how can server send messages every 5 min?

[dim_ath]

hello everyone!

i have implemented a simple lotto system where clients send the number they chose,
and server answers if they win or lose. However i want the server to produce a magic number
every 5 minutes and sends the result to the CLIENTS when the time is over.
Can you help me please? what method need i use?

this is the piece of code:

// control thread's execution
public void run()
{

int message=0;

int rnum=randGen.nextInt(10);
display.append( "\n"+ "THE MAGIC NUMBER IS: " + rnum );

// process connection
try {

// read message from client
do {

try {
message = input.readInt();
if (message==rnum){output.writeUTF("SERVER>>> YOU WON: MAGIC NUMBER IS: " +rnum);}
else {output.writeUTF("SERVER>>> YOU LOSE: MAGIC NUMBER IS: " +rnum);}
display.append( "\n\n" +"PLAYER " + clientNumber + " SELECTED NUMBER " + message );
display.setCaretPosition( display.getText().length() );
}

// process problems reading from client
catch ( IOException ioException ) {
display.append( "\nUnknown object type received" );
}

} while ( message!=-1 );

display.append( "\nClient terminated connection" );
display = null;
}




// close streams and socket
finally {

try {
output.close();


input.close();
connection.close();
}

// process problems with I/O
catch ( IOException ioException ) {
ioException.printStackTrace();
}

clients.remove( this );
}


} // end method run

[roots]

However i want the server to produce a magic number
every 5 minutes and sends the result to the server when the time is over.

I could not get this.

Clients connects to Server to check .. ?

[roots]

If Server is pushing the lotto number connecting to each client then you can use Java Timer Timer (Java 2 Platform SE v1.4.2).

If Clients connect to the server and check their number then you can have some static fields for 1. Timestamp of last generation , 2. The generated number and check timestamp for 5 minutes against the current time to decide whether generate new or not...

[dim_ath]

sorry, i corrected the mistake. clients connect and send to the server the number they chose. server replies if the number is that it produced (if the client won)

[roots]

Then you can go with second option .. add two static field in your server class.

public static long timestamp ;
public static int lottoNumber ;

// You can pass or make these fields public..
....
if(System.currentTimeMillis() + (convert 5 min to milliseconds) > timestamp ){
  //generate new lotto number and update timestamp ..
}else{
 // Just check lottoNumber with client's input
}

Let me know .. if i completely misunderstood your problem .. :)

[roots]

Oops !!

....
if(System.currentTimeMillis() + (convert 5 min to milliseconds) > timestamp ){
  //generate new lotto number and update timestamp ..

Check the client input with generated number as well ..

[dim_ath]

thank you very much!

[dim_ath]

could you explain me more the Timestamp?