Subscribe eventhandler to reference that is null - c#

I'm currently writing an application in which I deserialize relatively large objects (which can also grow in size, depending on what the user adds to them). I don't want to load all of them into RAM since that might cause problems when there are many of them.
Anyway, I want to handle events raised by the loaded instance of that class if there is one which is already my problem.
How can I subscribe an event handler to an object that is still null?
I think of something like "if there is an object and it raises that event handle it with that method".
Here is some sample code and the only approach I could think of though I already thought it couldn't work..
public class MyClassA
{
public event EventHandler PropertyChanged;
private string someProperty
public string SomeProperty
{
set
{
someProperty = value;
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
}
public static MyClassA Load(string path)
{
/*...*/
}
}
public class MyClassB
{
public MyClassA InstanceOfA { get; private set; }
public MyClassB
{
//InstanceOfA.PropertyChanged += MyEventHandler; Not working, NullReference
}
// Handle InstanceOfA.PropertyChanged here...
public void MyEventHandler(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
/*...*/
}
}

Of course you cannot subscribe an event handler to an object that is still null,but you can subscribe when you assign a non null value to it.
Just use a property and a backing field:
public class MyClassB
{
private MyClassA myVar;
public MyClassA InstanceOfA
{
get { return myVar; }
private set
{
myVar = value;
if (myVar != null)
myVar.PropertyChanged += MyEventHandler;
}
}
public void MyEventHandler(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
}
}

Related

.NET c# - how to pass aditional data to PropertyChangedEventHandler

I have this code :
public void SomeMethod()
{
MyClass clss = new MyClass(); //note: MyClass implements INotifyPropertyChanged
clss.DoSomething();
clss.PropertyChanged += new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler(MyEventHandler);
}
static void MyEventHandler(object sender, System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
Debug.WriteLine("some property on MyClass has changed!");
}
This is working ok and when the property in SomeClass changes, MyEventHandler() is run.
But now I need to pass aditional data from SomeMethod() to MyEventHandler() , how can I do this?
* UPDATE *
ok I guess I should have explained better the whole problem: the method DoSomething() in MyClass makes a call to an external web service, passing it a callback so when the web service finish its work, it will call the callback, passing it a value with the result of the operation. Inside that callback, I am changing a property of the class to assign it the value received from the web service, thus triggering the propertyChanged event.
Then in the caller class, I subscribe to that event so I can do some things when it happens.
The final objective is, after calling DoSomething(), be able to wait until the web service has finished its job and returned a result, so I can then save some things in the database etc. and only then, return from SomeMethod()...
so this is MyClass, simplified:
public class MyClass : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private long _wsReturnValue;
public event System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public long wsReturnValue
{
get { return _wsReturnValue; }
set {
_wsReturnValue = value;
OnPropertyChanged("wsReturnValue");
}
}
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string name)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
handler(this, new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs(name));
}
public void DoSomething(object entity)
{
//here I just call external web service and returns, the webservice will call TheCallback() when finished
}
public void TheCallback(CommunicationEventArgs e)
{
this.wsReturnValue = e.res;
}
}
And this is the class that uses MyClass:
class MainClass
{
public void SomeMethod(object someObject)
{
MyClass clss = new MyClass(); //note: MyClass implements INotifyPropertyChanged
clss.DoSomething(someObject); //someObject contains data that I want to use later in the event handler
clss.PropertyChanged += new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler(MyEventHandler);
}
private static void MyEventHandler(object sender, System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
//here I need to use the object someObject...
}
}
Not sure if this is even close to what you mean, but here you go;
class EventClass
{
public void SomeMethod()
{
MyClass clss = new MyClass(); //note: MyClass implements INotifyPropertyChanged
clss.DoSomething(new object());
clss.PropertyChanged += new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler(MyEventHandler);
}
private static void MyEventHandler(object sender, System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var customeEventArgs = (CustomEventArgs) e;
Debug.WriteLine("some property on MyClass has changed! Extra Data : {0}", customeEventArgs.ExtraData);
}
}
Implemented some more shell code to illustrate
internal class MyClass
{
public void DoSomething(object data)
{
var e = new CustomEventArgs("Property")
{
ExtraData = data
};
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, e);
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
}
internal class CustomEventArgs : PropertyChangedEventArgs
{
public CustomEventArgs(string propertyName) : base(propertyName)
{
}
public object ExtraData { get; set; }
}
Any help? :)

