Confusion about Provider with multiple Consumer Widgets - flutter

I am confused about Provider. I think Provider is meant to encapsulate the state of a Widget so it can be accessed somewhere else throughout the program. The problem is: What if I want a certain stateless widget multiple times? I created an example for this:
Lets say we want to model a few pieces of paper. Each piece of paper has some unique writing on it. I could now make a provider for a single piece of paper like this:
class PaperSheetProvider extends ChangeNotifier {
String uniqueText = "";
void setUniqueText(String newText) {
uniqueText = newText;
notifyListeners();
}
}
and I make a simple paper widget to consume that provider like:
class PaperPieceWidget extends StatelessWidget {
const PaperPieceWidget({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Consumer<PaperSheetProvider>(
builder: ((context, value, child) => Text(value.uniqueText)),
);
}
}
and at last, I make 2 paper widgets along with a button to change the text of the paper:
Column(
children: [
PaperPieceWidget(),
PaperPieceWidget(),
OutlinedButton(
onPressed: () {
Provider.of<PaperSheetProvider>(context, listen: false).setUniqueText('blablaablaa');
},
child: Text("change paper contents"))
],
),
(The ChangeNotifierProvider is near the root of the whole widget tree to simplify the code a bit)
Simple enough. But now If I click the button, I get:
Basically, the two paper pieces have the same writing. Which should not be the case, each piece of paper should have their own, unique writing. How do I do this correctly?
Full code in case anything is unclear:
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});
static const String title = 'Shortcuts and Actions Demo';
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
title: title,
theme: ThemeData(
primarySwatch: Colors.blue,
),
home: Column(
children: [
PaperPieceWidget(),
PaperPieceWidget(),
OutlinedButton(
onPressed: () {
Provider.of<PaperSheetProvider>(context, listen: false)
.setUniqueText('blablaablaa');
},
child: Text("change paper contents"))
],
),
);
}
}
void main() {
runApp(MultiProvider(providers: [
ChangeNotifierProvider(create: ((context) => PaperSheetProvider()))
], child: const MyApp()));
}
class PaperPieceWidget extends StatelessWidget {
const PaperPieceWidget({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Consumer<PaperSheetProvider>(
builder: ((context, value, child) => Text(value.uniqueText)),
);
}
}
//(provider is posted entirely above)

Wrap each widget with own provider. Something like this:
PaperSheetProvider provider1;
ChangeNotifierProvider.value(
value: provider1,
child: PaperPieceWidget(),
)

Related

How can I execute a FutureBuilder future on an Autorouter tabs more than once?

I am currently trying to execute a FutureBuilder future function in an Autorouter - the library (https://pub.dev/packages/auto_route#tab-navigation) - and it works perfectly. However, as I am using a FutureBuilder in the tabs, the future is only executed once - the first time I access the tab - and isn't re-executed again when I leave the tab and come back to it. I would like to be able to execute the future function every time I access the tab since the future is reading data from the database.
I have tried the following:
making the widget stateful and executing setState function to force a rebuild
using the overridden function didChangeDependencies
override the deactivate function of the widget
None of the above seem to work.
And after going through the documentation of the Autoroute library, I haven't come across any explanation on how to force a rebuild of the current tab.
I welcome any suggestions.
Thank you
NB: I'm using Flutter to make a mobile application, the solution doesn't necessarily have to work on a web application.
Tab View
class MyTabView extends StatelessWidget {
MyTabView({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
final tabRoutes = [
TabRoute1(),
TabRoute2(),
];
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return AutoTabsScaffold(
routes: tabRoutes,
bottomNavigationBuilder: (_, tabRouter) {
return BottomNavigationBar(
currentIndex: tabRouter.activeIndex,
onTap: tabRouter.setActiveIndex,
items: [
BottomNavigationBarItem(
icon: BaseIcon(
svgFileName: 'calendar.svg',
),
label: LocaleKeys.careProfessionalLabelProfile.tr(),
),
BottomNavigationBarItem(
icon: BaseIcon(
svgFileName: 'wallet.svg',
),
label: LocaleKeys.careProfessionalLabelChat.tr(),
),
],
);
},
);
}
}
Tab with child that contains FutureBuilder
class TabRoute2 extends StatefulWidget {
const TabRoute2({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
#override
State<TabRoute2> createState() => _TabRoute2State();
}
class _TabRoute2State extends State<TabRoute2> {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Column(
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.start,
children: <Widget>[
// ---- END SPACER
Expanded(
child: ShowFutureData(),
),
],
);
}
}
ShowFutureData
class ShowFutureData extends StatefulWidget {
const ShowFutureData({
super.key,
});
#override
State<ShowFutureData> createState() =>
_ShowFutureDataState();
}
class _ShowFutureDataState extends State<ShowFutureData> {
late FutureDataObjectProvider futureObjectProvider;
#override
initState() {
super.initState();
futureObjectProvider = context.read<FutureDataObjectProvider>();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
retrieved = futureObjectProvider.retrieveAllData();
return FutureBuilder(
future: retrieved, // only executed when the tab is first accessed
initialData: const [],
builder: (context, snapshot) {
// do something with the data
},
);
}
}
You can reassign the future to recall the future.
FutureBuilder(
future: myFuture,
Then reassign it again
myFuture = getData();

