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Live data observer triggered twice on fragment created

The issue that I have is not actually bug or big problem. And all works as it should, but nevertheless it annoys me.
In Fragment pbserver:
viewModel.pageNumbersPosition.observe(viewLifecycleOwner) {
if (it!=null) {
SharedPreferenceHelper.pagesNumber = viewModel.pageNumbersArray.value?.get(it)
DLog.d("Set: ${viewModel.pageNumbersArray.value?.get(it)}}")
//Log shows twice as start
}
}
ViewModel:
class MenuViewModel : ViewModel() {
var pageNumbersArray = MutableLiveData(getPageNumbering())
var pageNumbersPosition = MutableLiveData(pageNumbersArray.value?.indexOf(SharedPreferenceHelper.pagesNumber))
private fun getPageNumbering():Array<String> {
val list = mutableListOf<String>()
for (i in 1..25) {
list.add(i.toString())
}
return list.toTypedArray()
}
}
Spinner:
<Spinner
android:id="#+id/spinner"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:entries="#{viewModel.pageNumbersArray}"
android:selectedItemPosition="#={viewModel.pageNumbersPosition}"/>
What happes is viewModel.pageNumbersPosition.observe triggered twice on start. Once from the initiation of the fragment and second time when the spinner sets. This is actually suppose to happen, but I don't like it when Shared Preference sets twice.

I came across a handy class SingleLiveEvent that we can use instead of LiveData in ViewModel class to send only new updates after subscription.
class SingleLiveEvent<T> : MutableLiveData<T>() {
private val pending = AtomicBoolean(false)
override fun observe(owner: LifecycleOwner, observer: Observer<in T>) {
super.observe(owner, Observer<T> { t ->
if (pending.compareAndSet(true, false)) {
observer.onChanged(t)
}
})
}
override fun setValue(t: T?) {
pending.set(true)
super.setValue(t)
}
fun call() {
postValue(null)
}
}
This LiveData extension only calls the observable if there's an explicit call to setValue() or call().
Update, primary constructor with parameter:
class SingleLiveEvent<T>(value: T) : MutableLiveData<T>(value) {...}

You can check if there is equal value in your shared to avoid the double set
if (it!=null) {
viewModel.pageNumbersArray.value?.get(it).let{ value ->
if (SharedPreferenceHelper.pagesNumber != value)
SharedPreferenceHelper.pagesNumber = value
}
}

Clear retrofit result with MVVM when fragment back

In my ViewModel I have two MutableLiveData for the response of my webservice :
val getFindByCategorySuccess: MutableLiveData<List<DigitalService>> by lazy {
MutableLiveData<List<DigitalService>>()
}
val getFindByCategoryError: MutableLiveData<String> by lazy {
MutableLiveData<String>()
}
and this method for the request :
fun requestFindByCategory(categoryId: String){
viewModelScope.launch {
when (val retrofitPost = digitalServicesRemoteRepository.getFindByCategoryRequest(categoryId)) {
is ApiResult.Success -> getFindByCategorySuccess.postValue(retrofitPost.data)
is ApiResult.Error -> getFindByCategoryError.postValue(retrofitPost.exception)
}
}
}
It's working fine using it in my Fragment class :
viewModel.getFindByCategorySuccess.observe(viewLifecycleOwner, { digitalServices ->
logD("I have a good response from the webservice; luanch an other fragment now!")
})
The problem is if I go to an other fragment in my observable (using findNavController().navigate(action)). If I go back to the previous fragment, I go automatically to the nextFragment because the observable is called again.
So I'm looking for solutions...
Maybe clearing all my viewmodel when I go back to my fragment ?
Maybe clearing only getFindByCategorySuccess and getFindByCategoryError ?
Maybe an other solution? I think my architecture is not good. What do you think about it ?