Events only being detected by single instance of class

I am trying to write an abstract class that contains data common to multiple components of an application and provides the ability for those components to notify other components that the data they're working on has changed. Unfortunately, none of the other components are picking up the events being fired. I decided to write up a quick test to see if I could pinpoint what was wrong, but I'm running into the exact same issues. Am I misunderstanding how events work? Or am I missing something obvious?
void Main()
{
EventHandler<string> EVENT = delegate {};
var test = new DerivedClass("test", ref EVENT, 6);
var test2 = new DerivedClass("test2", ref EVENT, 8);
test.Number = 7;
test2.Number = 4;
}
public class DerivedClass : BaseClass
{
protected override void OnChanged(object sender, string e)
{
Console.WriteLine(string.Format("Derived class event fired from {0}! New value is {1}", sender, e));
}
public DerivedClass(string name, ref EventHandler<string> handler, int val) : base(ref handler, val)
{
this._name = _name;
}
public override string ToString()
{
return _name;
}
string _name;
}
public abstract class BaseClass
{
public virtual int Number
{
get { return _number; }
set
{
_handler(this, value);
_number = value;
}
}
protected virtual void OnChanged(object sender, string e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Base class event fired! " + e);
}
protected BaseClass(ref EventHandler<string> handler, int val)
{
_number = val;
_handler = handler;
if (_handler != null) _handler += this.OnChanged;
}
protected event EventHandler<string> _handler;
protected int _number;
public override string ToString()
{
return "A BaseClass";
}
}
output:
Derived class event fired from test! New value is 7
Derived class event fired from test2! New value is 4
Am I misunderstanding how events work?
Probably. Specifically, you seem to be under the impression either that events are handled on a per-class basis, or that child class instances will all share the same parent class instance.
You've declared your event to be non-static:
protected event EventHandler<string> _handler;
So every instance of any class that extends this class will have its own instance of this event. Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, you might consider making the event static?

How to propagate property change notifications of objects within collections

Lets say I have classes like this
public class R
{
protected string name;
protected List<S> listOfObjectS;
}
public class S
{
private string name, ID;
private A objectA;
}
public class A
{
private string name;
private int count;
}
If a user has two views open, one displaying instances of R and another allowing users to modify an instance of A, I need the view of R to change when the user changes any instance of A.
If the user changes a property of an instance of A, what is the best way to propagate that change (through instances of S) so that all instances of R display the new state of A?
EDIT: Overhauling this answer to be more specific to the question since the tags show you already knew about INotifyPropertyChanged.
You need to implement INotifyPropertyChanged in class A and in class S. Make it so objectA can only be set through a property that will raise the PropertyChanged event on S whenever a property is changed in A. Example:
public class A : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string name;
public string Name
{
get { return name; }
set { name = value; OnPropertyChanged("Name"); }
}
private int count;
public int Count
{
get { return count; }
set { count = value; OnPropertyChanged("Count"); }
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
if (PropertyChanged != null) PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
... and class S...
public class S : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string name, ID;
private A objectA;
public A ObjectA
{
get { return objectA; }
set
{
var old = objectA;
objectA = value;
// Remove the event subscription from the old instance.
if (old != null) old.PropertyChanged -= objectA_PropertyChanged;
// Add the event subscription to the new instance.
if (objectA != null) objectA.PropertyChanged += objectA_PropertyChanged;
OnPropertyChanged("ObjectA");
}
}
void objectA_PropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
// Propagate the change to any listeners. Prefix with ObjectA so listeners can tell the difference.
OnPropertyChanged("ObjectA." + e.PropertyName);
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
if (PropertyChanged != null) PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
For class R, use ObservableCollection<S> instead of List<S>, and subscribe to its CollectionChanged event, and monitor when objects are added or removed to listOfObjectS. When they are added, subscribe to S's PropertyChanged events. Then updated R's view. Example:
public class R
{
protected string name;
protected System.Collections.ObjectModel.ObservableCollection<S> ListOfObjectS { get; private set; }
public R()
{
// Use ObservableCollection instead.
ListOfObjectS = new ObservableCollection<S>();
// Subscribe to all changes to the collection.
ListOfObjectS.CollectionChanged += listOfObjectS_CollectionChanged;
}
void listOfObjectS_CollectionChanged(object sender, System.Collections.Specialized.NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.Action == NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Remove)
{
// When items are removed, unsubscribe from property change notifications.
var oldItems = (e.OldItems ?? new INotifyPropertyChanged[0]).OfType<INotifyPropertyChanged>();
foreach (var item in oldItems)
item.PropertyChanged -= item_PropertyChanged;
}
// When item(s) are added, subscribe to property notifications.
if (e.Action == NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Add)
{
var newItems = (e.NewItems ?? new INotifyPropertyChanged[0]).OfType<INotifyPropertyChanged>();
foreach (var item in newItems)
item.PropertyChanged += item_PropertyChanged;
}
// NOTE: I'm not handling NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Reset.
// You'll want to look into when this event is raised and handle it
// in a special fashion.
}
void item_PropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.PropertyName.StartsWith("ObjectA."))
{
// Refresh any dependent views, forms, controls, whatever...
}
}
}
Let's say you have a form1 where you use an instance of class R to display a list of instances from class A. You than press edit and you send the instance of that same class A from the class R instance towards the new form.
This will than be a reference to the object contained in the instance of R and therefore be updated within form2. The only thing you than have to do is refresh the instance of class A in the list of form1.
To explain: when you are calling a form or method with the an object instance of a class, this will create a reference, not a clone and therefore can be updated from the second form2.

