Thank you for downloading this piece of code.

Included in this README:

0) WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES
1) JAVADOC INSTRUCTIONS
2) COMPILE NOTES
3) SAMPLE PROGRAM NOTES
4) FREE LICENSE INFORMATION
5) ABOUT THE AUTHOR


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0. WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES
==========================================================================
This JDBC Connection Pool is SELF REGULATING.  That is, when you create
the pool, you tell it how big to make itself.  If, over time, you need
more connections than you originally requested, the pool will build new
ones.

These extra connections, if left idle for more than a certain definable
time, will be closed down by the pool to be kind to your database.

You can access a report from your pool to find out how many connections
are in it, how long they have been idle, which ones are being used, and
what program is using the used connections.

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1. JAVADOC FOR FULL DOCUMENTATION
==========================================================================
In order to get the most out of this piece of code, you'll need to glance
over the javadocs real quick.

Here's how:
   javadoc -d docs ConnectionPool.java

where "docs" is a directory wherein will be placed the documentation.
After you javadoc the file, point your browser to the new index.html 
(in the "docs" dir) and read away.


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2. COMPILE NOTES
==========================================================================
Simply compile from the command line:

javac ConnectionPool.java

There are two inner classes that will be compiled along with the
main class.  These two classes are named:

  ConnectionPool$ConData.class
  ConnectionPool$ConnectionPoolTimer.class
 
and are support classes for the ConnectionPool.  I would highly recommend
putting this java file into a package - I have commented out a package
name on the first line of the java source file.


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3. EXAMPLE PROGRAMS INCLUDED
==========================================================================
I have included 2 example programs:

SimpleConstructorExample - example using the simple constructor.
ComplexConstructorExample - example using the sophisticated constructor.

In order to compile these, you must first compile the ConnectionPool.

There are some variables within the source that you should modify for your
database environment.

In order to run these, you will need a database running that you can
connect to.  You must also know the database URL, the driver that you need,
and the database Username and Password. This document is not comprehensive
enough to go in to the detail of JDBC connectivity, but I'm working on a
tutorial that covers the basics utilizing a simple MS DB (.mdb) - that
should be pretty universally available.


==========================================================================
4. FREE LICENSE INFORMATION
==========================================================================

This code is distributed under the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE - you MAY
USE OR MODIFY IT as you like, but CANNOT charge money for this single
piece of code.  You MAY USE this code WITHIN a piece of software
that you charge money for.

To learn more about the GPL: http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html


==========================================================================
5. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
==========================================================================

Jeff Patterson - from Portland, Oregon.  Senior type programmer guy.

On the web at : http://www.webdoyen.com
Email me at   : jeff@webdoyen.com