Flutter - Accessing a Provider from a higher point in the Widget tree

I've been working with Flutter recently, and I saw that there was many ways to deal with state management.
Following the recommendations there, I've been using Provider to deal with the state of my app.
I can update a part of my state from one of the widgets in my UI. To do that, I can call a method of the provider that's above the current widget in the context. No problems with this.
But I want the update of my state to be made from an overlay.
The issue is: When I'm inserting an OverlayEntry with Overlay.of(context)?.insert(), it inserts the overlayEntry to the closest Overlay, which is in general the root of the app, which is above the ChangeProvider. As a result, I get an exception saying I can't find the Provider from the OverlayEntry.
Here is a replication code I've been writting:
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
theme: ThemeData(
primarySwatch: Colors.blue,
),
home: ChangeNotifierProvider(
create: (context) => NumberModel(), // All widgets that will be lower in the widget tree will have access to NumberModel
child: NumberDisplayer()
),
);
}
}
// Simple ChangeNotifier. We have a number that we can increment.
class NumberModel extends ChangeNotifier {
int _number = 10;
int get number => _number;
void add_one() {
_number = number + 1;
notifyListeners();
}
}
// This class displays a number, and a button.
class NumberDisplayer extends StatelessWidget {
NumberDisplayer({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
var overlayEntry = OverlayEntry(builder: (context) =>
Positioned(
top: 100,
left: 50,
child: FloatingActionButton(onPressed: (){
// Throws "Error: Could not find the correct Provider<NumberModel> above this _OverlayEntryWidget Widget"
Provider.of<NumberModel>(context, listen: false).add_one();
})));
return Consumer<NumberModel>(
builder: (context, numberModel, child) {
return Column(
children: [
Text('Number: ${numberModel.number}'),
FloatingActionButton(onPressed: () {
Overlay.of(context)?.insert(overlayEntry);
})
],
);
},
);
}
}
I would like to find a way to update the information in my provider from the overlay, but I'm not sure how to approach this problem.
Thanks for your help everyone !

Consumer and context.watch in MultiProvider

I am trying Flutter for the first time, and I am a little confused by the MultiProvider class.
The question is straightforward, but I didn't find an explanation:
when should one use Consumer and when context.watch?
For instance, taking one of the examples apps I have found, I tried using two providers for two global states, the theme and the status of the app:
runApp(
MultiProvider(providers: [
ChangeNotifierProvider(create: (context) => AppTheme()),
ChangeNotifierProvider(create: (context) => AppStatus()),
],
child: const MyApp()
));
Then the app widget accesses the theme with Consumer:
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Consumer<AppTheme>(
builder: (context, appTheme, child) {
// ...
As far as I understand, now all children widgets will inherit the provider. Is it right?
My home page, then, called by the MyApp class does not use Consumer, but context.watch:
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
final appTheme = context.watch<AppTheme>();
final appStatus = context.watch<AppStatus>();
return NavigationView(
// ...
It works, don't get me wrong, but I just copied the row above my appStatus, so I don't really fully understand it. This is also due to another screen that I've concocted to access the AppStatus global state, but I use Consumer, as suggested by the Flutter documentation:
class _ViewerState extends State<Viewer> {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Consumer<AppStatus>(
builder: (context, appStatus, child) {
return ScaffoldPage.scrollable(
header: const PageHeader(title: Text('Test')),
children: [
FilledButton(child: Text("Try ${appStatus.count}"), onPressed: (){ appStatus.increment(); debugPrint('pressed ${appStatus.count}'); }),
FilledButton(child: Text("Reset"), onPressed: (){ appStatus.reset(); }),
]);
},
);
}
}
I have the feeling that I am misusing something here, and I do not really understand what's going on under the hood...
context.watch<T>() and Consumer<T> does the same thing. Most of the time context.watch<T>() is just more convenient. In some cases where context is not available Consumer<T> is useful.

