MemoryCache with regions support?

Question

I need to add cache functionality and found a new shiny class called MemoryCache. However, I find MemoryCache a little bit crippled as it is (I'm in need of regions functionality). Among other things I need to add something like ClearAll(region). Authors made a great effort to keep this class without regions support, code like:

if (regionName != null)
{
throw new NotSupportedException(R.RegionName_not_supported);
}

flies in almost every method. I don't see an easy way to override this behaviour. The only way to add region support that I can think of is to add a new class as a wrapper of MemoryCache rather then as a class that inherits from MemoryCache. Then in this new class create a Dictionary and let each method "buffer" region calls. Sounds nasty and wrong, but eventually...

Do you know of better ways to add regions to MemoryCache?

Answer 1

You can create more than one just one MemoryCache instance, one for each partition of your data.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.caching.memorycache.aspx :

you can create multiple instances of the MemoryCache class for use in the same application and in the same AppDomain instance

Answer 2

I know it is a long time since you asked this question, so this is not really an answer to you, but rather an addition for future readers.

I was also surprised to find that the standard implementation of MemoryCache does NOT support regions. It would have been so easy to provide right away. I therefore decided to wrap the MemoryCache in my own simple class to provide the functionality I often need.

I enclose my code it here to save time for others having the same need!

/// <summary>
/// =================================================================================================================
/// This is a static encapsulation of the Framework provided MemoryCache to make it easier to use.
/// - Keys can be of any type, not just strings.
/// - A typed Get method is provided for the common case where type of retrieved item actually is known.
/// - Exists method is provided.
/// - Except for the Set method with custom policy, some specific Set methods are also provided for convenience.
/// - One SetAbsolute method with remove callback is provided as an example.
///   The Set method can also be used for custom remove/update monitoring.
/// - Domain (or "region") functionality missing in default MemoryCache is provided.
///   This is very useful when adding items with identical keys but belonging to different domains.
///   Example: "Customer" with Id=1, and "Product" with Id=1
/// =================================================================================================================
/// </summary>
public static class MyCache
{
    private const string KeySeparator = "_";
    private const string DefaultDomain = "DefaultDomain";


    private static MemoryCache Cache
    {
        get { return MemoryCache.Default; }
    }

    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    // The default instance of the MemoryCache is used.
    // Memory usage can be configured in standard config file.
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    // cacheMemoryLimitMegabytes:   The amount of maximum memory size to be used. Specified in megabytes. 
    //                              The default is zero, which indicates that the MemoryCache instance manages its own memory
    //                              based on the amount of memory that is installed on the computer. 
    // physicalMemoryPercentage:    The percentage of physical memory that the cache can use. It is specified as an integer value from 1 to 100. 
    //                              The default is zero, which indicates that the MemoryCache instance manages its own memory 
    //                              based on the amount of memory that is installed on the computer. 
    // pollingInterval:             The time interval after which the cache implementation compares the current memory load with the 
    //                              absolute and percentage-based memory limits that are set for the cache instance.
    //                              The default is two minutes.
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    //  <configuration>
    //    <system.runtime.caching>
    //      <memoryCache>
    //        <namedCaches>
    //          <add name="default" cacheMemoryLimitMegabytes="0" physicalMemoryPercentage="0" pollingInterval="00:02:00" />
    //        </namedCaches>
    //      </memoryCache>
    //    </system.runtime.caching>
    //  </configuration>
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



    /// <summary>
    /// Store an object and let it stay in cache until manually removed.
    /// </summary>
    public static void SetPermanent(string key, object data, string domain = null)
    {
        CacheItemPolicy policy = new CacheItemPolicy { };
        Set(key, data, policy, domain);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Store an object and let it stay in cache x minutes from write.
    /// </summary>
    public static void SetAbsolute(string key, object data, double minutes, string domain = null)
    {
        CacheItemPolicy policy = new CacheItemPolicy { AbsoluteExpiration = DateTime.Now + TimeSpan.FromMinutes(minutes) };
        Set(key, data, policy, domain);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Store an object and let it stay in cache x minutes from write.
    /// callback is a method to be triggered when item is removed
    /// </summary>
    public static void SetAbsolute(string key, object data, double minutes, CacheEntryRemovedCallback callback, string domain = null)
    {
        CacheItemPolicy policy = new CacheItemPolicy { AbsoluteExpiration = DateTime.Now + TimeSpan.FromMinutes(minutes), RemovedCallback = callback };
        Set(key, data, policy, domain);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Store an object and let it stay in cache x minutes from last write or read.
    /// </summary>
    public static void SetSliding(object key, object data, double minutes, string domain = null)
    {
        CacheItemPolicy policy = new CacheItemPolicy { SlidingExpiration = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(minutes) };
        Set(key, data, policy, domain);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Store an item and let it stay in cache according to specified policy.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="key">Key within specified domain</param>
    /// <param name="data">Object to store</param>
    /// <param name="policy">CacheItemPolicy</param>
    /// <param name="domain">NULL will fallback to default domain</param>
    public static void Set(object key, object data, CacheItemPolicy policy, string domain = null)
    {
        Cache.Add(CombinedKey(key, domain), data, policy);
    }




    /// <summary>
    /// Get typed item from cache.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="key">Key within specified domain</param>
    /// <param name="domain">NULL will fallback to default domain</param>
    public static T Get<T>(object key, string domain = null)
    {
        return (T)Get(key, domain);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Get item from cache.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="key">Key within specified domain</param>
    /// <param name="domain">NULL will fallback to default domain</param>
    public static object Get(object key, string domain = null)
    {
        return Cache.Get(CombinedKey(key, domain));
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Check if item exists in cache.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="key">Key within specified domain</param>
    /// <param name="domain">NULL will fallback to default domain</param>
    public static bool Exists(object key, string domain = null)
    {
        return Cache[CombinedKey(key, domain)] != null;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Remove item from cache.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="key">Key within specified domain</param>
    /// <param name="domain">NULL will fallback to default domain</param>
    public static void Remove(object key, string domain = null)
    {
        Cache.Remove(CombinedKey(key, domain));
    }



    #region Support Methods

    /// <summary>
    /// Parse domain from combinedKey.
    /// This method is exposed publicly because it can be useful in callback methods.
    /// The key property of the callback argument will in our case be the combinedKey.
    /// To be interpreted, it needs to be split into domain and key with these parse methods.
    /// </summary>
    public static string ParseDomain(string combinedKey)
    {
        return combinedKey.Substring(0, combinedKey.IndexOf(KeySeparator));
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Parse key from combinedKey.
    /// This method is exposed publicly because it can be useful in callback methods.
    /// The key property of the callback argument will in our case be the combinedKey.
    /// To be interpreted, it needs to be split into domain and key with these parse methods.
    /// </summary>
    public static string ParseKey(string combinedKey)
    {
        return combinedKey.Substring(combinedKey.IndexOf(KeySeparator) + KeySeparator.Length);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Create a combined key from given values.
    /// The combined key is used when storing and retrieving from the inner MemoryCache instance.
    /// Example: Product_76
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="key">Key within specified domain</param>
    /// <param name="domain">NULL will fallback to default domain</param>
    private static string CombinedKey(object key, string domain)
    {
        return string.Format("{0}{1}{2}", string.IsNullOrEmpty(domain) ? DefaultDomain : domain, KeySeparator, key);
    }

    #endregion

}