How to make only farthest child receive shared event?

I have run into a bit of a design issue with my code.
I have a object that creates a child object (the child could then create another child, etc), and both objects subscribe to the same event.
But, I only want the most child object to receive the event.
Overview of what my project is:
I am creating a IVR system. When a user calls into the system, the user will have X menu choices. Based on what the user chooses they will have a sub menu of choices, and so on and so on. I am using State Machines for this. Every State Machine needs to "listen" for when the user presses a number on their phone. But only the current State Machine needs to process the entered number. Each State Machine can create a new State Machine to represent the sub menu.
Here is some sample code:
Base class:
public delegate void DoSomething(object sender, EventArgs data);
public class Base
{
public event DoSomething myEvent;
private IObject foo;
public Base ()
{
foo = new myObjectA(this);
}
public void SomeAction()
{
((myObjectA)foo).CreateChild();
}
public void EventFired()
{
if (myEvent != null)
{
myEvent(this, new EventArgs());
}
}
}
ObjectA:
class myObjectA : IObject
{
private Base theCallingObject;
private IObject child;
public myObjectA (Base _base)
{
theCallingObject = _base;
theCallingObject.myEvent += new DoSomething(theCallingObject_myEvent);
}
public void CreateChild()
{
child = new myObjectB(theCallingObject);
}
void theCallingObject_myEvent(object sender, EventArgs data)
{
// Handle event
MessageBox.Show("myObjectA");
}
}
ObjectB:
class myObjectB : IObject
{
private Base theCallingObject;
public myObjectB (Base _base)
{
theCallingObject = _base;
theCallingObject.myEvent += new DoSomething(theCallingObject_myEvent);
}
void theCallingObject_myEvent(object sender, EventArgs data)
{
// Handle event
MessageBox.Show("myObjectB");
}
}
Now when I do this:
Base blah = new Base();
blah.SomeAction();
blah.EventFired();
I get message boxes for both A and B.
I need to implement Base so that only myObjectB gets the event.
I will have hundreds of myObject's so I need a implementation at the Base level and NOT the myObject level. Plus, handling it at the myObject level would still require the event to be fired causing performance issues if there are hundreds of objects.
One solution I have considered is when myObjectA creates the child, unsubscribe from the event, then resubscribe when we get back to the myObjectA level. However I feel something better could be done.
Anyone have any ideas?
Edit: Using payo's input I have come up with this:
public delegate void DoSomething(object sender, EventArgs data);
public class Base
{
private IObject foo;
private List<DoSomething> _myEventStorage;
public event DoSomething myEvent
{
add
{
_myEventStorage.Insert(0, value);
}
remove
{
_myEventStorage.Remove(value);
}
}
public Base ()
{
_myEventStorage = new List<DoSomething>();
foo = new myObjectA(this);
}
public void SomeAction()
{
((myObjectA)foo).CreateChild();
}
public void EventFired()
{
_myEventStorage[0].Invoke(this, new EventArgs());
}
}
you would need to explicitly implement myEvent (add/remove) handlers and track the "farthest" independently of the registered observers. then you can send the notification to that single instance.
For events, each subscriber is queued up (put at end of list), a FIFO model. You want the most-child object to 'own' the event, not just subscribe and be part of some abstract list of other unknown objects.
