Java Processing Scheduler Simulator Animation Recommendations?

Question

I'm making a generic, simple process scheduling simulator for demonstration/teaching purposes. It is an assignment for school. I am not asking for any code or anything, I have my process scheduling algorithm/s down and implemented but I am simply asking for a good method to demonstrate what's actually going on.

My first thought is to use javax.swing. I know it a little bit, enough for functionality but I do not think this will provide me with the most informative method of demonstrating process scheduling.

The deadline for my project is soon approaching and I've only been reading up on java.awt (GraphicsEnvironment) and javax.swing. If there is something perhaps easier (or more effective) you could recommend, please do so. I am open to basically anything.

Tutorial video/s or guides would be really helpful as well.

Thanks,

chickeneaterguy

EDIT: I guess I wasn't completely clear. I am basically just looking for a way to clearly demonstrate the way processes are handled in their simplest form - with I/O time slices and CPU time slices along with priorities. I want to demonstrate it graphically rather than the users just looking at a bunch of different processes getting their allotted time.

@mKorbel - there's nothing hidden there. Just looking for a way to visually represent process scheduling.

@r0ast3d - thanks, I'll take a look.

**EDIT2: This is more along the lines what I'm looking to do (in Java) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bta48Ix3t_Q (start watching at about 2 minutes in). I am going to want the data to correspond with what's happening in the code, so it won't be hard-coded images. Would my best bet be doing something like an applet?**

Answer 1

If you have a working model, adding a suitable view using the Model–View–Controller pattern is a good approach, as discussed here. JFreeChart works well with MVC, and here's a related example.

Do you think using applets would be a good approach to doing this?

Rather than an applet, I would create a regular application and distribute it using java-web-start. This related simulation contrasts the two approaches in a hybrid. It also demonstrates using javax.swing.Timer for simple animation such as shown in the video.

Answer 2

Given your side condition of not having much time, I would go a different way. You won't need real-time data as thread-scheduling is typically something in the millisecond area. Even if you slow down the singular threads by Thread.sleep() you will still get countless taskswitches within one second.

If you can agree on that assumption, you will be much better off (at least given the effort required) to dump all your data to a comma seperated file, opening that with excel and visualize it using an excel chart.

If you can't live with the assumption (because your simulator slows down everything a lot and real time info matters to your presenation) the least-cost solution will be Textareas in a JFrame this looks (somewhat similar) like this:

// create a JFrame
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
// A Textarea allows you to store multiple lines
JTextArea area = new JTextArea();
// put the area onto the Frame
frame.add(area);
// set initial size in width, height
frame.setSize(800, 600);
// make frame initially visible
frame.setVisible(true);
do {
  // actualize the frame every second
  Thread.sleep(TimeUnit.SECONDS.toMillis(1));
  // getYour text provides the displayed text, something like:
  // "Thread1 sleeps \n Tread2 is active" 
  // where \n leads to a new line in the area
  String text = getYourText();
// put your termination condition in here
} while (simulation.isRunning());
// this stops the GUI and removes the JFrame afterwards
frame.dispose();