By default, a livedata will emit to its current state (the value that exist on it) for any new observer that subscribes to it.
Answering your question, you might try the operator distincUntilChanged transformation, which, according to the documentation:
Creates a new LiveData object that does not emit a value until the source LiveData value has been changed. The value is considered changed if equals() yields false.
But, this showcases a problem with your snippet, and a bad practice that is common when using livedata, you shouldn't expose mutable live data to your observers. Instead, you should expose a non-mutable version of them.
In your case, in my opinion, your view model should look like the following:
private val getFindByCategorySuccess by lazy {
MutableLiveData<List<DigitalService>>()
}
private val getFindByCategoryError by lazy {
MutableLiveData<String>()
}
val onFindByCategorySuccess: LiveData<List<DigitalService>
get() = getFindByCategorySuccess.distincUntilChanged()
val onFindCategoryError: LiveData<List<String>
get() = getFindByCategoryrRror.distincUntilChanged()
And your observers would subscribe as follows:
ExampleFragment
fun setupObservers() {
viewModel.onFindByCategorySuccess.observe(viewLifecycleOwner) { // Do stuff }
}
I hope it helps

I found a solution to my problem using this class :
class SingleLiveEvent<T> : MutableLiveData<T>() {
private val mPending = AtomicBoolean(false)
override fun observe(owner: LifecycleOwner, observer: Observer<in T>) {
super.observe(owner, { t ->
if (mPending.compareAndSet(true, false))
observer.onChanged(t)
})
}
override fun setValue(t: T?) {
mPending.set(true)
super.setValue(t)
}
}
Like this :
var getFindByCategorySuccess: SingleLiveEvent<List<DigitalService>> = SingleLiveEvent()
var getFindByCategoryError: SingleLiveEvent<String> = SingleLiveEvent()

Sometimes, ConflatedBroadcastChannel fires recent value without any action

In Google's official codelab about advanced-coroutines-codelab sample, they've used ConflatedBroadcastChannel to watch a variable/object change.
I've used the same technique in one of my side projects, and when resuming the listening activity, sometimes ConflatedBroadcastChannel fires it's recent value, causing the execution of flatMapLatest body without any change.
I think this is happening while the system collects the garbage since I can reproduce this issue by calling System.gc() from another activity.
Here's the code
MainActivity.kt
class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)
val viewModel = ViewModelProvider(this).get(MainViewModel::class.java)
val tvCount = findViewById<TextView>(R.id.tv_count)
viewModel.count.observe(this, Observer {
tvCount.text = it
Toast.makeText(this, "Incremented", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
})
findViewById<Button>(R.id.b_inc).setOnClickListener {
viewModel.increment()
}
findViewById<Button>(R.id.b_detail).setOnClickListener {
startActivity(Intent(this, DetailActivity::class.java))
}
}
}
MainViewModel.kt
class MainViewModel : ViewModel() {
companion object {
val TAG = MainViewModel::class.java.simpleName
}
class IncrementRequest
private var tempCount = 0
private val requestChannel = ConflatedBroadcastChannel<IncrementRequest>()
val count = requestChannel
.asFlow()
.flatMapLatest {
tempCount++
Log.d(TAG, "Incrementing number to $tempCount")
flowOf("Number is $tempCount")
}
.asLiveData()
fun increment() {
requestChannel.offer(IncrementRequest())
}
}
DetailActivity.kt
class DetailActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
setContentView(R.layout.activity_detail)
val button = findViewById<Button>(R.id.b_gc)
val timer = object : CountDownTimer(5000, 1000) {
override fun onFinish() {
button.isEnabled = true
button.text = "CALL SYSTEM.GC() AND CLOSE ACTIVITY"
}
override fun onTick(millisUntilFinished: Long) {
button.text = "${TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toSeconds(millisUntilFinished)} second(s)"
}
}
button.setOnClickListener {
System.gc()
finish()
}
timer.start()
}
}
Here's the full source code :
CoroutinesFlowTest.zip
Why is this happening?
What am I missing?

Quoting from the official response, (The simple and straightforward solution)
The problem here is that you are trying to use
ConflatedBroadcastChannel for events, while it is designed to
represent current state as shown in the codelab. Every time the
downstream LiveData is reactivated it receives the most recent state
and performs the incrementing action. Don't use
ConflatedBroadcastChannel for events.
To fix it, you can replace ConflatedBroadcastChannel with
BroadcastChannel<IncrementRequest>(1) (non-conflated channel, which is
Ok for events to use) and it'll work as you expect it too.

