Printer-System Java Concurrency Implementation

Built using Java 19.0.2 on IntelliJ IDEA 2022.3.1
By: Nuvin Godakanda Arachchi @ GitHub

This application was built as partial completion of my final year in the BEng (Hons) Software Engineering degree program at the University of Westminster

Application Overview

This implementation mimics a shared printer, being used by students and technicians for printing and printer opertations using Java Threads and its concurrency features.

Code Structure

The following core Java files were implemented.

1. LaserPrinter.java
   This Java class contains the implementation of a Monitor class. The monitor in multi-threaded applications is considered to be the critical-section, aka. the shared resource. In this application, the printer identified to be the shared resource is implemented as the Monitor.
   Notice, each method signature of the implementation would've included the "synchronized" keyword, indicating of the concurrency "locking mechanism" which ensures mutually exclusive access to the printer for each user.

2. Student.java
   This Java class implements a thread, by extending the Thread class, mimicking the behavior of a student wanting to print a set of documents, which is decided through a randomizer.
   Extending the Thread class is not considered best practice when creating Thread functionalities when no Thread specializations are required, when the basic Thread behaviour is producible by simply implementing the Runnable interface. However, the Thread has been extended here to keep in par with the specifications.

3. PaperTechnician.java & TonerTechnician.java
   These Java classes implements a thread again, mimicking the behavior of a Paper technician and a Toner cartdrige technician in charge of a printer.
   As menitoned above, this class also only required the basic behavior of a Thread, however has been created by extending the Thread class.

Indexed in Turn-It In Global Referencing Scheme

This project code should not be used for any academics related activity due to all code segments having been submitted to the Turn-It In global referencing platform, where usage of this code may be caught for plagarism/ academic misconduct.