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Java Java Data Structures - Retired Efficiency! Call Center Queue

CallCenter Challenge: OutOfMemory Error

I think I'm following the instructions, and apparently the code works for the first call to acceptCustomer by the evaluating code, but fails in the playHoldMusic() step in the next call --assuming the output is reflective of how far we have gone. (Actually, I never see any output from playHoldMusic(), so I'm not sure how we could be running out of memory there.)

Any ideas? Here's the content of output.html:

Hello Bob, my name is Canary, how can I assist you. ... Is there anything else I can help you with? Exception in thread "main" java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space at java.util.Arrays.copyOf(Arrays.java:3236) at java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream.grow(ByteArrayOutputStream.java:118) at java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream.ensureCapacity(ByteArrayOutputStream.java:93) at java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream.write(ByteArrayOutputStream.java:153) at java.io.PrintStream.write(PrintStream.java:480) at sun.nio.cs.StreamEncoder.writeBytes(StreamEncoder.java:221) at sun.nio.cs.StreamEncoder.implFlushBuffer(StreamEncoder.java:291) at sun.nio.cs.StreamEncoder.flushBuffer(StreamEncoder.java:104) at java.io.OutputStreamWriter.flushBuffer(OutputStreamWriter.java:185) at java.io.PrintStream.write(PrintStream.java:527) at java.io.PrintStream.print(PrintStream.java:669) at java.io.PrintStream.println(PrintStream.java:806) at CallCenter.playHoldMusic(CallCenter.java:44) at CallCenter.acceptCustomer(CallCenter.java:22) at JavaTester.run(JavaTester.java:110) at JavaTester.main(JavaTester.java:41)

CallCenter.java
import java.util.ArrayDeque;
import java.util.Queue;

public class CallCenter {
  Queue<CustomerSupportRep> mSupportReps;

  public CallCenter(Queue<CustomerSupportRep> queue) {
    mSupportReps = new ArrayDeque(queue);
  }

  public void acceptCustomer(Customer customer) {
    CustomerSupportRep csr;
    /********************************************
     * TODO (1) 
     * Wait until there is an available rep in the queue.
     * While there is not one available, playHoldMusic
     * HINT: That while assignmentcheck loop syntax we used to 
      *      read files seems pretty similar
     ********************************************
     */
    while((csr = mSupportReps.poll()) == null) { 
      playHoldMusic(); 
    } 

    /********************************************
     * TODO (2) 
     * After we have assigned the rep, call the 
     * assist method and pass in the customer
     ********************************************
     */
    csr.assist(customer);

    /********************************************
     * TODO (3) 
     * Since the customer support rep is done with
     * assisting, put them back into the queue.
     ********************************************
     */
    mSupportReps.add(csr);

  }

  public void playHoldMusic() {
    System.out.println("Smooooooth Operator.....");
  }

}
CustomerSupportRep.java
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;

public class CustomerSupportRep {
  private String mName;
  private List<Customer> mAssistedCustomers;

  public CustomerSupportRep(String name) {
    mName = name;
    mAssistedCustomers = new ArrayList<Customer>();
  }

  public void assist(Customer customer) {
    System.out.printf("Hello %s, my name is %s, how can I assist you.%n",
                      customer.getName(),
                      mName);
    System.out.println("...");
    System.out.println("Is there anything else I can help you with?");
    mAssistedCustomers.add(customer);
  }

  public List<Customer> getAssistedCustomers() {
    return mAssistedCustomers;
  }

}
Customer.java
public class Customer {
  private String mName;

  public Customer(String name) {
    mName = name;
  }

  public String getName() {
    return mName;
  }

}

1 Answer

The answer, it seems, is that the loop happens outside the code we are to modify. Use an if instead of a while, and return after starting the music when there is no available CSR, rather than continuing to loop expecting some other thread to add a CSR to the mSupportReps queue while you loop.