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RealmInteger - .NET SDK

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  • Overview
  • Implementing a Counter

Realm offers RealmInteger as a special integer type you can use as a logical counter. RealmInteger<T> exposes an additional API that can more clearly express intent and generate better conflict resolution steps when using Synchronized Realms. The type argument <T> can be of type byte, short, int, or long. The following example shows how to use a RealmInteger property that maps to an int:

public partial class MyRealmClass : IRealmObject
{
[PrimaryKey]
public int _id { get; set; }
public RealmInteger<int> Counter { get; set; }
}

Traditionally, you would implement a counter by reading a value, incrementing it, and then setting it (myObject.Counter += 1). This does not work well in an asynchronous situation like when two clients are offline. Consider the following scenario:

  • The realm object has a counter property of type int. It is currently set to a value of 10.

  • Clients 1 and 2 both read the counter property (10) and each increments the value by 1.

  • When each client regains connectivity and merges their changes, they expect a value of 11, and there is no conflict. However, the counter value should be 12!

When using a RealmInteger, however, you can call the Increment() and Decrement() methods, and to reset the counter, you set it to 0, just as you would an int:

var myObject = realm.Find<MyRealmClass>(id);
// myObject.Counter == 0
realm.Write(() =>
{
// Increment the value of the RealmInteger
myObject.Counter.Increment(); // 1
myObject.Counter.Increment(5); // 6
// Decrement the value of the RealmInteger
// Note the use of Increment with a negative number
myObject.Counter.Decrement(); // 5
myObject.Counter.Increment(-3); // 2
// Reset the RealmInteger
myObject.Counter = 0;
// RealmInteger<T> is implicitly convertable to T:
int bar = myObject.Counter;
});

Important

When you reset a RealmInteger, you may run into the offline merge issue described above.

A RealmInteger is backed by traditional integer type, so no schema migration is required when changing a property type from T to RealmInteger<T>.

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