File.deleteOnExit() uses the JVM entry point JVM_OnExit to register an at-exit
cleanup hook. It currently does not use the shutdown hooks mechanism introduced
in 1.3 because the API predates shutdown hooks. Unfortunately it turns out that
due to implementation details these two mechanisms are not orthogonal; in order
for the JVM at-exit hooks to be called, shutdown hooks need to be initialized.
Specifically, Terminator.setup() needs to be called during core libraries
startup.

A better solution which would reduce the amount of core libraries initialization
would be to reimplement File.deleteOnExit() to use shutdown hooks. This would
delay the first call to Terminator.setup() until actually required by the
application.

N/A

Should be done but cannot be finished for first tiger beta.
  xxxxx@xxxxx   2003-11-18
The deleteOnExit mechanism can't be implemented using the current shutdown hooks mechanism as it is today (as otherwise file deletion would execute concurrently with shutdown hooks that might access those files). However we can have a second set system-specific hooks that execute after the shutdown hooks have executed. We have community contributer with an initial implementation for this but it requires some finishing off work to complete.
Posted Date : 2005-11-09 12:49:35.0