The observer pattern (sometimes known as publish/subscribe) is a software design pattern in which an object maintains a list of its dependents and notifies them automatically of any state changes, usually by calling one of their methods. It is mainly used to implement distributed event handling systems.
Participant classesThe participants of the pattern are detailed below. Member functions are listed with bullets. SubjectThis abstract class provides an interface for attaching and detaching observers. Subject class also holds a private list of observers. Contains these functions (methods):
ConcreteSubjectThe class provides the state of interest to observers. It also sends a notification to all observers, by calling the Notify function in its superclass or base class (i.e, in the Subject class). Contains this function:
ObserverThis class defines an updating interface for all observers, to receive update notification from the subject. The Observer class is used as an abstract class to implement concrete observers. Contains this function:
ConcreteObserverThis class maintains a reference with the ConcreteSubject, to receive the state of the subject when a notification is received. Contains this function:
When the event is raised each observer receives a callback. This may be either a virtual function of the observer class (called 'update()' on the diagram) or a function pointer (more generally a function object or "functor") passed as an argument to the listener registration method. The update function may also be passed some parameters (generally information about the event that is occurring) which can be used by the observer. When an event occurs within the subject, the subject then calls the update method on all observers attached to that subject. Each concrete observer implements the update function and as a consequence defines its own behavior when the notification occurs. Typical usages
The observer pattern is also very often associated with the model-view-controller (MVC) paradigm. In MVC, the observer pattern is used to create a loose coupling between the model and the view. Typically, a modification in the model triggers the notification of model observers which are actually the views. An example is Java Swing, in which the model is expected to issue change notifications to the views via the PropertyChangeNotification infrastructure. Model classes are Java beans that behave as the subject, described above. View classes are associated with some visible item on the GUI and behave as the observers, described above. As the application runs, changes are made to the model. The user sees these changes because the views are updated accordingly. ExamplesPythonThe observer pattern in Python: class AbstractSubject: def register(self, listener): raise NotImplementedError("Must subclass me") def unregister(self, listener): raise NotImplementedError("Must subclass me") def notify_listeners(self, event): raise NotImplementedError("Must subclass me") class Listener: def __init__(self, name, subject): self.name = name subject.register(self) def notify(self, event): print self.name, "received event", event class Subject(AbstractSubject): def __init__(self): self.listeners = self.data = None def getUserAction(self): self.data = raw_input('Enter something to do:') return self.data # Implement abstract Class AbstractSubject def register(self, listener): self.listeners.append(listener) def unregister(self, listener): self.listeners.remove(listener) def notify_listeners(self, event): for listener in self.listeners: listener.notify(event) if __name__=="__main__": # make a subject object to spy on subject = Subject() # register two listeners to monitor it. listenerA = Listener("<listener A>", subject) listenerB = Listener("<listener B>", subject) # simulated event subject.notify_listeners ("<event 1>") # outputs: # <listener A> received event <event 1> # <listener B> received event <event 1> action = subject.getUserAction() subject.notify_listeners(action) #Enter something to do:hello # outputs: # <listener A> received event hello # <listener B> received event hello The observer pattern can be implemented more succinctly in Python using function decorators. JavaHere is an example that takes keyboard input and treats each input line as an event. The example is built upon the library classes java.util.Observer and java.util.Observable. When a string is supplied from System.in, the method notifyObserver is then called, in order to notify all observers of the event's occurrence, in the form of an invocation of their 'update' methods - in our example, ResponseHandler.update(...). The file myapp.java contains a main() method that might be used in order to run the code. /* File Name : EventSource.java */ package obs; import java.util.Observable; //Observable is here import java.io.BufferedReader; import java.io.IOException; import java.io.InputStreamReader; public class EventSource extends Observable implements Runnable { public void run() { try { final InputStreamReader isr = new InputStreamReader( System.in ); final BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader( isr ); while( true ) { final String response = br.readLine(); setChanged(); notifyObservers( response ); } } catch (IOException e) { e.printStackTrace(); } } } /* File Name: ResponseHandler.java */ package obs; import java.util.Observable; import java.util.Observer; /* this is Event Handler */ public class ResponseHandler implements Observer { private String resp; public void update (Observable obj, Object arg) { if (arg instanceof String) { resp = (String) arg; System.out.println("\nReceived Response: "+ resp ); } } } /* Filename : myapp.java */ /* This is main program */ package obs; public class MyApp { public static void main(String args) { System.out.println("Enter Text >"); // create an event source - reads from stdin final EventSource evSrc = new EventSource(); // create an observer final ResponseHandler respHandler = new ResponseHandler(); // subscribe the observer to the event source evSrc.addObserver( respHandler ); // starts the event thread Thread thread = new Thread(evSrc); thread.start(); } } C# - Traditional MethodC# and the other .NET Framework languages do not typically require a full implementation of the Observer pattern using interfaces and concrete objects. Here is an example of using them, however. using System; using System.Collections; namespace Wikipedia.Patterns.Strategy { // IObserver --> interface for the observer public interface IObserver { // called by the subject to update the observer of any change // The method parameters can be modified to fit certain criteria void Update(string message); } public class Subject { // use array list implementation for collection of observers private ArrayList observers; // constructor public Subject() { observers = new ArrayList(); } public void Register(IObserver observer) { // if list does not contain observer, add if (!observers.Contains(observer)) { observers.Add(observer); } } public void Unregister(IObserver observer) { // if observer is in the list, remove if (observers.Contains(observer)) { observers.Remove(observer); } } public void Notify(string message) { // call update method for every observer foreach (IObserver observer in observers) { observer.Update(message); } } } // Observer1 --> Implements the IObserver public class Observer1 : IObserver { public void Update(string message) { Console.WriteLine("Observer1:" + message); } } // Observer2 --> Implements the IObserver public class Observer2 : IObserver { public void Update(string message) { Console.WriteLine("Observer2:" + message); } } // Test class public class ObserverTester { STAThread public static void Main() { Subject mySubject = new Subject(); IObserver myObserver1 = new Observer1(); IObserver myObserver2 = new Observer2(); // register observers mySubject.Register(myObserver1); mySubject.Register(myObserver2); mySubject.Notify("message 1"); mySubject.Notify("message 2"); } } } C# - Using EventsThe alternative to using concrete and abstract observers and publishers in C# and other .NET Framework languages, such as Visual Basic, is to use events. The event model is supported via delegates that define the method signature that should be used to capture events. Consequently, delegates provide the mediation otherwise provided by the abstract observer, the methods themselves provide the concrete observer, the concrete subject is the class defining the event, and the subject is the event system built into the base class library. It is the preferred method of accomplishing the Observer pattern in .NET applications. using System; // first, declare a delegate type that will be used to fire events. This is the same delegate as System.EventHandler. // This delegate serves as the abstract observer. It does not provide the implementation, but merely the contract. public delegate void EventHandler(object sender, EventArgs e); // Next, declare a published event. This serves as the concrete subject. Note that the abstract subject is handled implicitly by the runtime. public class Button { // The EventHandler contract is part of the event declaration. public event EventHandler Clicked; // By convention, .NET events are fired from descendant classes by a virtual method, allowing descendant classes to handle the event invocation without // subscribing to the event itself. protected virtual void OnClicked(EventArgs e) { if (Clicked != null) Clicked(this, e); // implicitly calls all observers/subscribers } } // Then in an observing class, you are able to attach and detach from the events: public class Window { private Button okButton; public Window() { okButton = new Button(); // This is an attach function. Detaching is accomplished with -=. // Note that it is invalid to use the assignment operator - events are multicast and can have multiple observers. okButton.Clicked += new EventHandler(okButton_Clicked); } private void okButton_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e) { // This method is called when Clicked(this, e) is called within the Button class unless it has been detached. } } C++#include <list> #include <vector> #include <algorithm> #include <iostream> using namespace std; // The Abstract Observer class ObserverBoardInterface { public: virtual void update(float a,float b,float c) = 0; }; // Abstract Interface for Displays class DisplayBoardInterface { public: virtual void show() = 0; }; // The Abstract Subject class WeatherDataInterface { public: virtual void registerob(ObserverBoardInterface* ob) = 0; virtual void removeob(ObserverBoardInterface* ob) = 0; virtual void notifyOb() = 0; }; // The Concrete Subject class ParaWeatherData: public WeatherDataInterface { public: void SensorDataChange(float a,float b,float c) { m_humidity = a; m_temperature = b; m_pressure = c; notifyOb(); } void registerob(ObserverBoardInterface* ob) { m_obs.push_back(ob); } void removeob(ObserverBoardInterface* ob) { m_obs.remove(ob); } protected: void notifyOb() { list<ObserverBoardInterface*>::iterator pos = m_obs.begin(); while (pos != m_obs.end()) { ((ObserverBoardInterface* )(*pos))->update(m_humidity,m_temperature,m_pressure); (dynamic_cast<DisplayBoardInterface*>(*pos))->show(); ++pos; } } private: float m_humidity; float m_temperature; float m_pressure; list<ObserverBoardInterface* > m_obs; }; // A Concrete Observer class CurrentConditionBoard : public ObserverBoardInterface, public DisplayBoardInterface { public: CurrentConditionBoard(ParaWeatherData& a):m_data(a) { m_data.registerob(this); } void show() { cout<<"_____CurrentConditionBoard_____"<<endl; cout<<"humidity: "<<m_h<<endl; cout<<"temperature: "<<m_t<<endl; cout<<"pressure: "<<m_p<<endl; cout<<"_______________________________"<<endl; } void update(float h, float t, float p) { m_h = h; m_t = t; m_p = p; } private: float m_h; float m_t; float m_p; ParaWeatherData& m_data; }; // A Concrete Observer class StatisticBoard : public ObserverBoardInterface, public DisplayBoardInterface { public: StatisticBoard(ParaWeatherData& a):m_maxt(-1000),m_mint(1000),m_avet(0),m_count(0),m_data(a) { m_data.registerob(this); } void show() { cout<<"________StatisticBoard_________"<<endl; cout<<"lowest temperature: "<<m_mint<<endl; cout<<"highest temperature: "<<m_maxt<<endl; cout<<"average temperature: "<<m_avet<<endl; cout<<"_______________________________"<<endl; } void update(float h, float t, float p) { ++m_count; if (t>m_maxt) { m_maxt = t; } if (t<m_mint) { m_mint = t; } m_avet = (m_avet * (m_count-1) + t)/m_count; } private: float m_maxt; float m_mint; float m_avet; int m_count; ParaWeatherData& m_data; }; int main(int argc, char *argv) { ParaWeatherData * wdata = new ParaWeatherData; CurrentConditionBoard* currentB = new CurrentConditionBoard(*wdata); StatisticBoard* statisticB = new StatisticBoard(*wdata); wdata->SensorDataChange(10.2, 28.2, 1001); wdata->SensorDataChange(12, 30.12, 1003); wdata->SensorDataChange(10.2, 26, 806); wdata->SensorDataChange(10.3, 35.9, 900); wdata->removeob(currentB); wdata->SensorDataChange(100, 40, 1900); delete statisticB; delete currentB; delete wdata; return 0; } PHPclass STUDENT <?php class Student implements SplObserver{ protected $tipo = "Student"; private $nome; private $endereco; private $telefone; private $email; private $_classes = array(); public function GET_tipo(){ return $this->tipo; } public function GET_nome() { return $this->nome; } public function GET_email() { return $this->email; } public function GET_telefone() { return $this->nome; } function __construct($nome) { $this->nome = $nome; } public function update(SplSubject $object){ $object->SET_log("Comes from ".$this->nome.": I'm a student of ".$object->GET_materia()); } } ?> class TEACHER <?php class Teacher implements SplObserver{ protected $tipo = "Teacher"; private $nome; private $endereco; private $telefone; private $email; private $_classes = array(); public function GET_tipo(){ return $this->tipo; } public function GET_nome() { return $this->nome; } public function GET_email() { return $this->email; } public function GET_telefone() { return $this->nome; } function __construct($nome) { $this->nome = $nome; } public function update(SplSubject $object){ $object->SET_log("Comes from ".$this->nome.": I teach in ".$object->GET_materia()); } } ?> Class SUBJECT <?php class Subject implements SplSubject { private $nome_materia; private $_observadores = array(); private $_log = array(); public function GET_materia() { return $this->nome_materia; } function SET_log($valor){ $this->_log = $valor ; } function GET_log(){ return $this->_log; } function __construct($nome){ $this->nome_materia = $nome; $this->_log = " Subject $nome was included"; } /* Adiciona um observador */ public function attach(SplObserver $classes){ $this->_classes = $classes; $this->_log = " The ".$classes->GET_tipo()." ".$classes->GET_nome()." was included"; } /* Remove um observador */ public function detach(SplObserver $classes){ foreach ($this->_classes as $key => $obj){ if ($obj == $classes){ unset($this->_classes$key); $this->_log = " The ".$classes->GET_tipo()." ".$classes->GET_nome()." was removed"; } } } /* Notifica os observadores */ public function notify(){ foreach ($this->_classes as $classes){ $classes->update($this); } } } ?> Aplication <?php require_once("teacher.class.php"); require_once("student.class.php"); require_once("subject.class.php"); $subject = new Subject("Math"); $marcus = new Teacher("Marcus"); $rafael = new Student("Rafael"); $vinicius = new Student("Vinicius"); // Include observers in the math Subject $subject->attach($rafael); $subject->attach($vinicius); $subject->attach($marcus); $subject2 = new Subject("English"); $renato = new Teacher("Renato"); $fabio = new Student("Fabio"); $tiago = new Student("tiago"); // Include observers in the english Subject $subject2->attach($renato); $subject2->attach($vinicius); $subject2->attach($fabio); $subject2->attach($tiago); // Remove the instance "Rafael from subject" $subject->detach($rafael); // Notify both subjects $subject->notify(); $subject2->notify(); echo "First Subject <br>"; echo "<pre>"; print_r($subject->GET_log()); echo "</pre>"; echo "<hr>"; echo "Second Subject <br>"; echo "<pre>"; print_r($subject2->GET_log()); echo "</pre>"; ?> OUTPUT First Subject Array ( [0] => Subject Math was included [1] => The Student Rafael was included [2] => The Student Vinicius was included [3] => The Teacher Marcus was included [4] => The Student Rafael was removed [5] => Comes from Vinicius: I'm a student of Math [6] => Comes from Marcus: I teach in Math ) Second Subject Array ( [0] => Subject English was included [1] => The Teacher Renato was included [2] => The Student Vinicius was included [3] => The Student Fabio was included [4] => The Student tiago was included [5] => Comes from Renato: I teach in English [6] => Comes from Vinicius: I'm a student of English [7] => Comes from Fabio: I'm a student of English [8] => Comes from tiago: I'm a student of English ) Also refer to an article in JavaWorld http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/javaqa/2001-05/04-qa-0525-observer.html ImplementationsThe observer pattern is implemented in numerous programming libraries and systems, including almost all GUI toolkits. Some of the most notable implementations of this pattern:
References
http://www.research.ibm.com/designpatterns/example.htm See also
External links
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