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Reading the Java 7 planned try-with-resource syntax I am convinced that supporting the Closable interface is necessary change for GeoTools 9.x.

Reading: 

• The try-with-resources Statement (Java Tutorials)
• Eclipse Juno try-with-resources statement

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This proposal is shaping up, ask question on the email list or vote below:

• Andrea Aime +1
• Ben Caradoc-Davies
• Christian Mueller +1
• Ian Turton +1
• Justin Deoliveira +1
• Jody Garnett +1
• Simone Giannecchini

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1. FeatureIterator API change to throw IOException
   
   • Update Interface and Implementations
   • Fix library code including any broken tests
2. Warn / Patch downstream applications
   
   1. Patch for GeoServer
   2. Patch for uDig
3. Coordinate API  Coordinate API Change (above patches should be tested / applied together)
4. Implement Closable
   
   • FeatureIterator FeatureIterator
   • FeatureReader FeatureReader
   • FeatureWriter
   Update the user guide
   
   • Feature  FeatureWriter
5.  A lot of this work got rolled into the FeatureCollection clean up
6. Warn / Patch downstream applications (Combined with FeatureCollection cleanup)
   
   1.  Patch for GeoServer
   2.  Patch for uDig (patch ready held up waiting for 1.3.3 release)
7. Check the code examples in user guide
   
   •  Feature Collection try-with-resource code example
   • Geometry  Geometry CRS Tutorial
   • Query  Query Tutorial

API Changes

FeatureIterator

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