How to always get the latest value from a Go channel? - go

Question

I'm starting out with Go and I'm now writing a simple program which reads out data from a sensor and puts that into a channel to do some calculations with it. I now have it working as follows:
package main
import (
"fmt"
"time"
"strconv"
)
func get_sensor_data(c chan float64) {
time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) // wait a second before sensor data starts pooring in
c <- 2.1 // Sensor data starts being generated
c <- 2.2
c <- 2.3
c <- 2.4
c <- 2.5
}
func main() {
s := 1.1
c := make(chan float64)
go get_sensor_data(c)
for {
select {
case s = <-c:
fmt.Println("the next value of s from the channel: " + strconv.FormatFloat(s, 'f', 1, 64))
default:
// no new values in the channel
}
fmt.Println(s)
time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond) // Do heavy "work"
}
}
This works fine, but the sensor generates a lot of data, and I'm always only interested in the latest data. With this setup however, it only reads out the next item with every loop, which means that if the channel at some point contains 20 values, the newest value only is read out after 10 seconds.
Is there a way for a channel to always only contain one value at a time, so that I always only get the data I'm interested in, and no unnecessary memory is used by the channel (although the memory is the least of my worries)?

Answer 1

Channels are best thought of as queues (FIFO). Therefore you can't really skip around. However there are libraries out there that do stuff like this: https://github.com/cloudfoundry/go-diodes is an atomic ring buffer that will overwrite old data. You can set a smaller size if you like.
All that being said, it doesn't sound like you need a queue (or ring buffer). You just need a mutex:
type SensorData struct{
mu sync.RWMutex
last float64
}
func (d *SensorData) Store(data float64) {
mu.Lock()
defer mu.Unlock()
d.last = data
}
func (d *SensorData) Get() float64 {
mu.RLock()
defer mu.RUnlock()
return d.last
}
This uses a RWMutex which means many things can read from it at the same time while only a single thing can write. It will store a single entry much like you said.

Answer 2

No. Channels are FIFO buffers, full stop. That is how channels work and their only purpose. If you only want the latest value, consider just using a single variable protected by a mutex; write to it whenever new data comes in, and whenever you read it, you will always be reading the latest value.

Answer 3

Channels serves a specific purpose. You might want to use a code that is inside a lock and update the variable whenever new value is to be set.
This way reciever will always get the latest value.

Answer 4

You cannot get that from one channel directly, but you can use one channel per value and get notified when there are new values:
package main
import (
"fmt"
"strconv"
"sync"
"time"
)
type LatestChannel struct {
n float64
next chan struct{}
mu sync.Mutex
}
func New() *LatestChannel {
return &LatestChannel{next: make(chan struct{})}
}
func (c *LatestChannel) Push(n float64) {
c.mu.Lock()
c.n = n
old := c.next
c.next = make(chan struct{})
c.mu.Unlock()
close(old)
}
func (c *LatestChannel) Get() (float64, <-chan struct{}) {
c.mu.Lock()
n := c.n
next := c.next
c.mu.Unlock()
return n, next
}
func getSensorData(c *LatestChannel) {
time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
c.Push(2.1)
time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
c.Push(2.2)
time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
c.Push(2.3)
time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
c.Push(2.4)
time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
c.Push(2.5)
}
func main() {
s := 1.1
c := New()
_, hasNext := c.Get()
go getSensorData(c)
for {
select {
case <-hasNext:
s, hasNext = c.Get()
fmt.Println("the next value of s from the channel: " + strconv.FormatFloat(s, 'f', 1, 64))
default:
// no new values in the channel
}
fmt.Println(s)
time.Sleep(250 * time.Millisecond) // Do heavy "work"
}
}
If you do not need the notify about new value, you can try to read Channels inside channels pattern in Golang.

Answer 5

Try this package https://github.com/subbuv26/chanup
It allows the producer to update the channel with latest value, which replaces the latest value. And produces does not get blocked. (with this, stale values gets overridden).
So, on the consumer side, always only the latest item gets read.
import "github.com/subbuv26/chanup"
ch := chanup.GetChan()
_ := ch.Put(testType{
a: 10,
s: "Sample",
})
_ := ch.Update(testType{
a: 20,
s: "Sample2",
})
// Continue updating with latest values
...
...
// On consumer end
val := ch.Get()
// val contains latest value

Answer 6

There is another way to solve this problem (trick)
sender work faster: sender remove channel if channel_length > 1
go func() {
for {
msg:=strconv.Itoa(int(time.Now().Unix()))
fmt.Println("make: ",msg," at:",time.Now())
messages <- msg
if len(messages)>1{
//remove old message
<-messages
}
time.Sleep(2*time.Second)
}
}()
receiver work slower:
go func() {
for {
channLen :=len(messages)
fmt.Println("len is ",channLen)
fmt.Println("received",<-messages)
time.Sleep(10*time.Second)
}
}()
OR, we can delete old message from receiver side
(read message like delete it)

Answer 7

There is an elegant channel-only solution. If you're OK with adding one more channel and goroutine - you can introduce a buferless channel and a goroutine that tries to send the latest value from your channel to it:
package main
import (
"fmt"
"time"
)
func wrapLatest(ch <-chan int) <-chan int {
result := make(chan int) // important that this one i unbuffered
go func() {
defer close(result)
value, ok := <-ch
if !ok {
return
}
LOOP:
for {
select {
case value, ok = <-ch:
if !ok {
return
}
default:
break LOOP
}
}
for {
select {
case value, ok = <-ch:
if !ok {
return
}
case result <- value:
if value, ok = <-ch; !ok {
return
}
}
}
}()
return result
}
func main() {
sendChan := make(chan int, 10) // may be buffered or not
for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
sendChan <- i
}
go func() {
for i := 10; i < 20; i++ {
sendChan <- i
time.Sleep(time.Second)
}
close(sendChan)
}()
recvChan := wrapLatest(sendChan)
for i := range recvChan {
fmt.Println(i)
time.Sleep(time.Second * 2)
}
}