How to implement a provider

The observer design pattern requires a division between a provider, which monitors data and sends notifications, and one or more observers, which receive notifications (callbacks) from the provider. This article shows how to create a provider. For information about creating an observer, see How to implement an observer.

Define the data type

Define the data that the provider sends to observers. Although the provider and the data it sends to observers can be a single type, a different type typically represents each. For example, in a temperature monitoring application, the Temperature structure defines the data that the TemperatureMonitor class (defined in the next section) monitors and to which observers subscribe.

namespace TemperatureSample;

public readonly record struct Temperature(decimal Degrees, DateTime Date);

Namespace Global.TemperatureSample

    Public Structure Temperature
        Public ReadOnly Property Degrees As Decimal
        Public ReadOnly Property [Date] As Date

        Public Sub New(degrees As Decimal, [date] As Date)
            Me.Degrees = degrees
            Me.Date = [date]
        End Sub
    End Structure

End Namespace

Create a provider

The data provider is a type that implements the System.IObservable<T> interface. The provider's generic type argument is the type it sends to observers.

1. Define the provider class. The following example defines a TemperatureMonitor class, which is a constructed System.IObservable<T> implementation with a generic type argument of Temperature.

   namespace TemperatureSample;
   
   public sealed class TemperatureMonitor : IObservable<Temperature>
   {
   

   Imports System.Threading
   Imports System.Threading.Tasks
   
   Namespace Global.TemperatureSample
   
       Public NotInheritable Class TemperatureMonitor
           Implements IObservable(Of Temperature)
   

2. Add a field to store observer references.

   The provider needs to track each registered observer so it can send notifications later. Typically, use a collection object such as a generic List<T> object. The following example defines a private List<T> object instantiated in the TemperatureMonitor class constructor.

   namespace TemperatureSample;
   
   public sealed class TemperatureMonitor : IObservable<Temperature>
   {
       private readonly List<IObserver<Temperature>> _observers = [];
       private readonly Lock _sync = new();
   

   Imports System.Threading
   Imports System.Threading.Tasks
   
   Namespace Global.TemperatureSample
   
       Public NotInheritable Class TemperatureMonitor
           Implements IObservable(Of Temperature)
   
           Private ReadOnly _observers As New List(Of IObserver(Of Temperature))()
           Private ReadOnly _sync As New Object()
   

3. Define an IDisposable implementation for unsubscribing.

   The provider returns this implementation to subscribers so they can stop receiving notifications at any time. The following example defines a nested Unsubscriber class that receives a reference to the subscribers collection and to the subscriber when instantiated. The Unsubscriber class enables the subscriber to call the object's IDisposable.Dispose implementation to remove itself from the subscribers collection.

   private sealed class Unsubscriber(
       List<IObserver<Temperature>> observers,
       IObserver<Temperature> observer,
       Lock sync) : IDisposable
   {
       public void Dispose()
       {
           lock (sync)
           {
               observers.Remove(observer);
           }
       }
   }
   

   Private NotInheritable Class Unsubscriber
       Implements IDisposable
   
       Private ReadOnly _observers As List(Of IObserver(Of Temperature))
       Private ReadOnly _observer As IObserver(Of Temperature)
       Private ReadOnly _sync As Object
   
       Public Sub New(observers As List(Of IObserver(Of Temperature)),
                      observer As IObserver(Of Temperature),
                      sync As Object)
           _observers = observers
           _observer = observer
           _sync = sync
       End Sub
   
       Public Sub Dispose() Implements IDisposable.Dispose
           SyncLock _sync
               _observers.Remove(_observer)
           End SyncLock
       End Sub
   End Class
   

4. Implement the IObservable<T>.Subscribe method.

   The method receives a reference to the System.IObserver<T> interface. Store that reference in the observer collection from the previous step, then return the IDisposable unsubscriber implementation. The following example shows the Subscribe implementation in the TemperatureMonitor class.

   public IDisposable Subscribe(IObserver<Temperature> observer)
   {
       ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(observer);
   
       lock (_sync)
       {
           if (!_observers.Contains(observer))
               _observers.Add(observer);
       }
   
       return new Unsubscriber(_observers, observer, _sync);
   }
   

   Public Function Subscribe(observer As IObserver(Of Temperature)) As IDisposable _
       Implements IObservable(Of Temperature).Subscribe
   
       ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(observer)
   
       SyncLock _sync
           If Not _observers.Contains(observer) Then
               _observers.Add(observer)
           End If
       End SyncLock
   
       Return New Unsubscriber(_observers, observer, _sync)
   End Function
   

5. Implement the notification logic by calling observers' IObserver<T>.OnNext, IObserver<T>.OnError, and IObserver<T>.OnCompleted methods.

