JDI: How to pause a Java application (JVM) like in the debugger

Question

I am looking for potentially a JDI API to pause the JVM at any arbitrary point during its execution. Looking at the BreakPointRequest createBreakpointRequest method needs a specific location. Is there any other API that does not need a location or someway to get current Location that could be passed to create a breakpoint.

I am basically looking for a way to attach and pause the application, then use JVMTI agent to receive callback for the BreakPoint event to perform further processing. Thanks

Answer 1

Breakpoints only make sense with a location in source. Arbitrary pausing your application is probably best done by suspending all the threads currently running in the JVM. Take a look at SuspendThreadList() or SuspendThread in jvmti. This mechanism would be the 'pause' you are looking for.