      if (oldFile.canWrite() == false) {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Not Write the old File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      } else {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Write the old File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      if (newFile.canRead() == false) {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Not Read the new File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      } else {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Read the new File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      if (newFile.canWrite() == false) {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Not Write the new File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      } else {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  Can Write the new File !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
      renamed = oldFile.renameTo(newFile);
      if (renamed == false) {
        System.out.println(" !!!!!  renameTo return false !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!");
    } catch (NullPointerException ex) {
      // Throw the same exception so that the caller may catch the
      //   exception and log the error
      System.out.println("NullPointerException For The New Dest File Name");
      ex.printStackTrace();
      throw ex;
    } catch (SecurityException seEx) {
      System.out.println("SecurityException For The New Dest File Name");
      seEx.printStackTrace();
      // Throw the same exception so that the caller may catch the
      //   exception and log the error
      throw seEx;
    } finally {
      if (renamed == true)
        return myNewFileName.toString();
      else
        return null;
  } // End renameAlertMessageFile

Answer 1

Hi,
Thank you for replying to my message. The servlet has been running for me for the last 12 months. However, it was running by itself without the Jboss-tomcat running on the same box. Can this be the catalina.policy file in the jboss-tomcat version restricted the rename operation. We are not allowed to write file under the umbrella of J2EE. But the servlet did not run within Jboss-tomcat. This really gets me thinking that something is not working correctly. Perhaps tomcat did not has the permission to write on the /alert_messages directory, again it did created the subdirectories under the /alert_messages.
Any idea of what is going on?