In addition to the answer of Kiskae:
This might not be your case, but you can try to use BroadcastChannel(1).asFlow().conflate on a receiver side, but in my case it led to a bug where the code on a receiver side didn't get triggered sometimes (I think because conflate works in a separate coroutine or something).
Or you can use a custom version of stateless ConflatedBroadcastChannel (found here).
class StatelessBroadcastChannel<T> constructor(
private val broadcast: BroadcastChannel<T> = ConflatedBroadcastChannel()
) : BroadcastChannel<T> by broadcast {
override fun openSubscription(): ReceiveChannel<T> = broadcast
.openSubscription()
.apply { poll() }
}

On Coroutine 1.4.2 and Kotlin 1.4.31
Without using live data
private var tempCount = 0
private val requestChannel = BroadcastChannel<IncrementRequest>(Channel.CONFLATED)
val count = requestChannel
.asFlow()
.flatMapLatest {
tempCount++
Log.d(TAG, "Incrementing number to $tempCount")
flowOf("Number is $tempCount")
}
Use Flow and Coroutine
lifecycleScope.launchWhenStarted {
viewModel.count.collect {
tvCount.text = it
Toast.makeText(this#MainActivity, "Incremented", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
}
}
Without using BroadcastChannel
private var tempCount = 0
private val requestChannel = MutableStateFlow("")
val count: StateFlow<String> = requestChannel
fun increment() {
tempCount += 1
requestChannel.value = "Number is $tempCount"
}

The reason is very simple, ViewModels can persist outside of the lifecycle of Activities. By moving to another activity and garbagecollecting you're disposing of the original MainActivity but keeping the original MainViewModel.
Then when you return from DetailActivity it recreates MainActivity but reuses the viewmodel, which still has the broadcastchannel with a last known value, triggering the callback when count.observe is called.
If you add logging to observe the onCreate and onDestroy methods of the activity you should see the lifecycle getting advanced, while the viewmodel should only be created once.

Livedata observer are called forever even with removeObserver

I'm facing an issue which drives me crazy.
I have 4 fragments inside an activity.
The logic is: FragA -> FragB -> FragC -> FragD -> FragA -> ...
I'm connected to websockets which post livedata values.
To navigate from FragB to FragC, I'm waiting an event.
The first time, everything works fine, the websockets is recieved, the event is triggered and I'm going to FragC.
But, the second time (after Frag D -> Frag A), if I go back to fragB, the same event is triggered once again. The user doesn't see FragB, and arrives on FragC.
This is the actual behavior but this is not the one I'm expected.
I have do some research and I think it's because the livedata is trigger twice in is normal behavior. And, it can be only dispatch on main thread, so if my fragment goes in the back stack, it will wait for it to be active again.
I have try to removeObserver in the onDestroyView(), it works and the observer is removed, but once the fragment goes again inside onActivityCreated() and I observe the livedata, the observer is instantanetely triggered... I always use "viewLifecycleOwner" as owner.
Is there any way to cancel a liveData execution if I ever go back on an instanciated fragment?
All my frags extends ScopeFragment :
abstract class ScopedFragment : Fragment(), CoroutineScope {
private lateinit var job: Job
override val coroutineContext: CoroutineContext
get() = job + Dispatchers.Main
override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
job = Job()
}
override fun onDestroy() {
super.onDestroy()
job.cancel()
}
}
My liveData:
class MyLiveDatas {
private val _myLiveData = MutableLiveData<CustomType>()
val myLiveData: LiveData<CustomType>
get() = _myLiveData
fun customTrigger(webSocketMessage: WebSocketMessage) {
val createdCustomType = CreatedCustomType(webSocketMessage)
_myLiveData.post(createdCustomType)
}
}
My Fragment:
class MyFragment: ScopedFragment(), KodeinAware {
override val kodein by closestKodein()
private val myLiveData: MyLiveDatas by instance()
private val myLiveDataObserver = Observer<CustomType> { customType ->
... my actions
}
override fun onActivityCreated(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
super.onActivityCreated(savedInstanceState)
myLiveDatas.myLiveData.observe(viewLifecycleOwner, myLiveDataObserver)
}
override fun onDestroyView() {
super.onDestroyView()
myLiveDatas.myLiveData.removeObserver(myLiveDataObserver)
// I've also try removeObservers with viewLifecycleOwner
}
}
Thanks a lot!

