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  1. JDK
  2. JDK-6949710

the GC'able nature of Logging objects needs to be made brutally clear

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    • Icon: Bug Bug
    • Resolution: Fixed
    • Icon: P3 P3
    • 7
    • 6u18, 6u20, 7
    • core-libs
    • b114
    • generic, x86, sparc
    • generic, solaris, solaris_2.5.1
    • Not verified

        The following bug fix has made Logger objects GC'able:

            6274920 4/2 JDK logger holds strong reference to
                        java.util.logging.Logger instances

        Prior to the fix for 6274920, Logger objects were never GC'able
        which was in direct violation of the spec for Logging.

        In the JavaDoc for Logger.getLogger():

        http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/util/logging/Logger.html#getLogger(java.lang.String)

        it talks about how the Logger is created if it doesn't exist or an
        existing Logger by the same name is returned. The following sentence
        in the description is key to this issue:

            It will be registered in the LogManager global namespace.

        Jumping into the LogManager JavaDoc, the addLogger() function
        is how a Logger is registered:

        http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/util/logging/LogManager.html#addLogger(java.util.logging.Logger)

        The following sentences are key:

            The application should retain its own reference to the Logger object
            to avoid it being garbage collected. The LogManager may only retain
            a weak reference.
        The following bug:

            6947908 3/3 JAVA Logging interface is not threadsafe since 1.6.0_18

        reveals the need to update the JavaDoc for Logger.getLogger.
        The following bug:

            6921073 3/2 Most of the CTS tests fail against glassfish v3u1 b01 using
                        jdk 1.6.0_18-b07

        reveals the need to update the JavaDoc for LogManager.getLoggerNames()
        and LogManager.getLogger(name) to clarify the GC'able nature of
        Logger objects.

              dcubed Daniel Daugherty
              dcubed Daniel Daugherty
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