   In some cases, a provider might not call OnError when an error occurs. The following GetTemperature method simulates a monitor that reads temperature data every five seconds and notifies observers if the temperature has changed by at least .1 degree since the previous reading. If the device doesn't report a temperature (that is, if its value is null), the provider notifies observers that the transmission is complete by calling each observer's OnCompleted method and clears the List<T> collection. In this example, the provider never calls OnError.

   public async Task GetTemperatureAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
   {
       // Sample data that mimics a temperature device. A null value signals the end of transmission.
       decimal?[] temps =
       [
           14.6m, 14.65m, 14.7m, 14.9m, 14.9m, 15.2m,
           15.25m, 15.2m, 15.4m, 15.45m, null
       ];
   
       decimal? previous = null;
   
       foreach (decimal? temp in temps)
       {
           await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2.5), cancellationToken);
   
           if (temp is decimal value)
           {
               // Notify only after at least a 0.1° change.
               if (previous is null || Math.Abs(value - previous.Value) >= 0.1m)
               {
                   NotifyAll(new Temperature(value, DateTime.Now));
                   previous = value;
               }
           }
           else
           {
               CompleteAll();
               break;
           }
       }
   }
   
   private void NotifyAll(Temperature data)
   {
       IObserver<Temperature>[] snapshot;
       lock (_sync)
       {
           snapshot = [.. _observers];
       }
   
       foreach (IObserver<Temperature> observer in snapshot)
           observer.OnNext(data);
   }
   
   private void CompleteAll()
   {
       IObserver<Temperature>[] snapshot;
       lock (_sync)
       {
           snapshot = [.. _observers];
           _observers.Clear();
       }
   
       foreach (IObserver<Temperature> observer in snapshot)
           observer.OnCompleted();
   }
   

   Public Async Function GetTemperatureAsync(Optional cancellationToken As CancellationToken = Nothing) As Task
       ' Sample data that mimics a temperature device. A Nothing value signals the end of transmission.
       Dim temps As Decimal?() = {
           14.6D, 14.65D, 14.7D, 14.9D, 14.9D, 15.2D,
           15.25D, 15.2D, 15.4D, 15.45D, Nothing
       }
   
       Dim previous As Decimal? = Nothing
   
       For Each temp As Decimal? In temps
           Await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2.5), cancellationToken)
   
           If temp.HasValue Then
               ' Notify only after at least a 0.1° change.
               If Not previous.HasValue OrElse Math.Abs(temp.Value - previous.Value) >= 0.1D Then
                   NotifyAll(New Temperature(temp.Value, Date.Now))
                   previous = temp
               End If
           Else
               CompleteAll()
               Exit For
           End If
       Next
   End Function
   
   Private Sub NotifyAll(data As Temperature)
       Dim snapshot As IObserver(Of Temperature)()
       SyncLock _sync
           snapshot = _observers.ToArray()
       End SyncLock
   
       For Each observer In snapshot
           observer.OnNext(data)
       Next
   End Sub
   
   Private Sub CompleteAll()
       Dim snapshot As IObserver(Of Temperature)()
       SyncLock _sync
           snapshot = _observers.ToArray()
           _observers.Clear()
       End SyncLock
   
       For Each observer In snapshot
           observer.OnCompleted()
       Next
   End Sub
   

Example

The following example contains the complete source code for an IObservable<T> implementation for a temperature monitoring application. It includes the Temperature structure, which is the data the provider sends to observers, and the TemperatureMonitor class, which is the IObservable<T> implementation.

