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WebObjects/EOF/Using EOF/Delegates and Notifications

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EO Change Notifications

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Pierre Bernard

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To invalidate cached versions of derived values, you might want to use this:

 /** Utility class. Provides for a way to watch for changes in EOs. The main use of this would be to
   * be able to safely keep cached/computed/derived values that get cleared once out of sync.
   * 
   * @author bernard
   * @version ChangeNotificationCenter.java,v 1.1 2003/03/11 16:26:59 bernard Exp
 **/
 public class ChangeNotificationCenter
 {
   // Public class constants
 
   /** Name of the posted notification
    */
   public static final String OBJECT_CHANGED = "MBSObjectChanged";
 
   /** Possible type of change a notification is posted for
    */
   public static final String INVALIDATION = "Invalidation";
 
   /** Possible type of change a notification is posted for
    */
   public static final String DELETION = "Deletion";
 
   /** Possible type of change a notification is posted for
    */
   public static final String UPDATE = "Update";
 
   // Private class constants
 
   /** Key in the posted notification's userInfo dictionary.
    */
   private static final String OBJECT = "MBSObject";
 
   /** Key in the posted notification's userInfo dictionary.
    */
   private static final String TYPE = "MBSType";
 
   /** Selector used for calling the watcher object upon a change
    */
   private static final NSSelector watchedObjectChangedSelector =
     new NSSelector("watchedObjectChanged", new Class[] { NSNotification.class });
 
   // Private class variables
 
   /** Reference holding the shared singleton instance.
    */
   private static ChangeNotificationCenter defaultCenter = null;
 
   // Constructor
 
   /** Singleton class
    */
   private ChangeNotificationCenter()
   {
     super();
 
     Class[] notificationArray = new Class[] { NSNotification.class };
     NSSelector objectsChangedIInEditingContextSelector =
       new NSSelector("objectsChangedInEditingContext", notificationArray);
 
     NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().addObserver(
       this,
       objectsChangedIInEditingContextSelector,
       EOEditingContext.ObjectsChangedInEditingContextNotification,
       null);
   }
 
   // Public instance methods
 
   /** Method called when a change notification is received.
    * 
    * The notification is split and redispatched for all updated objects.
    */
   public void objectsChangedInEditingContext(NSNotification notification)
   {
     NSArray updated = (NSArray) notification.userInfo().objectForKey(EOObjectStore.UpdatedKey);
 
     if (updated != null)
     {
       int count = updated.count();
 
       for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
       {
         Object object = updated.objectAtIndex(i);
         NSDictionary userInfo =
           new NSDictionary(new Object[] { object, UPDATE }, new Object[] { OBJECT, TYPE });
         NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().postNotification(OBJECT_CHANGED, object, userInfo);
       }
     }
 
     NSArray invalidated = (NSArray) notification.userInfo().objectForKey(EOObjectStore.InvalidatedKey);
 
     if (invalidated != null)
     {
       int count = invalidated.count();
 
       for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
       {
         Object object = invalidated.objectAtIndex(i);
         NSDictionary userInfo =
           new NSDictionary(new Object[] { object, INVALIDATION }, new Object[] { OBJECT, TYPE });
         NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().postNotification(OBJECT_CHANGED, object, userInfo);
       }
     }
 
     NSArray deleted = (NSArray) notification.userInfo().objectForKey(EOObjectStore.DeletedKey);
 
     if (deleted != null)
     {
       int count = deleted.count();
 
       for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
       {
         Object object = deleted.objectAtIndex(i);
         NSDictionary userInfo = new NSDictionary(new Object[] { object, DELETION }, new Object[] { OBJECT, TYPE });
         NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().postNotification(OBJECT_CHANGED, object, userInfo);
       }
     }
   }
 
