Handler工作原理及源码分析

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本文出自：NiZhuanXingHe的博客

概述

Handler对于android开发人员来说，甚至耳熟能详，不管是什么样的项目，大到陈年老项目，小到炫技小项目，你几乎都离不开它。
通过源码可知，一个Handler允许你去发送、处理消息和可运行对象，而这些消息和可被捕获的对象关联着一个消息队列，每个线程都会对应一个消息队列，而每个Handler实例关联着一个线程。所以，你每建立的一个message对象都会被放到你建立这个对象的线程所关联的消息队列中去。
你可以把这个消息提交或传给一个handler，你可以把处理过程进行延时操作，也可立即执行。当这个流程是在你的应用进程中创建，那么你的主线程将会被指派运行这个消息队列，以此管理顶级的应用对象，和任何windows的创建，你能建立自己的线程，以handler机制和主线程通信，你的消息将会通过handler的message queue恰当地被分发并得以处理。

Handler消息处理机制图示

Handler源码分析

• 安排消息或可运行对象传到某一特定地点执行 ；
• 将一个行为放到其他线程中去执行。

    /**
     * Causes the Runnable r to be added to the message queue.
     * The runnable will be run on the thread to which this handler is 
     * attached. 
     *  
     * @param r The Runnable that will be executed.
     * 
     * @return Returns true if the Runnable was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.
     */
    public final boolean post(Runnable r)
    {
       return  sendMessageDelayed(getPostMessage(r), 0);
    }
    
    /**
     * Causes the Runnable r to be added to the message queue, to be run
     * at a specific time given by <var>uptimeMillis</var>.
     * <b>The time-base is {@link android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis}.</b>
     * Time spent in deep sleep will add an additional delay to execution.
     * The runnable will be run on the thread to which this handler is attached.
     *
     * @param r The Runnable that will be executed.
     * @param uptimeMillis The absolute time at which the callback should run,
     *         using the {@link android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis} time-base.
     *  
     * @return Returns true if the Runnable was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.  Note that a
     *         result of true does not mean the Runnable will be processed -- if
     *         the looper is quit before the delivery time of the message
     *         occurs then the message will be dropped.
     */
    public final boolean postAtTime(Runnable r, long uptimeMillis)
    {
        return sendMessageAtTime(getPostMessage(r), uptimeMillis);
    }
    
    /**
     * Causes the Runnable r to be added to the message queue, to be run
     * at a specific time given by <var>uptimeMillis</var>.
     * <b>The time-base is {@link android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis}.</b>
     * Time spent in deep sleep will add an additional delay to execution.
     * The runnable will be run on the thread to which this handler is attached.
     *
     * @param r The Runnable that will be executed.
     * @param uptimeMillis The absolute time at which the callback should run,
     *         using the {@link android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis} time-base.
     * 
     * @return Returns true if the Runnable was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.  Note that a
     *         result of true does not mean the Runnable will be processed -- if
     *         the looper is quit before the delivery time of the message
     *         occurs then the message will be dropped.
     *         
     * @see android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis
     */
    public final boolean postAtTime(Runnable r, Object token, long uptimeMillis)
    {
        return sendMessageAtTime(getPostMessage(r, token), uptimeMillis);
    }
    
    /**
     * Causes the Runnable r to be added to the message queue, to be run
     * after the specified amount of time elapses.
     * The runnable will be run on the thread to which this handler
     * is attached.
     * <b>The time-base is {@link android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis}.</b>
     * Time spent in deep sleep will add an additional delay to execution.
     *  
     * @param r The Runnable that will be executed.
     * @param delayMillis The delay (in milliseconds) until the Runnable
     *        will be executed.
     *        
     * @return Returns true if the Runnable was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.  Note that a
     *         result of true does not mean the Runnable will be processed --
     *         if the looper is quit before the delivery time of the message
     *         occurs then the message will be dropped.
     */
    public final boolean postDelayed(Runnable r, long delayMillis)
    {
        return sendMessageDelayed(getPostMessage(r), delayMillis);
    }

    /**
     * Pushes a message onto the end of the message queue after all pending messages
     * before the current time. It will be received in {@link #handleMessage},
     * in the thread attached to this handler.
     *  
     * @return Returns true if the message was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.
     */
    public final boolean sendMessage(Message msg)
    {
        return sendMessageDelayed(msg, 0);
    }

