openframeworks / openframeworks/openFrameworks

ofParameter::makeReferenceTo introduces problematic event listener behavior

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Description

I would like to be able to figure out which ofParameter is "sending" a value using the classic event syntax (e.g. void onFloatParameterWithSender(const void* sender, float& value);), but private internal value changed pointer means that the source of the data can be confusing ...

...
    void onFloatParameterWithSender(const void* sender, float& value);

    ofParameter<float> parameter0;
    ofParameter<float> parameter1;

And a setup like this:

void ofApp::setup()
{
    // set up a listener for parameter 0 
    // in the callback (sender == &parameter0) is true
    parameter0.addListener(this, &ofApp::onFloatParameterWithSender);

    // set up a listener for parameter 1
    // in the callback (sender == &parameter1) is true
    parameter1.addListener(this, &ofApp::onFloatParameterWithSender);

    // make parameter1 a reference to parameter0 (watch parameter1 listeners disappear)
    parameter1.makeReferenceTo(parameter0);
    // trying to re-add parameter1 listeners is a a no-op because this listener already exists.
    parameter1.addListener(this, &ofApp::onFloatParameterWithSender);

    // now, in the callback (sender == &parameter1) will never be true because it is a reference
    // to parameter0's internal data.
}

Perhaps I'm just not thinking about this the right way, but I'd propose that we need to document the internal workings of ofParameter better or figure out a way to better control the fact that makeReferenceTo will make listeners quietly disappear when their internal data is replaced by the target's shared data.

Currently, if I want to bind a parameter to my gui (and make it appear that a gui widget is the source of the data), I have to add a layer of abstraction which automatically subscribes to the events of the newly referred parameter and then forwards them with the appropriate gui-sender pointer.

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Research direction

Start by inspecting ofParameter::makeReferenceTo and the addListener behavior described in the issue, then reproduce the parameter0/parameter1 setup with the classic sender callback. Determine how listeners and sender pointers behave after parameter1 references parameter0; the work is done when the behavior is documented or the listener handling matches the intended sender semantics.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
backend-api-design
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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