RxJava cache last item for future subscribers - caching

Question

I have implemented simple RxEventBus which starts emitting events, even if there is no subscribers. I want to cache last emitted event, so that if first/next subscriber subscribes, it receive only one (last) item.
I created test class which describes my problem:
public class RxBus {
ApplicationsRxEventBus applicationsRxEventBus;
public RxBus() {
applicationsRxEventBus = new ApplicationsRxEventBus();
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
RxBus rxBus = new RxBus();
rxBus.start();
}
private void start() {
ExecutorService executorService = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(2);
Runnable runnable0 = () -> {
while (true) {
long currentTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
System.out.println("emiting: " + currentTime);
applicationsRxEventBus.emit(new ApplicationsEvent(currentTime));
try {
Thread.sleep(500);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
};
Runnable runnable1 = () -> applicationsRxEventBus
.getBus()
.subscribe(new Subscriber<ApplicationsEvent>() {
#Override
public void onCompleted() {
}
#Override
public void onError(Throwable throwable) {
}
#Override
public void onNext(ApplicationsEvent applicationsEvent) {
System.out.println("runnable 1: " + applicationsEvent.number);
}
});
Runnable runnable2 = () -> applicationsRxEventBus
.getBus()
.subscribe(new Subscriber<ApplicationsEvent>() {
#Override
public void onCompleted() {
}
#Override
public void onError(Throwable throwable) {
}
#Override
public void onNext(ApplicationsEvent applicationsEvent) {
System.out.println("runnable 2: " + applicationsEvent.number);
}
});
executorService.execute(runnable0);
try {
Thread.sleep(3000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
executorService.execute(runnable1);
try {
Thread.sleep(3000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
executorService.execute(runnable2);
}
private class ApplicationsRxEventBus {
private final Subject<ApplicationsEvent, ApplicationsEvent> mRxBus;
private final Observable<ApplicationsEvent> mBusObservable;
public ApplicationsRxEventBus() {
mRxBus = new SerializedSubject<>(BehaviorSubject.<ApplicationsEvent>create());
mBusObservable = mRxBus.cache();
}
public void emit(ApplicationsEvent event) {
mRxBus.onNext(event);
}
public Observable<ApplicationsEvent> getBus() {
return mBusObservable;
}
}
private class ApplicationsEvent {
long number;
public ApplicationsEvent(long number) {
this.number = number;
}
}
}
runnable0 is emitting events even if there is no subscribers. runnable1 subscribes after 3 sec, and receives last item (and this is ok). But runnable2 subscribes after 3 sec after runnable1, and receives all items, which runnable1 received. I only need last item to be received for runnable2. I have tried cache events in RxBus:
private class ApplicationsRxEventBus {
private final Subject<ApplicationsEvent, ApplicationsEvent> mRxBus;
private final Observable<ApplicationsEvent> mBusObservable;
private ApplicationsEvent event;
public ApplicationsRxEventBus() {
mRxBus = new SerializedSubject<>(BehaviorSubject.<ApplicationsEvent>create());
mBusObservable = mRxBus;
}
public void emit(ApplicationsEvent event) {
this.event = event;
mRxBus.onNext(event);
}
public Observable<ApplicationsEvent> getBus() {
return mBusObservable.doOnSubscribe(() -> emit(event));
}
}
But problem is, that when runnable2 subscribes, runnable1 receives event twice:
emiting: 1447183225122
runnable 1: 1447183225122
runnable 1: 1447183225122
runnable 2: 1447183225122
emiting: 1447183225627
runnable 1: 1447183225627
runnable 2: 1447183225627
I am sure, that there is RxJava operator for this. How to achieve this?

Answer 1

Your ApplicationsRxEventBus does extra work by reemitting a stored event whenever one Subscribes in addition to all the cached events.
You only need a single BehaviorSubject + toSerialized as it will hold onto the very last event and re-emit it to Subscribers by itself.

Answer 2

You are using the wrong interface. When you susbscribe to a cold Observable you get all of its events. You need to turn it into hot Observable first. This is done by creating a ConnectableObservable from your Observable using its publish method. Your Observers then call connect to start receiving events.
You can also read more about in the Hot and Cold observables section of the tutorial.