Flutter text editing in child widget with validation in parent widget - flutter

Question

I'm trying to setup a Flutter parent/child widget configuration to allow for multiple textControllers on the child widget and the parent widget to control the saving of the form answer and some validation.
I need to be able to have multiple answer areas. Most questions will have 1 answer area but some will have multiple.
So far, I have a function being passed into the Child Widget called nextPageStatus. This is used in the textController Listener to send a true/false back to the Parent Widget and set the active status of the "Next" question button.
What I can't figure out is how to get the values from the textController in the Parent Widget. I need those values on the Parent Widget because I call the database to save the answers on the Parent Widget.
Parent Wiget:
class ParentWidget extends StatefulWidget {
ParentWidget({super.key});
#override
State<StatefulWidget> createState() => ParentWidgetState();
}
class ParentWidgetState extends State<ParentWidget> {
late int _currentIndex = 0;
bool nextPageIsActive = false;
bool prevPageIsActive = false;
late SwiperController _swiperController;
List<QuestionModel> questionList = [];
List<AnswerModel> answerList = [];
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
body: Column(
children:[
Row(
children: [
Column(
children: [
IconButton(
onPressed: prevPageIsActive ? _previousCard : () {},
icon: Icon(
Icons.arrow_back,
color: prevPageIsActive ? null : Colors.grey,
)
),
const Text("Back")
]),
Column(
children: [
IconButton(
onPressed: nextPageIsActive ? _nextPageAction : () { },
icon: Icon(
Icons.arrow_forward,
color: nextPageIsActive ? null : Colors.grey
)
),
Text("Next")
]
),
],
),
]
)
);
}
void setNextPageStatus(bool status) {
setState(() {
nextPageIsActive = status;
});
}
void _previousCard() {
_swiperController.previous(animation: true);
setState(() {
prevPageIsActive = false;
})
}
void _nextCard() {
_swiperController.next(animation: true);
setState(() {
prevPageIsActive = true;
});
}
void _saveAnswerToDatabase() {
final firestoreDatabase =
Provider.of<FirestoreDatabase>(context, listen: false);
List<String> answers = [];
// TODO: Get all answers from Child Widget here
// for (var ans in answerList) {
// answers.add(ans);
// }
firestoreDatabase.setUserAnswers(answers, userId);
}
void _nextPageAction() {
// this function should only be available
// once requirements are met on child
// (must have at least 7 letters typed for question)
_saveAnswerToDatabase();
if (questionList.length == (_currentIndex + 1)) {
// last prompt -- finish
Navigator.pushNamed(
context,
AppRoutes.home,
);
} else {
_nextCard();
}
}
Widget buildSwiper() {
return Expanded(
child: Swiper(
controller: _swiperController,
itemCount: questionList.length,
onIndexChanged: (index) {
setState(() {
_currentIndex = index;
});
},
itemBuilder: Card(
child: SingleChildScrollView(
child: Column(
children: [
// !! this is where I iterate over the all the possible questions
for (int i = 0; i < currentPrompt.questionPrompts.length; i++)
AnswerArea(
key: widget.promptScreenKey,
nextPageStatus: setNextPageStatus,
questionPrompt: questionList[index].questionPrompts[i],)
],
),
),
),
),
);
}
}
Child Widget (Answer Area):
class AnswerArea extends StatefulWidget {
AnswerArea({Key? key, required this.textPrompt, required this.nextPageStatus}) : super(key: key);
late String textPrompt;
late Function(bool) nextPageStatus;
#override
State<AnswerArea> createState() => _AnswerAreaState();
}
class _AnswerAreaState extends State<AnswerArea> {
late List<TextEditingController> answerAreaTextControllers;
final answerAreaTextController = TextEditingController();
_textAnswerListener() {
if (answerAreaTextController.text.isNotEmpty && answerAreaTextController.text.length >= 7) {
widget.nextPageStatus(true);
} else {
widget.nextPageStatus(false);
}
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
answerAreaTextController.addListener(_textAnswerListener);
const maxLines = 5;
const numberOfLines = 5;
const cursorHeight = 22.0;
return Container(
padding: const EdgeInsets.fromLTRB(24, 24, 24, 0),
child: Column(
children: [
Stack(
children: [
Container(
child: SizedBox(
height: numberOfLines * (cursorHeight + 8),
child: Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 15),
child: TextField(
controller: answerAreaTextController,
decoration: InputDecoration(
border: InputBorder.none,
hintText: widget.textPrompt,
hintStyle: TextStyle(color: Colors.white),
),
cursorHeight: cursorHeight,
keyboardType: TextInputType.multiline,
maxLines: maxLines,
),
),
),
),
for (int i = 0; i < numberOfLines; i++)
answerAreaTextController.text.isEmpty ? Container(
width: double.infinity,
margin: EdgeInsets.only(
top: 4 + (i + 1) * cursorHeight,
left: 15,
right: 15,
),
height: 1,
color: Colors.white,
) : Container(),
],
),
],
),
);
}
}