I would provide a new model that represents what you are trying to do. This might be what Jason recommended: (he posted his answer as I was typing this out)
public class Base
{
private DoSomething _myEventStorage;
public event DoSomething myEvent
{
add
{
_myEventStorage = value;
}
remove
{
_myEventStorage -= value;
}
}
...
public void EventFired()
{
if (_myEventStorage != null)
{
_myEventStorage(this, new ChainEventArgs());
}
}
}
This calls last ONLY. Another option (to add to this custom add/remove) would be to provide a derived EventArgs:
public class ChainEventArgs : EventArgs
{
public bool Handled { get; set; }
}
public delegate void DoSomething(object sender, ChainEventArgs data);
...
public event DoSomething myEvent
{
add
{
var temp = _myEventStorage;
_myEventStorage = null;
_myEventStorage += value;
_myEventStorage += temp; // now all are called, but FILO
}
remove
{
_myEventStorage -= value;
}
}
At this point, you can either check Handled on each IObject
void theCallingObject_myEvent(object sender, ChainEventArgs data)
{
if (data.Handled)
return;
if (I_want_to_block_parents)
data.Handled = true;
// else leave it false
}
Or, add some complexity to your Base class and stop calling up the chain (let's the children have no need to check Handled). I'll show the solution with a List<> of delegates, but some MulticaseDelegate casts and calls could do the same. I just feel the List<> code might be more readable/maintainable.
public class Base
{
private List<DoSomething> _myEventStorage;
public event DoSomething myEvent
{
add
{
_myEventStorage.Insert(0, value);
}
remove
{
_myEventStorage.Remove(value);
}
}
...
public void EventFired()
{
var args = new ChainEventArgs();
foreach (var handler in _myEventStorage)
{
handler(this, args);
if (args.Handled)
break;
}
}
}

how to implement on change notification on a object

I have a plain normal class, e.g.:
public class ObjectA
{
public string val {get;set;}
...
}
in another class, it holds an instance of ObjectA, e.g.:
public class ObjectB
{
private ObjectA objectA;
....
}
the instance "objectA" will be frequently changed.
i mean in ObjectB, some of the method will new and new instance of Object A and assign to "objectA"
is there a way to implement a trigger, whenever instance objectA is change, will allow me to do something, e.g.:
objectA += OnChanged_ObjectA
protected void OnOnChanged_ObjectA()
{
// do something
}
You can create a change event on ObjectA that you will fire for any of the changes you wish to track. This will allow you to subscribe to this event on any other object, including ObjectB.
In Object1.cs:
// Delegate type for the event handler
public delegate void MyEventHandler();
// Declare the event.
public event MyEventHandler MyEvent;
// In the properties or any place you what to notify of change:
if (MyEvent != null)
MyEvent();
And in Object2.cs you can subscribe:
objectA.MyEvent += OnChanged_ObjectA
protected void OnOnChanged_ObjectA()
{
// Action changes
}
How about :
INotifyPropertyChanged Interface
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.componentmodel.inotifypropertychanged.aspx
I had such problem recently, but unfortunately, I didn't find any another solution, but this:
public ObjectB
{
private ObjectA _objectA;
public ObjectA objectA
{
get
{
return _objectA;
}
set
{
if (value != _objectA)
{
_objectA = value;
RaiseObjectAChanged(/* sender, args */);
}
}
}
private RaiseObjectAChanged()
{
// raise event here
}
private OnObjectAChanged()
{
// event handler
}
}

Categories