    /**
     * Sends a Message containing only the what value.
     *  
     * @return Returns true if the message was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.
     */
    public final boolean sendEmptyMessage(int what)
    {
        return sendEmptyMessageDelayed(what, 0);
    }

    /**
     * Sends a Message containing only the what value, to be delivered
     * after the specified amount of time elapses.
     * @see #sendMessageDelayed(android.os.Message, long) 
     * 
     * @return Returns true if the message was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.
     */
    public final boolean sendEmptyMessageDelayed(int what, long delayMillis) {
        Message msg = Message.obtain();
        msg.what = what;
        return sendMessageDelayed(msg, delayMillis);
    }

    /**
     * Sends a Message containing only the what value, to be delivered 
     * at a specific time.
     * @see #sendMessageAtTime(android.os.Message, long)
     *  
     * @return Returns true if the message was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.
     */

    public final boolean sendEmptyMessageAtTime(int what, long uptimeMillis) {
        Message msg = Message.obtain();
        msg.what = what;
        return sendMessageAtTime(msg, uptimeMillis);
    }

由源码可知，有执行可运行对象为代表和传递消息为代表的的两类方法，但它们最终都是殊途同归，分析其中一个即可，如post(…) 中会调用sendMessageDelayed(…)方法：

    /**
     * Enqueue a message into the message queue after all pending messages
     * before (current time + delayMillis). You will receive it in
     * {@link #handleMessage}, in the thread attached to this handler.
     *  
     * @return Returns true if the message was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.  Note that a
     *         result of true does not mean the message will be processed -- if
     *         the looper is quit before the delivery time of the message
     *         occurs then the message will be dropped.
     */
    public final boolean sendMessageDelayed(Message msg, long delayMillis)
    {
        if (delayMillis < 0) {
            delayMillis = 0;
        }
        return sendMessageAtTime(msg, SystemClock.uptimeMillis() + delayMillis);
    }

不同只在与，delayMillis这个参数，前者传的是0，后者传入的精确数字，只不过如果这个数字小于0，将会等同于传入0。所以postDelayed(…)方法若时间参数(即第二个参数)传入的负数或0，则等同于执行的post(…)方法。而，这两个方法中，sendMessageDelayed(…)的第一个参数则都是传的getPostMessage®，看一下：

    private static Message getPostMessage(Runnable r) {
        Message m = Message.obtain();
        m.callback = r;
        return m;
    }

这个方法，是将被传入Runnable对象赋值给新建立的Message对象的callback参数，然后返回这个message，在Message对象中，callback对象是这样申明的：

/*package*/ Runnable callback;

先不管callback是怎么用的，回头看看sendMessageDelayed(…)，其中调用的如下的方法：

	/**
     * Enqueue a message into the message queue after all pending messages
     * before the absolute time (in milliseconds) <var>uptimeMillis</var>.
     * <b>The time-base is {@link android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis}.</b>
     * Time spent in deep sleep will add an additional delay to execution.
     * You will receive it in {@link #handleMessage}, in the thread attached
     * to this handler.
     * 
     * @param uptimeMillis The absolute time at which the message should be
     *         delivered, using the
     *         {@link android.os.SystemClock#uptimeMillis} time-base.
     *         
     * @return Returns true if the message was successfully placed in to the 
     *         message queue.  Returns false on failure, usually because the
     *         looper processing the message queue is exiting.  Note that a
     *         result of true does not mean the message will be processed -- if
     *         the looper is quit before the delivery time of the message
     *         occurs then the message will be dropped.
     */
    public boolean sendMessageAtTime(Message msg, long uptimeMillis) {
        MessageQueue queue = mQueue;
        if (queue == null) {
            RuntimeException e = new RuntimeException(
                    this + " sendMessageAtTime() called with no mQueue");
            Log.w("Looper", e.getMessage(), e);
            return false;
        }
        return enqueueMessage(queue, msg, uptimeMillis);
    }

