SettingControl (Java SE 25 & JDK 25)
Description: declaration: module: jdk.jfr, package: jdk.jfr, class: SettingControl
Keywords: jdk.jfr.SettingControl class

# Class SettingControl

java.lang.Object
jdk.jfr.SettingControl

public abstract class SettingControl extends Object
Base class to extend to create setting controls.

The following example shows an implementation of a setting control for regular expressions:

    final class RegExpControl extends SettingControl {
        private static final String DEFAULT_VALUE = ".*";
        private Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile(DEFAULT_VALUE);

        @Override
        public String combine(Set<String> values) {
            List<String> valid = new ArrayList<>();
            for (String value : values) {
                try {
                    Pattern.compile(value);
                    valid.add(value);
                } catch (PatternSyntaxException pse) {
                    // Ignore invalid patterns
                }
            }
            if (valid.isEmpty()) {
                return DEFAULT_VALUE;
            }
            if (valid.size() == 1) {
                return valid.getFirst();
            }
            return "(" + String.join(")|(", valid) + ")";
        }

        @Override
        public void setValue(String value) {
            try {
                this.pattern = Pattern.compile(value);
            } catch (PatternSyntaxException pse) {
                // Ignore invalid patterns
            }
        }

        @Override
        public String getValue() {
            return pattern.pattern();
        }

        public boolean matches(String s) {
            return pattern.matcher(s).find();
        }
    }

The `setValue(String)`, `getValue()` and `combine(Set<String>)` methods are invoked when a setting value changes, which typically happens when a recording is started or stopped. The `combine(Set<String>)` method is invoked to resolve what value to use when multiple recordings are running at the same time.

The setting control must have a default constructor that can be invoked when the event is registered.

To use a setting control with an event, add a method that returns a `boolean` value and takes the setting control as a parameter. Annotate the method with the `@SettingDefinition` annotation. By default, the method name is used as the setting name, but the name can be set explicitly by using the `@Name` annotation. If the method returns `true`, the event will be committed.

It is recommended that the `setValue(String)` method updates an efficient data structure that can be quickly checked when the event is committed.

The following example shows how to create an event that uses the regular expression filter defined above.

    abstract class HTTPRequest extends Event {
        @Label("Request URI")
        protected String uri;

        @Label("Servlet URI Filter")
        @SettingDefinition
        protected boolean uriFilter(RegExpControl regExp) {
            return regExp.matches(uri);
        }
    }

    @Label("HTTP Get Request")
    class HTTPGetRequest extends HTTPRequest {
    }

    @Label("HTTP Post Request")
    class HTTPPostRequest extends HTTPRequest {
    }

    class ExampleServlet extends HttpServlet {
        protected void doGet(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) {
            HTTPGetRequest request = new HTTPGetRequest();
            request.begin();
            request.uri = req.getRequestURI();
            ...
            request.commit();
        }

        protected void doPost(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) {
            HTTPPostRequest request = new HTTPPostRequest();
            request.begin();
            request.uri = req.getRequestURI();
            ...
            request.commit();
        }
    }

The following example shows how an event can be filtered by assigning the `"uriFilter"` setting with the specified regular expressions.

    Recording r = new Recording();
    r.enable("HTTPGetRequest").with("uriFilter", "https://www.example.com/list/.*");
    r.enable("HTTPPostRequest").with("uriFilter", "https://www.example.com/login/.*");
    r.start();

Since:
  9
See Also:
  - `SettingDefinition`

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Modifier
  Constructor
  Description
  `protected`
  `SettingControl()`
  Constructor for invocation by subclass constructors.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `abstract String`
  `combine(Set<String> settingValues)`
  Combines the setting values for all running recordings into one value when multiple recordings are running at the same time,
  `abstract String`
  `getValue()`
  Returns the currently used value for this setting, not `null`.
  `abstract void`
  `setValue(String settingValue)`
  Sets the value for this setting.

  ### Methods declared in class Object

  `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### SettingControl

    protected SettingControl()
    Constructor for invocation by subclass constructors.

- ## Method Details

  - ### combine

    public abstract String combine(Set<String> settingValues)
    Combines the setting values for all running recordings into one value when multiple recordings are running at the same time,

    The semantics of how setting values are combined depends on the setting control that is implemented, but all recordings should get at least all the events they request.

    This method should have no side effects, because the caller might cache values. This method should never return `null` or throw an exception. If a value is not valid for this setting control, the value should be ignored.

    Examples:

    if the setting control represents a threshold and three recordings are running at the same time with the setting values `"10 ms"`, `"8 s"`, and `"1 ms"`, this method returns `"1 ms"` because it means that all recordings get at least all the requested data.

    If the setting control represents a set of names and two recordings are running at the same time with the setting values `"Smith, Jones"` and `"Jones, Williams"` the returned value is `"Smith, Jones, Williams"` because all names would be accepted.

    If the setting control represents a boolean condition and four recordings are running at the same time with the following values `"true"`, `"false"`, `"false"`, and `"incorrect"`, this method returns `"true"`, because all recordings get at least all the requested data.

    Parameters:
      `settingValues` - the set of values, not `null`
    Returns:
      the value to use, not `null`

  - ### setValue

    public abstract void setValue(String settingValue)
    Sets the value for this setting.

    If the setting value is not valid for this setting, this method does not throw an exception. Instead, the value is ignored.

    Parameters:
      `settingValue` - the string value, not `null`

  - ### getValue

    public abstract String getValue()
    Returns the currently used value for this setting, not `null`.

    The value returned by this method is valid as an argument to both the `setValue(String)` method and `combine(Set)` method.

    This method is invoked when an event is registered to obtain the default value. It is therefore important that a valid value can be returned immediately after an instance of this class is created. It is not valid to return `null`.

    Returns:
      the setting value, not `null`