Skip to content

Take/Skip the first or last items#

Multi provides the ability to:

  • only forward items from the beginning of the observed multi,
  • only forward the last items (and discard all the other ones),
  • skip items from the beginning of the multi,
  • skip the last items.

These actions are available from the multi.select() and multi.skip() groups, allowing to, respectively, select and skip items from upstream.

Selecting items#

The multi.select().first method forwards on the n first items from the multi. It forwards that amount of items and then sends the completion signal. It also cancels the upstream subscription.

1
Multi<Integer> firstThreeItems = multi.select().first(3);

Note

The select().first() method selects only the first item.

If the observed multi emits fewer items, it sends the completion event when the upstream completes.

Similarly, The multi.select().last operator forwards on the n last items from the multi. It discards all the items emitted beforehand.

1
Multi<Integer> lastThreeItems = multi.select().last(3);

Note

The select().last() method selects only the last item.

The multi.select().first(Predicate) operator forwards the items while the passed predicate returns true:

1
Multi<Integer> takeWhile = multi.select().first(i -> i < 4);

It calls the predicate for each item. Once the predicate returns false, it stops forwarding the items downstream. It also sends the completion event and cancels the upstream subscription.

Finally, multi.select().first(Duration) operator picks the first items emitted during a given period. Once the passed duration expires, it sends the completion event and cancels the upstream subscription. If the observed multi completes before the passed duration, it sends the completion event.

1
Multi<Integer> takeForDuration = multi.select().first(Duration.ofSeconds(1));

Skipping items#

You can also skip items using multi.skip().

The multi.skip().first(n) method skips the n first items from the multi. It forwards all the remaining items and sends the completion event when the upstream multi completes.

1
Multi<Integer> skipThreeItems = multi.skip().first(3);

If the observed multi emits fewer items, it sends the completion event without emitting any items.

Note

skip().last() drops only the very last item.

Similarly, The multi.skip().last(n) operator skips on the n last items from the multi:

1
Multi<Integer>  skipLastThreeItems = multi.skip().last(3);

The multi.skip().first(Predicate) operator skips the items while the passed predicate returns true:

1
Multi<Integer> skipWhile = multi.skip().first(i -> i < 4);

It calls the predicate for each item. Once the predicate returns false, it stops discarding the items and starts forwarding downstream.

Finally, multi.skip().first(Duration) operator skips the first items for a given period. Once the passed duration expires, it sends the items emitted after the deadline downstream. If the observed multi completes before the passed duration, it sends the completion event.

1
Multi<Integer> skipForDuration = multi.skip().first(Duration.ofSeconds(1));