ConflatedBroadcastChannel as ReadWriteProperty

Hello,

In our code base, we found useful to define the folowing extension functions:

operator fun <T> ConflatedBroadcastChannel<T>.getValue(thisRef: Any, property: KProperty<*>): T = value

operator fun <T> ConflatedBroadcastChannel<T>.setValue(thisRef: Any, property: KProperty<*>, value: T) {
  offer(value)
}

They allow us to use the following pattern:

class MyClass {
  private val _value = ConflatedBroadcastChannel(0)
  var value by _value 

  fun openValueSubscription() = _value.openSubscription()
}

May I ask what do you think about this ? Do you think it is an anti-pattern ?

• If yes, why? And how would you achieve better generic observer pattern with coroutines?
• If no, what would you think about making ConflatedBroadcastChannel implement ReadWriteProperty?

[fvasco]

Make ConflatedSubscribable implement ReadOnlyPropery and ConflatedBroadcastChannel implement ReadWriteProperty

I consider better extending the interface (your alternative).

[jcornaz]

Thanks @fvasco, I like the interfaces you propose.

I would only propose these changes:

• Rename SubscribableChannel by Subscribable and ConflatedSubscribableChannel by ConflatedSubscribable because they are not necessarily Channel. They only provide a way to open new channels.
• Add out variance for SubscribableChannel and ConflatedSubscribableChannel

And I would either:

Make ConflatedSubscribable implement ReadOnlyPropery and ConflatedBroadcastChannel implement ReadWriteProperty

Or provide:

operator fun <T> ConflatedSubscribable<T>.getValue(thisRef: Any, property: KProperty<*>): T = value
operator fun <T> ConflatedBroadcastChannel<T>.setValue(thisRef: Any, property: KProperty<*>, value: T) { this.value = value }