[Chapter 17] Observable

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| Chapter 17 The java.util Package |

# Observable

## Name

Observable

## Synopsis

Class Name:

  `java.util.Observable`

Superclass:

  `java.lang.Object`

Immediate Subclasses:

  None

Interfaces Implemented:

  None

Availability:

  JDK 1.0 or later

## Description

Subclasses of the `Observable` class are used to implement the model portion of the model-view paradigm. The idea is that an `Observable` object, the model, represents some data that is being manipulated through a user interface, while `Observer` objects provide the user with a view of the data. When the `Observable` object is modified, it tells the `Observer` objects that the model has been modified by calling `notifyObservers()`. An `Observer` object registers with an `Observable` object to receive notifications when the `Observable` is modified. The `Observer` object is then notified of changes via the `update()` method.

## Class Summary

    public class java.util.Observable extends java.lang.Object {
      // Constructors
      public Observable();
      // Instance Methods
      public synchronized void addObserver(Observer o);
      public synchronized int countObservers();
      public synchronized void deleteObserver(Observer o);
      public synchronized void deleteObservers();
      public synchronized boolean hasChanged();
      public void notifyObservers();
      public void notifyObservers(Object arg);
      // Protected Instance Methods
      protected synchronized void clearChanged();
      protected synchronized void setChanged();
    }

## Constructors

### Observable

#### public Observable()

Description

  This constructor `creates an Observable` object with no registered `Observer` objects.

## InstanceMethods

### addObserver

#### public synchronized void addObserver(Observer o)

Parameters

  `o`

    The `Observer` to be added.

Description

  This method registers the given `Observer` with this `Observable` object. The given `Observer` is then notified when `notifyObservers()` is called.

### countObservers

#### public synchronized int countObservers()

Returns

  The number of registered `Observer` objects for this `Observable` object.

Description

  This method returns the number of `Observer` objects that are registered with this `Observable` object.

### deleteObserver

#### public synchronized void deleteObserver(Observer o)

Parameters

  `o`

    The `Observer` to be removed.

Description

  This method unregisters the given `Observer` with this `Observable` object. The given `Observer` is no longer notified when `notifyObservers()` is called.

### deleteObservers

#### public synchronized void deleteObservers()

Description

  This method unregisters all of the `Observer` objects of this `Observable` object. Thus, no objects are notified if `notifyObservers()` is called.

### hasChanged

#### public synchronized boolean hasChanged()

Returns

  `true` if this object has been flagged as changed; `false` otherwise.

Description

  This method returns the value of an internal "dirty" flag. The flag can be modified using the `protected` methods `setChanged()` and `clearChanged()`.

### notifyObservers

#### public void notifyObservers()

Description

  This method calls the `update()` method of all registered `Observer` objects. The value passed as the second argument to each of the `update()` method calls is `null`.

#### public void notifyObservers(Object arg)

Parameters

  `arg`

    A "hint" object that describes a change.

Description

  This method calls the `update()` method of all registered `Observer` objects. The value passed as the second argument to each of the `update()` method calls is the given object `arg`.

  This "hint" object can be used to efficiently update the views of a model. For example, an `Observable` object could represent satellite image data. A set of `Observer` objects would provide different graphical views of the data. If the model data changes, the `arg` object describes the part of the data that changed, and the `Observer` views could use this "hint" to update only parts of their displays.

## Protected Instance Methods

### clearChanged

#### protected synchronized void clearChanged()

Description

  This method sets an internal "dirty" flag to `false`. After this method is called, this object's `hasChanged()` method returns `false`.

### setChanged

#### protected synchronized void setChanged()

Description

  This method sets an internal "dirty" flag to `true`. After this method is called, this object's `hasChanged()` method returns `true`.

## Inherited Methods

Method | Inherited From | Method | Inherited From
--- | --- | --- | ---
`clone()` | `Object` | `equals(Object)` | `Object`
`finalize()` | `Object` | `getClass()` | `Object`
`hashCode()` | `Object` | `notify()` | `Object`
`notifyAll()` | `Object` | `toString()` | `Object`
`wait()` | `Object` | `wait(long)` | `Object`
`wait(long, int)` | `Object` |  |

## See Also

`Observer`

NoSuchElementException |  | Observer