From: Max Muermann <ruby@...>
Date: 2006-08-25T07:06:26+09:00
Subject: Re: Observing changes in object state

>
> # Observer
> class Watcher
>    def initialize m
>      m.when_name Object do
>        puts "name set to #{m.name.inspect}"
>      end
>
>      m.when_id Object do
>        puts "id set to #{m.id.inspect}"
>      end
>      # note that each method is treated separately

Yes, this is probably the most widely useful approach. I have found
that sometimes, though, you want to be notified if *any* of the state
in an object changes. For example, checking an model object for
"dirty" and enabling a save button or similar. In those cases, I think
a generic solution that does not explicitly require defining a watcher
method on each attribute may be useful.

By the way, thanks for bringing this up - I wasn't aware of the
observable :field notation.

Cheers,
Max