通过注释可知，这个方法是将消息入队了消息队列mQueue中，这个mQueue是在你Handler实例被初始化时候进行构建的：

    public Handler(Callback callback, boolean async) {
        if (FIND_POTENTIAL_LEAKS) {
            final Class<? extends Handler> klass = getClass();
            if ((klass.isAnonymousClass() || klass.isMemberClass() || klass.isLocalClass()) &&
                    (klass.getModifiers() & Modifier.STATIC) == 0) {
                Log.w(TAG, "The following Handler class should be static or leaks might occur: " +
                    klass.getCanonicalName());
            }
        }

        mLooper = Looper.myLooper();
        if (mLooper == null) {
            throw new RuntimeException(
                "Can't create handler inside thread that has not called Looper.prepare()");
        }
        mQueue = mLooper.mQueue;
        mCallback = callback;
        mAsynchronous = async;
    }

这个消息队列来源一个Looper对象，那么这个Looper对象从何而来？
Handler在建立时，并没有关于它的构建过程，这其实是因为在Handler被构建之前，就会去对Looper进行一系列操作，而这些操作是在主线程mainThread中完成的：

public static void main(String[] args) {
        ...
        //初始化Looper
        Looper.prepareMainLooper();

        ActivityThread thread = new ActivityThread();
        thread.attach(false);

        if (sMainThreadHandler == null) {
            sMainThreadHandler = thread.getHandler();
        }

        if (false) {
            Looper.myLooper().setMessageLogging(new
                    LogPrinter(Log.DEBUG, "ActivityThread"));
        }

        // End of event ActivityThreadMain.
        Trace.traceEnd(Trace.TRACE_TAG_ACTIVITY_MANAGER);
        Looper.loop();

        throw new RuntimeException("Main thread loop unexpectedly exited");
    }
}

需要注意的是，loop是通过Looper.loop()开始执行，但主线程中，Looper不会停止loop操作：

	public static void prepareMainLooper() {
        prepare(false);
        synchronized (Looper.class) {
            if (sMainLooper != null) {
                throw new IllegalStateException("The main Looper has already been prepared.");
            }
            sMainLooper = myLooper();
        }
    }

如上，prepare(false)传入的是false，则是表示在结束loop操作后，并不会不再处理任何消息队列中的消息，quit()方法就是来结束loop操作的，但是这里不会调用quit()。
如果实在主线程中，looper这一套循环消息处理的逻辑是被写好了，不需要自己去实现，但是在非主线程中，你就需要自己写loop，这里不展开。
知道mLooper的来历，再回到sendMessageAtTime中，则会在后面执行一下代码：

	private boolean enqueueMessage(MessageQueue queue, Message msg, long uptimeMillis) {
        msg.target = this;
        if (mAsynchronous) {
            msg.setAsynchronous(true);
        }
        return queue.enqueueMessage(msg, uptimeMillis);
    }

在enqueueMessage方法中，我们可以看到，Message是单链表结构，新的消息会被插入到当前mMessage中作为第一个节点，mMessage的head->next指向msg，而msg->next将指向插入之前mMessage的head->next所指向的那个节点：

    boolean enqueueMessage(Message msg, long when) {
        if (msg.target == null) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Message must have a target.");
        }
        if (msg.isInUse()) {
            throw new IllegalStateException(msg + " This message is already in use.");
        }

        synchronized (this) {
            if (mQuitting) {
                IllegalStateException e = new IllegalStateException(
                        msg.target + " sending message to a Handler on a dead thread");
                Log.w(TAG, e.getMessage(), e);
                msg.recycle();
                return false;
            }

            msg.markInUse();
            msg.when = when;
            Message p = mMessages;
            boolean needWake;
            if (p == null || when == 0 || when < p.when) {
                // New head, wake up the event queue if blocked.
                msg.next = p;
                mMessages = msg;
                needWake = mBlocked;
            } else {
                // Inserted within the middle of the queue.  Usually we don't have to wake
                // up the event queue unless there is a barrier at the head of the queue
                // and the message is the earliest asynchronous message in the queue.
                needWake = mBlocked && p.target == null && msg.isAsynchronous();
                Message prev;
                for (;;) {
                    prev = p;
                    p = p.next;
                    if (p == null || when < p.when) {
                        break;
                    }
                    if (needWake && p.isAsynchronous()) {
                        needWake = false;
                    }
                }
                msg.next = p; // invariant: p == prev.next
                prev.next = msg;
            }