   /** Method to be called when one creates a cached value that depends on the attributes of a given object.
* * Upon registration the object is watched and the watchedObjectChanged() is called once it changes, thus providing an * opportunity to invalidate the cached value.
* * @param watcher the watching object which should unregister before disposing * @param object the object to watch * @see #unregisterCacheDependancy * @see #unregisterCacheDependancies */ public void registerCacheDependancy(ObserverInterface watcher, EOEnterpriseObject object) { NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().addObserver(watcher, watchedObjectChangedSelector, OBJECT_CHANGED, object); } /** Method to be called when one abandons or clears a cached value that depended on attributes of a given object.
* * @param watcher the watching object * @param object the object to watch * @see #registerCacheDependancy */ public void unregisterCacheDependancy(ObserverInterface watcher, Object object) { NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().removeObserver(watcher, OBJECT_CHANGED, object); } /** Unregisters all of the callers dependancies. To be used sparingly as it may break unknown but required * dependancies. Usually called when disposing the calling object.
* * @param watcher the watching object * @see #registerCacheDependancy * @see #unregisterCacheDependancy */ public void unregisterCacheDependancies(ObserverInterface watcher) { NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().removeObserver(watcher, OBJECT_CHANGED, null); } // Public class methods /** Gets or lazily instantiates the shared instance of the ChangeNotificationCenter * * @return the unique instance */ public static ChangeNotificationCenter defaultCenter() { if (defaultCenter == null) { createDefaultCenter(); } return defaultCenter; } /** Utility method. Allows for retrieving the changed object from a notification * that results of registering interest in a change. * * @param notification the received notification * @return the object that triggered the notification */ public static EOEnterpriseObject objectFromNotification(NSNotification notification) { return (EOEnterpriseObject) notification.userInfo().objectForKey(OBJECT); } /** Utility method. Allows for retrieving the type of change that occurred from a notification * that results of registering interest in a change. * * @param notification the received notification * @return the type as one of the class constants defined in ChangeNotificationCenter */ public static String typeFromNotification(NSNotification notification) { return (String) notification.userInfo().objectForKey(TYPE); } // Private class methods /** Creates the singleton instance ensuring there is no existing instance. */ private static synchronized void createDefaultCenter() { if (defaultCenter == null) { defaultCenter = new ChangeNotificationCenter(); } } // Inner interface definition /** Interface to be implemented by objects that need to listen to changes.
* * CAVEAT: in most cases it is recommended to not directly implement the interface, * but rather create an inner class that implements the interface or better yet * extends the default implementation. Indeed if an object (e.g. an EO) which * participates in an inheritance hierarchy is used as receiver for notifications, * registering or unregistering might break functionality in a parent class. */ public static interface ObserverInterface { /** Method called when an object on which locally cached values depend is modified.
* * This hook is provided as an opportunity to clear locally cached values. It's a good idea not to recreate * the cached values immediately, but on an as-needed basis. You should refrain from changing persisted EO * attributes from within this method as this might kick off another chain of notifications.
* * Once the caches cleared, it would be a very good idea to unregister from further notifications until * the cache is recreated. * * @see lu.bcl.enterprise.entity.ChangeNotificationCenter#objectFromNotification * @see lu.bcl.enterprise.entity.ChangeNotificationCenter#registerCacheDependancy * @see lu.bcl.enterprise.entity.ChangeNotificationCenter#unRegisterCacheDependancy */ public void watchedObjectChanged(NSNotification notification); } // Inner class /** Convenience class for implementing ObserverInterface.
* * The recommended way of registering for change notificications is to create an inner * class extending this one. */ public abstract static class Observer implements ObserverInterface { /** Method to be called by subclasses when the create a cached value that depends on the attributes of a given object.
* * Upon registration the object is watched and the clearCachedValues() is called once it changes, thus providing an * opportunity to invalidate the cached value.
* * You need to register for each object your locally cached values depend on. E.g. if you build a cached value from * attributes of EOs in a too-many relationship, your cache depends on each of the objects in the relationship as well * as on the source of the realtionship.
* * N.B. Extend the dispose() method to unregister any dependancy you might be registered for. * * @param object the object to watch * @see #unregisterCacheDependancy * @see #clearCachedValues */ protected void registerCacheDependancy(EOEnterpriseObject object) { ChangeNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().registerCacheDependancy(this, object); } /** Method to be called by subclasses when they abandon or clear a cached value that depended on attributes * of a given object.
* * @param object the object to watch * @see #registerCacheDependancy * @see #clearCachedValues */ protected void unregisterCacheDependancy(EOEnterpriseObject object) { ChangeNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().unregisterCacheDependancy(this, object); } /** Unregisters all of the callers dependancies. To be used sparingly as it may break unknown but required * dependancies. Usually called when disposing the calling object.
* * @see #registerCacheDependancy * @see #unregisterCacheDependancy */ public void unregisterCacheDependancies() { ChangeNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().unregisterCacheDependancies(this); } /** Overridden to unregister all cache dependancies */ public void finalize() throws Throwable { ChangeNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().unregisterCacheDependancies(this); super.finalize(); } } }