You need to use custom live data , in case you want single event
this is my custom mutable live data in one of my project and it is working
class SingleLiveEvent<T> : MediatorLiveData<T>() {
private val observers = ArraySet<ObserverWrapper<in T>>()
#MainThread
override fun observe(owner: LifecycleOwner, observer: Observer<in T>) {
val wrapper = ObserverWrapper(observer)
observers.add(wrapper)
super.observe(owner, wrapper)
}
#MainThread
override fun removeObserver(observer: Observer<in T>) {
if (observers.remove(observer)) {
super.removeObserver(observer)
return
}
val iterator = observers.iterator()
while (iterator.hasNext()) {
val wrapper = iterator.next()
if (wrapper.observer == observer) {
iterator.remove()
super.removeObserver(wrapper)
break
}
}
}
#MainThread
override fun setValue(t: T?) {
observers.forEach { it.newValue() }
super.setValue(t)
}
private class ObserverWrapper<T>(val observer: Observer<T>) : Observer<T> {
private var pending = false
override fun onChanged(t: T?) {
if (pending) {
pending = false
observer.onChanged(t)
}
}
fun newValue() {
pending = true
}
}
}

LiveData is analogous to a BehaviorRelay, and replays the last value it was told to hold.
LiveData is not LiveEvent, it's not designed for event dispatching.
A regular event bus, a PublishRelay, or something like EventEmitter are better suited for this problem.
Google has devised LiveData<Event<T>> and EventObserver, but if you ever use observe(lifecycleOwner, Observer { instead of observe(lifecycleOwner, EventObserver { it will misbehave, which shows that it's a code smell (LiveData<Event<T>> does not work with Observer, only EventObserver, but its observe method still accepts Observers.)
So personally I'd rather pull in that library EventEmitter I mentioned above, with the LiveEvent helper class.
// ViewModel
private val eventEmitter = EventEmitter<Events>()
val controllerEvents: EventSource<Events> = eventEmitter
// Fragment
viewModel.controllerEvents.observe(viewLifecycleOwner) { event: ControllerEvents ->
when (event) {
is ControllerEvents.NewWordAdded -> showToast("Added ${event.word}")
}.safe()
}

Try to observe the LiveData at onCreate() of the Fragment lifecycle with lifecycle owner as Activity and remove the observer at onDestroy() of the Fragment lifecycle.
Or if that doesn't workout use Event class.
open class Event<out T>(private val content: T) {
var hasBeenHandled = false
private set // Allow external read but not write
/**
* Returns the content and prevents its use again.
*/
fun getContentIfNotHandled(): T? {
return if (hasBeenHandled) {
null
} else {
hasBeenHandled = true
content
}
}
/**
* Returns the content, even if it's already been handled.
*/
fun peekContent(): T = content
}

This article describes two ways to achieve what you want.
Alternative 1: Wrap your live data in a class that makes sure the value is only observed once.
/**
* Used as a wrapper for data that is exposed via a LiveData that represents an event.
*/
open class Event<out T>(private val content: T) {
var hasBeenHandled = false
private set // Allow external read but not write
/**
* Returns the content and prevents its use again.
*/
fun getContentIfNotHandled(): T? {
return if (hasBeenHandled) {
null
} else {
hasBeenHandled = true
content
}
}
/**
* Returns the content, even if it's already been handled.
*/
fun peekContent(): T = content
}
Alternative 2: Use a custom live data class (SingleLiveEvent) that only emits the value once.

Android LiveData Observer only receive last emitted value

So, I have ViewModel that looks like this
class MyViewModel<E, S> : ViewModel() {
private val _state = MutableLiveData<S>()
val state: LiveData<S>
get() = _state
abstract fun onEventReceived(event: E)
protected fun pushState(state: S) {
_state.value = state
}
}
And as usual I have observer code in my Activity/ Fragment
viewModel.state.observe(this, Observer {
// Do something here
})
My problem is when I try to emit values like this
pushState(State.A)
pushState(State.B)
pushState(State.C)
In my Activity/Fragment, it only received C.
Anyone has experience with this kind of behaviour? Please kindly share your workaround.