namespace TemperatureSample;

public sealed class TemperatureMonitor : IObservable<Temperature>
{
    private readonly List<IObserver<Temperature>> _observers = [];
    private readonly Lock _sync = new();

    private sealed class Unsubscriber(
        List<IObserver<Temperature>> observers,
        IObserver<Temperature> observer,
        Lock sync) : IDisposable
    {
        public void Dispose()
        {
            lock (sync)
            {
                observers.Remove(observer);
            }
        }
    }

    public IDisposable Subscribe(IObserver<Temperature> observer)
    {
        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(observer);

        lock (_sync)
        {
            if (!_observers.Contains(observer))
                _observers.Add(observer);
        }

        return new Unsubscriber(_observers, observer, _sync);
    }

    public async Task GetTemperatureAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
    {
        // Sample data that mimics a temperature device. A null value signals the end of transmission.
        decimal?[] temps =
        [
            14.6m, 14.65m, 14.7m, 14.9m, 14.9m, 15.2m,
            15.25m, 15.2m, 15.4m, 15.45m, null
        ];

        decimal? previous = null;

        foreach (decimal? temp in temps)
        {
            await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2.5), cancellationToken);

            if (temp is decimal value)
            {
                // Notify only after at least a 0.1° change.
                if (previous is null || Math.Abs(value - previous.Value) >= 0.1m)
                {
                    NotifyAll(new Temperature(value, DateTime.Now));
                    previous = value;
                }
            }
            else
            {
                CompleteAll();
                break;
            }
        }
    }

    private void NotifyAll(Temperature data)
    {
        IObserver<Temperature>[] snapshot;
        lock (_sync)
        {
            snapshot = [.. _observers];
        }

        foreach (IObserver<Temperature> observer in snapshot)
            observer.OnNext(data);
    }

    private void CompleteAll()
    {
        IObserver<Temperature>[] snapshot;
        lock (_sync)
        {
            snapshot = [.. _observers];
            _observers.Clear();
        }

        foreach (IObserver<Temperature> observer in snapshot)
            observer.OnCompleted();
    }
}

Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Threading.Tasks

Namespace Global.TemperatureSample

    Public NotInheritable Class TemperatureMonitor
        Implements IObservable(Of Temperature)

        Private ReadOnly _observers As New List(Of IObserver(Of Temperature))()
        Private ReadOnly _sync As New Object()

        Private NotInheritable Class Unsubscriber
            Implements IDisposable

            Private ReadOnly _observers As List(Of IObserver(Of Temperature))
            Private ReadOnly _observer As IObserver(Of Temperature)
            Private ReadOnly _sync As Object

            Public Sub New(observers As List(Of IObserver(Of Temperature)),
                           observer As IObserver(Of Temperature),
                           sync As Object)
                _observers = observers
                _observer = observer
                _sync = sync
            End Sub

            Public Sub Dispose() Implements IDisposable.Dispose
                SyncLock _sync
                    _observers.Remove(_observer)
                End SyncLock
            End Sub
        End Class

        Public Function Subscribe(observer As IObserver(Of Temperature)) As IDisposable _
            Implements IObservable(Of Temperature).Subscribe

            ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(observer)

            SyncLock _sync
                If Not _observers.Contains(observer) Then
                    _observers.Add(observer)
                End If
            End SyncLock

            Return New Unsubscriber(_observers, observer, _sync)
        End Function

        Public Async Function GetTemperatureAsync(Optional cancellationToken As CancellationToken = Nothing) As Task
            ' Sample data that mimics a temperature device. A Nothing value signals the end of transmission.
            Dim temps As Decimal?() = {
                14.6D, 14.65D, 14.7D, 14.9D, 14.9D, 15.2D,
                15.25D, 15.2D, 15.4D, 15.45D, Nothing
            }

            Dim previous As Decimal? = Nothing

            For Each temp As Decimal? In temps
                Await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2.5), cancellationToken)

                If temp.HasValue Then
                    ' Notify only after at least a 0.1° change.
                    If Not previous.HasValue OrElse Math.Abs(temp.Value - previous.Value) >= 0.1D Then
                        NotifyAll(New Temperature(temp.Value, Date.Now))
                        previous = temp
                    End If
                Else
                    CompleteAll()
                    Exit For
                End If
            Next
        End Function

        Private Sub NotifyAll(data As Temperature)
            Dim snapshot As IObserver(Of Temperature)()
            SyncLock _sync
                snapshot = _observers.ToArray()
            End SyncLock

            For Each observer In snapshot
                observer.OnNext(data)
            Next
        End Sub

        Private Sub CompleteAll()
            Dim snapshot As IObserver(Of Temperature)()
            SyncLock _sync
                snapshot = _observers.ToArray()
                _observers.Clear()
            End SyncLock

            For Each observer In snapshot
                observer.OnCompleted()
            Next
        End Sub
    End Class

End Namespace

Related content

• IObservable<T>
• Observer design pattern
• How to implement an observer
• Best practices for the observer design pattern