Confusion about flatMapLatest in RxSwift

Question

I learn the sample code in RxSwift. In the file GithubSignupViewModel1.swift, the definition of validatedUsername is:

validatedUsername = input.username //the username is a textfiled.rx_text
    .flatMapLatest { username -> Observable<ValidationResult> in
        print("-------->1:")
        return validationService.validateUsername(username)
            .observeOn(MainScheduler.instance)
            .catchErrorJustReturn(.Failed(message: "Error contacting server"))
    }
    .shareReplay(1)

the validateUsername method is finally called the following method:

func usernameAvailable(username: String) -> Observable<Bool> {
    // this is ofc just mock, but good enough
    print("-------->2:")
    let URL = NSURL(string: "https://github.com/\(username.URLEscaped)")!
    let request = NSURLRequest(URL: URL)
    return self.URLSession.rx_response(request)
        .map { (maybeData, response) in
            print("-------->3:")
            return response.statusCode == 404
        }
        .catchErrorJustReturn(false)
}

Here is my confusion:

whenever I input a character quickly in the username textfield, message -------->1:, -------->2: showed, and a little later message -------->3: showed, but only showed one -------->3: message.

When I input characters slower, message -------->1:, -------->2:, -------->3: showed successively.

But when I change the flatMapLatest to flatMap, how many characters I input, I will get the same number of -------->3: message.

So how did the flatMapLatest work here?

How the flatMapLatest filter the early response from NSURLResponse ?

---

I read some about the flatMapLatest, but none of them will explain my confusion.

What I saw is something like:

let a = Variable(XX)
a.asObservable().flatMapLatest(...)

When changed a.value to another Variable, the Variable(XX) will not influence the subscriber of a.

But the input.username isn't changed, it is always a testfield.rx_text! So how the flatMapLatest work?

Answer 1

It's not clear what your confusion is about. Are you questioning the difference between flatMap and flatMapLatest? flatMap will map to a new Observable, and if it needs to flatMap again, it will in essence merge the two mapped Observables into one. If it needs to flatMap again, it will merge it again, etc.

With flatMapLatest, when a new Observable is mapped, it overwrites the last Observable if there was one. There is no merge.

EDIT: In response to your comment, the reason you aren't seeing any "------>3:" print is because those rx_request Observables were disposed before they could compete, because flatMapLatest received a new element, and this mapped to a new Observable. Upon disposal, rx_request probably cancels the request and will not run the callback where you're printing. The old Observable is disposed because it no longer belongs to anyone when the new one takes its place.