Alert with Gauge does not display

[javadude]

I have the following piece of test code:

public void createTestData(int size)
{
try {
Alert alert = new Alert(null, "Creating test data...", null, AlertType.INFO);
Gauge gauge = new Gauge(null, false, Gauge.INDEFINITE, Gauge.CONTINUOUS_RUNNING);
alert.setIndicator(gauge);
alert.setTimeout(Alert.FOREVER);
getMasterController().display(alert);

DataFactory.createAndSaveCustomerDOs(size, new int[] { 1, 1, 1, 1, 0 });

alert = new Alert(null, "Test data created", null, AlertType.CONFIRMATION);
getMasterController().display(alert, homeScreen);

} catch (SQLException e) {
getMasterController().handleException(e);
}
}

The first alert DOES NOT display. The test data gets created, and then the second alert DOES display.

The platform is Series 40 6th edition. The same behavior is observed on a Nokia 6288.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[njzk2]

your first alert is immediatly replaced by the second one because setCurrent is not a blocking method.you need to make sure the first alert was acknoledged before you can display a second one.

[javadude]

I understand your point, but DataFactory.createAndSaveCustomerDOs(size, new int[] { 1, 1, 1, 1, 0 }); is slow - it varies from a couple of seconds to 60 or more depending on the size parameter. Furthermore, I have stepped through and paused on this line with Eclipse debugger yet there was still no alert displayed.

[im2amit]

try this:

Comment out - the line " // DataFactory.createAndSaveCustomerDOs(size, new int[] { 1, 1, 1, 1, 0 });"

put this.sleep(5000) and see if you get the 1st alert.

[javadude]

I added Thread.sleep(5000); but it makes no difference.

Whilst I have found other examples like this on the net, I thought that it may be the combination of the settings: Alert AlertType.INFO, Gauge.INDEFINITE, Gauge.CONTINUOUS_RUNNING, setIndicator().

So I tried the following but it still makes no difference:
Alert alert = new Alert(null, "Creating test data...", null, AlertType.CONFIRMATION);
Gauge gauge = new Gauge(null, false, Gauge.INDEFINITE, Gauge.CONTINUOUS_RUNNING);
alert.setIndicator(gauge);
alert.addCommand(commands.getOk());
alert.setTimeout(1000 * 3600); // 1 hour
alert.setCommandListener(new CommandListener()
{
public void commandAction(javax.microedition.lcdui.Command command, Displayable displayable)
{
// do nothing
}
});

I have also tried other combinations, such as just removing the gauge.

[njzk2]

The Alert is displayed whenever the system thread has the time to do it. A thread.yield() before you call your long, blocking method may help that.

[javadude]

Thread.yield() didn't work but

The Alert is displayed whenever the system thread has the time to do it.

was absolutely correct.

The solution is to run the slow method as a thread, thus giving the system the time to display the alert:

public void createTestData(int size)
{
Alert alert = new Alert(null, "Creating test data...", null, AlertType.INFO);
Gauge gauge = new Gauge(null, false, Gauge.INDEFINITE, Gauge.CONTINUOUS_RUNNING);
alert.setIndicator(gauge);
alert.setTimeout(Alert.FOREVER);
getMasterController().display(alert);

final int s = size;
Runnable r = new Runnable()
{
public void run()
{
try {
DataFactory.createAndSaveCustomerDOs(s, new int[] { 1, 1, 1, 1, 0 });
Alert alert = new Alert(null, "Test data created", null, AlertType.CONFIRMATION);
getMasterController().display(alert, homeScreen);
} catch (SQLException e) {
getMasterController().handleException(e);
}
}
};
Thread t = new Thread(r);
t.start();

}

Thanks ever so much for your response!