Java Observable hasChanged() Method

Description

The Java Observable hasChanged() method returns if this object has changed.

Declaration

Following is the declaration for Java.util.Observable.hasChanged() method

public boolean hasChanged()

Parameters

Return Value

Exception

Checking Observed of String Value for Change Example

The following example shows the usage of java.util.Observable.hasChanged() method. We've created an ObservedObject class by extending Observable class and then overridden its method setValue(). In main class, We've added the observers using addObserver() method. Then using hasChanged(), we've printed the updates happening to the value of ObservedObject.

package com.tutorialspoint;

import java.util.Observable;
import java.util.Observer;

class ObservedObject extends Observable {
   private String watchedValue;
   
   public ObservedObject(String value) {
      watchedValue = value;
   }
   
   public void setValue(String value) {
      
      // if value has changed notify observers
      if(!watchedValue.equals(value)) {
         watchedValue = value;

         // mark as value changed
         setChanged();
      }
   }
}
public class ObservableDemo implements Observer {
   public String name;
   
   public ObservableDemo(String name) {
      this.name = name;
   }
   
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      
      // create watched and watcher objects
      ObservedObject watched = new ObservedObject("Original Value");
      
      // watcher object listens to object change
      ObservableDemo watcher = new ObservableDemo("Watcher");
      
      // add observer to the watched object
      watched.addObserver(watcher);

      // trigger value change
      System.out.println("setValue method called...");
      watched.setValue("New Value");
      
      // check if value has changed
      if(watched.hasChanged())
      System.out.println("Value changed");
      else
      System.out.println("Value not changed");
   }
   
   public void update(Observable obj, Object arg) {
      System.out.println("Update called");
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

setValue method called...
Value changed

Checking Observed of Integer Value for Change Example

package com.tutorialspoint;

import java.util.Observable;
import java.util.Observer;

class ObservedObject extends Observable {
   private Integer watchedValue;
   
   public ObservedObject(Integer value) {
      watchedValue = value;
   }
   
   public void setValue(Integer value) {
      
      // if value has changed notify observers
      if(!watchedValue.equals(value)) {
         watchedValue = value;

         // mark as value changed
         setChanged();
      }
   }
}
public class ObservableDemo implements Observer {
   public String name;
   
   public ObservableDemo(String name) {
      this.name = name;
   }
   
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      
      // create watched and watcher objects
      ObservedObject watched = new ObservedObject(1);
      
      // watcher object listens to object change
      ObservableDemo watcher = new ObservableDemo("Watcher");
      
      // add observer to the watched object
      watched.addObserver(watcher);

      // trigger value change
      System.out.println("setValue method called...");
      watched.setValue(2);
      
      // check if value has changed
      if(watched.hasChanged())
         System.out.println("Value changed");
      else
         System.out.println("Value not changed");
   }
   
   public void update(Observable obj, Object arg) {
      System.out.println("Update called");
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

setValue method called...
Value changed

Checking Observed of Object Value for Change Example

package com.tutorialspoint;

import java.util.Observable;
import java.util.Observer;

class ObservedObject extends Observable {
   private Student watchedValue;
   
   public ObservedObject(Student value) {
      watchedValue = value;
   }
   
   public void setValue(Student value) {
      
      // if value has changed notify observers
      if(!watchedValue.equals(value)) {
         watchedValue = value;

         // mark as value changed
         setChanged();
      }
   }
}
public class ObservableDemo implements Observer {
   public String name;
   
   public ObservableDemo(String name) {
      this.name = name;
   }
   
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      
      // create watched and watcher objects
      ObservedObject watched = new ObservedObject(new Student(1, "Julie"));
      
      // watcher object listens to object change
      ObservableDemo watcher = new ObservableDemo("Watcher");
      
      // add observer to the watched object
      watched.addObserver(watcher);

      // trigger value change
      System.out.println("setValue method called...");
      watched.setValue(new Student(2, "Robert"));
      
      // check if value has changed
      if(watched.hasChanged())
         System.out.println("Value changed");
      else
         System.out.println("Value not changed");
   }
   
   public void update(Observable obj, Object arg) {
      System.out.println("Update called");
   }
}
class Student {
   int rollNo;
   String name;

   Student(int rollNo, String name){
      this.rollNo = rollNo;
      this.name = name;
   }

   @Override
   public String toString() {
      return "[ " + this.rollNo + ", " + this.name + " ]";
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

setValue method called...
Value changed

java_util_observable.htm