            // We can assume mPtr != 0 because mQuitting is false.
            if (needWake) {
                nativeWake(mPtr);
            }
        }
        return true;
    }

上面的代码只是对消息队列进行了处理，真正分发消息的方法在loop中，上面提到过mLooper的来源，这个全局变量的作用如下：

    /**
     * Run the message queue in this thread. Be sure to call
     * {@link #quit()} to end the loop.
     */
    public static void loop() {
        final Looper me = myLooper();
        if (me == null) {
            throw new RuntimeException("No Looper; Looper.prepare() wasn't called on this thread.");
        }
        final MessageQueue queue = me.mQueue;

        // Make sure the identity of this thread is that of the local process,
        // and keep track of what that identity token actually is.
        Binder.clearCallingIdentity();
        final long ident = Binder.clearCallingIdentity();

        for (;;) {
            Message msg = queue.next(); // might block
            if (msg == null) {
                // No message indicates that the message queue is quitting.
                return;
            }

            // This must be in a local variable, in case a UI event sets the logger
            final Printer logging = me.mLogging;
            if (logging != null) {
                logging.println(">>>>> Dispatching to " + msg.target + " " +
                        msg.callback + ": " + msg.what);
            }

            final long slowDispatchThresholdMs = me.mSlowDispatchThresholdMs;

            final long traceTag = me.mTraceTag;
            if (traceTag != 0 && Trace.isTagEnabled(traceTag)) {
                Trace.traceBegin(traceTag, msg.target.getTraceName(msg));
            }
            final long start = (slowDispatchThresholdMs == 0) ? 0 : SystemClock.uptimeMillis();
            final long end;
            try {
                msg.target.dispatchMessage(msg);
                end = (slowDispatchThresholdMs == 0) ? 0 : SystemClock.uptimeMillis();
            } finally {
                if (traceTag != 0) {
                    Trace.traceEnd(traceTag);
                }
            }
            if (slowDispatchThresholdMs > 0) {
                final long time = end - start;
                if (time > slowDispatchThresholdMs) {
                    Slog.w(TAG, "Dispatch took " + time + "ms on "
                            + Thread.currentThread().getName() + ", h=" +
                            msg.target + " cb=" + msg.callback + " msg=" + msg.what);
                }
            }

            if (logging != null) {
                logging.println("<<<<< Finished to " + msg.target + " " + msg.callback);
            }

            // Make sure that during the course of dispatching the
            // identity of the thread wasn't corrupted.
            final long newIdent = Binder.clearCallingIdentity();
            if (ident != newIdent) {
                Log.wtf(TAG, "Thread identity changed from 0x"
                        + Long.toHexString(ident) + " to 0x"
                        + Long.toHexString(newIdent) + " while dispatching to "
                        + msg.target.getClass().getName() + " "
                        + msg.callback + " what=" + msg.what);
            }

            msg.recycleUnchecked();
        }
    }

上面这段代码可以这么理解，获取当前线程的Looper的消息队列mQueue，然后获取其最后一个节点对应的msg，然后通过Handler的dispatchMessage(…)方法分发此消息：

    /**
     * Handle system messages here.
     */
    public void dispatchMessage(Message msg) {
        if (msg.callback != null) {
            handleCallback(msg);
        } else {
            if (mCallback != null) {
                if (mCallback.handleMessage(msg)) {
                    return;
                }
            }
            handleMessage(msg);
        }
    }

这段代码中handleCallback(msg);将会执行Runnable的action，在msg.callback(Runnable类型变量)对应的线程之中，或者回调消息：handleMessage(msg)，那么这个msg将会被放到Handler被创建的线程中的handlerMessage()方法中去处理，如下：

public class HandlerTestAct extends Activity {

    private Context context;

    Handler handler = new Handler(){
        @Override
        public void handleMessage(Message msg) {
            super.handleMessage(msg);
            //Handler message here
        }
    };
   
	...
}

到此，Handler原理告一段落。

总结

就一个Handler，没想到并不是如此简单，其实还有很刺激的native部分没有拿出来，点到为止吧。看来，学好android并非一朝一夕。下一篇博客，讲讲自定义Handler 。