setTransactionTimeoutint

setTransactionTimeout(int) is a method in the Java Transaction API (JTA) used to configure the maximum duration allowed for transactions started by the current thread. The method is exposed by transaction management interfaces such as javax.transaction.TransactionManager and javax.transaction.UserTransaction.

Signature and parameters: void setTransactionTimeout(int seconds) throws SystemException. The parameter seconds represents the timeout in seconds. The value is typically non-negative, with implementation-specific rules for special values. For example, some implementations treat 0 as disabling the timeout or as selecting a default timeout; others may have different interpretations. Always consult the specific transaction manager’s documentation for exact semantics.

Behavior: The method applies to the transaction context active on the calling thread. If the configured timeout elapses before the transaction completes, the transaction manager may roll the transaction back and mark resources as rollback-only. This can affect all resources participating in the transaction, potentially triggering rollback exceptions for ongoing operations.

Usage considerations: Use setTransactionTimeout to bound long-running transactions, especially in systems with limited resources or strict SLAs. It is common to set the timeout before starting a transaction (before begin) and to choose a value appropriate for the typical workload. Changing the timeout during an active transaction is implementation-dependent and may be ignored by some managers.

Exceptions: SystemException is thrown if the transaction manager cannot set the timeout or encounters an internal error. Some implementations may also throw IllegalArgumentException for invalid values.

See also: TransactionManager, UserTransaction, Java Transaction API (JTA), rollback.