Multiple calls to set LiveData is not observed

Question

I have recently seen a weird issue that is acting as a barrier to my project. Multiple calls to set the live data value does not invoke the observer in the view.

It

Answer 1

I did some science, re-implementing LiveData and MutableLiveData to log out some data.

Check the source code here.

setValue value=Test1
dispatchingValue mDispatchingValue=false mDispatchInvalidated=false
considerNotify
Returned at !observer.active
setValue value=Test2
dispatchingValue mDispatchingValue=false mDispatchInvalidated=false
considerNotify
Returned at !observer.active
setValue value=Test3
dispatchingValue mDispatchingValue=false mDispatchInvalidated=false
considerNotify
Returned at !observer.active
dispatchingValue mDispatchingValue=false mDispatchInvalidated=false
considerNotify
ITEM: Test3

It looks like the observer hasn't reached an active state when you send the initial values.

private void considerNotify(LifecycleBoundObserver observer) {
    // <-- Three times it fails here. This means that your observer wasn't ready for any of them.
    if (!observer.active) {
        return;
    }

Once the observer reaches an active state, it sends the last set value.

void activeStateChanged(boolean newActive) {
    if (newActive == active) {
        return;
    }
    active = newActive;
    boolean wasInactive = LiveData.this.mActiveCount == 0;
    LiveData.this.mActiveCount += active ? 1 : -1;
    if (wasInactive && active) {
        onActive();
    }
    if (LiveData.this.mActiveCount == 0 && !active) {
        onInactive();
    }
    if (active) {
        // <--- At this point you are getting a call to your observer!
        dispatchingValue(this);
    }
}