Publisher-subscriber execution model in C Sharp (C#) - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to declare a delegate named Notify.

C Sharp (C#)

public delegate void [1]();

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ANotify

BEventHandler

CSubscriber

DPublisher

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a class name instead of a delegate name.

Using a built-in delegate name incorrectly.

The delegate named Notify is declared to define the signature for event handlers.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to declare an event named OnNotify using the Notify delegate.

C Sharp (C#)

public event [1] OnNotify;

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ANotify

BEventHandler

CAction

DEventArgs

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a delegate type that does not match the event signature.

Using a built-in delegate instead of the custom one.

The event OnNotify is declared using the Notify delegate type.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the code to correctly subscribe a method named HandleNotification to the OnNotify event.

C Sharp (C#)

publisher.OnNotify [1]= HandleNotification;

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A-

B+=

C==

D+

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '=' instead of '+='.

Using '-' or '==' operators incorrectly.

The correct operator to subscribe a method to an event is +=.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to raise the OnNotify event safely.

C Sharp (C#)

if (OnNotify [1] null)
{
    OnNotify[2]();
}

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A!=

B==

C()

D?.Invoke

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '==' instead of '!=' in the condition.

Calling the event directly without null check.

Check if the event is not null using != and invoke it safely using ?.Invoke().

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a dictionary of subscribers with their names and subscribe them to the event.

C Sharp (C#)

var subscribers = new Dictionary<string, Notify>()
{
    {"Alice", [1],
    {"Bob", [2]
};

foreach (var subscriber in subscribers)
{
    publisher.OnNotify [3]= subscriber.Value;
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AAliceHandler

BBobHandler

C+=

D-=

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong operator to subscribe or unsubscribe.

Using incorrect method names for subscribers.

Subscribers are methods named AliceHandler and BobHandler. They are subscribed to the event using +=.

Practice

1. In the publisher-subscriber model in C#, what is the main role of the subscriber?

easy

A. To send messages to multiple listeners

B. To register methods that respond to events from the publisher

C. To create new events for the publisher

D. To directly modify the publisher's data

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the roles in the model

   The publisher sends messages or events, while the subscriber listens and reacts.

2. Step 2: Identify subscriber's responsibility

   Subscribers register their methods to handle events raised by the publisher.

3. Final Answer:

   To register methods that respond to events from the publisher -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Subscriber = method registration [OK]

Hint: Subscribers listen and react by registering methods [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing publisher and subscriber roles
• Thinking subscriber sends messages
• Assuming subscriber modifies publisher directly

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to subscribe a method named OnDataReceived to an event DataReceived in C#?

easy

A. DataReceived += OnDataReceived;

B. DataReceived = OnDataReceived();

C. DataReceived -= OnDataReceived;

D. OnDataReceived += DataReceived;

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall event subscription syntax

   In C#, subscribing to an event uses the += operator with the method name (without parentheses).

2. Step 2: Match correct syntax

   DataReceived += OnDataReceived; correctly subscribes the method.

3. Final Answer:

   DataReceived += OnDataReceived; -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Subscribe event = += method [OK]

Hint: Use += to subscribe methods to events [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using = instead of +=
• Calling method with parentheses when subscribing
• Confusing subscription with unsubscription (-=)

3. Consider the following C# code snippet:

public class Publisher {
    public event Action Notify;
    public void Raise() {
        Notify?.Invoke();
    }
}

public class Subscriber {
    public void Respond() {
        Console.WriteLine("Event received");
    }
}

var pub = new Publisher();
var sub = new Subscriber();
pub.Notify += sub.Respond;
pub.Raise();

What will be the output when pub.Raise() is called?

medium

A. No output

B. NullReferenceException

C. Event received

D. Compile-time error

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand event subscription and invocation

   The subscriber's Respond method is subscribed to the Notify event, so it will be called when Raise() invokes Notify.

2. Step 2: Analyze output of Respond method

   Respond prints "Event received" to the console, so this text will appear.

3. Final Answer:

   Event received -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Subscribed method runs and prints message [OK]

Hint: Subscribed methods run on event invoke [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to subscribe the method
• Expecting no output if event is null
• Confusing event invocation syntax

4. The following code tries to unsubscribe a method from an event but causes a runtime error:

public class Publisher {
    public event Action Notify;
}

var pub = new Publisher();
pub.Notify -= () => Console.WriteLine("Hello");

What is the main issue causing the error?

medium

A. Lambda expressions cannot be used with events

B. Events cannot be unsubscribed in C#

C. The event Notify is not initialized

D. Cannot unsubscribe a lambda expression that was never subscribed

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand event unsubscription rules

   In C#, events start as null delegates. Unsubscribing (-=) from a null event throws NullReferenceException.

2. Step 2: Identify cause of runtime error

   No prior subscription means Notify is null, so pub.Notify -= lambda throws NullReferenceException. The lambda was never subscribed.

3. Final Answer:

   Cannot unsubscribe a lambda expression that was never subscribed -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Null event -= throws NullRef [OK]

Hint: Unsubscribe only delegates you subscribed before [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming unsubscribing any lambda works
• Thinking events cannot be unsubscribed
• Confusing null event invocation with unsubscription

5. You want to implement a publisher-subscriber system where multiple subscribers can register to receive messages, but some subscribers should only receive messages if a condition is true (e.g., message contains a keyword). Which approach best applies this conditional filtering in C#?

hard

A. Use event subscription with wrapper methods that check the condition before handling

B. Modify the publisher to send messages only to specific subscribers directly

C. Use multiple events for each condition and subscribe accordingly

D. Use a single event and let subscribers unsubscribe if condition is false

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand conditional filtering in subscriber model

   The publisher sends events to all subscribers; filtering is best done in subscriber methods.

2. Step 2: Apply wrapper methods for condition

   Subscribers can register methods that first check the condition and only proceed if true, keeping publisher simple.

3. Step 3: Evaluate other options

   Modifying publisher to target subscribers breaks decoupling; multiple events add complexity; unsubscribing dynamically is inefficient.

4. Final Answer:

   Use event subscription with wrapper methods that check the condition before handling -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Filter in subscriber methods for flexibility [OK]

Hint: Filter messages inside subscriber methods [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to filter inside publisher breaking decoupling
• Creating many events for each condition
• Unsubscribing subscribers dynamically instead of filtering