Navigate part of screen from drawer

let's say I have an app with the following setup:
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(),
body: Container(
color: Colors.grey[200],
child: Row(
children: [
MainMenu(),
Expanded(child: MainLoginScreen()),
],
),
));
}
}
I would like to know how can I navigate only the MainLoginScreen widget from the MainMenu with any .push() method.
(I found a way to navigate from a context inside the mainloginscreen,by wrapping it with a MaterialApp widget, but what if I want to use the MainMenu widget instead, which has another context)
There is a general agreement that a 'screen' is a topmost widget in the route. An instance of 'screen' is what you pass to Navigator.of(context).push(MaterialPageRoute(builder: (context) => HereGoesTheScreen()). So if it is under Scaffold, it is not a screen. That said, here are the options:
1. If you want to use navigation with 'back' button
Use different screens. To avoid code duplication, create MenuAndContentScreen class:
class MenuAndContentScreen extends StatelessWidget {
final Widget child;
MenuAndContentScreen({
required this.child,
});
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(),
body: Container(
color: Colors.grey[200],
child: Row(
children: [
MainMenu(),
Expanded(child: child),
],
),
),
);
}
}
Then for each screen create a pair of a screen and a nested widget:
class MainLoginScreen extends StatelessWidget {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MenuAndContentScreen(
child: MainLoginWidget(),
);
}
}
class MainLoginWidget extends StatelessWidget {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
// Here goes the screen content.
}
}
2. If you do not need navigation with 'back' button
You may use IndexedStack widget. It can contain multiple widgets with only one visible at a time.
class MenuAndContentScreen extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_MenuAndContentScreenState createState() => _MenuAndContentScreenState(
initialContentIndex: 0,
);
}
class _MenuAndContentScreenState extends State<MenuAndContentScreen> {
int _index;
_MainMenuAndContentScreenState({
required int initialContentIndex,
}) : _contentIndex = initialContentIndex;
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(),
body: Container(
color: Colors.grey[200],
child: Row(
children: [
MainMenu(
// A callback that will be triggered somewhere down the menu
// when an item is tapped.
setContentIndex: _setContentIndex,
),
Expanded(
child: IndexedStack(
index: _contentIndex,
children: [
MainLoginWidget(),
SomeOtherContentWidget(),
],
),
),
],
),
),
);
}
void _setContentIndex(int index) {
setState(() {
_contentIndex = index;
});
}
}
The first way is generally preferred as it is declrative which is a major idea in Flutter. When you have the entire widget tree statically declared, less things can go wrong and need to be tracked. Once you feel it, it really is a pleasure. And if you want to avoid back navigation, use replacement as ahmetakil has suggested in a comment: Navigator.of(context).pushReplacement(...)
The second way is mostly used when MainMenu needs to hold some state that needs to be preserved between views so we choose to have one screen with interchangeable content.
3. Using a nested Navigator widget
As you specifically asked about a nested Navigator widget, you may use it instead of IndexedStack:
class MenuAndContentScreen extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_MenuAndContentScreenState createState() => _MenuAndContentScreenState();
}
class _MenuAndContentScreenState extends State<MenuAndContentScreen> {
final _navigatorKey = GlobalKey();
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(),
body: Container(
color: Colors.grey[200],
child: Row(
children: [
MainMenu(
navigatorKey: _navigatorKey,
),
Expanded(
child: Navigator(
key: _navigatorKey,
onGenerateRoute: ...
),
),
],
),
),
);
}
}
// Then somewhere in MainMenu:
final anotherContext = navigatorKey.currentContext;
Navigator.of(anotherContext).push(...);
This should do the trick, however it is a bad practice because:
MainMenu knows that a particular Navigator exists and it should interact with it. It is better to either abstract this knowledge with a callback as in (2) or do not use a specific navigator as in (1). Flutter is really about passing information down the tree and not up.
At some point you would like to highlight the active item in MainMenu, but it is hard for MainMenu to know which widget is currently in the Navigator. This would add yet another non-down interaction.
For such interaction there is BLoC pattern
In Flutter, BLoC stands for Business Logic Component. In its simpliest form it is a plain object that is created in the parent widget and then passed down to MainMenu and Navigator, these widgets may then send events through it and listen on it.
class CurrentPageBloc {
// int is an example. You may use String, enum or whatever
// to identify pages.
final _outCurrentPageController = BehaviorSubject<int>();
Stream<int> _outCurrentPage => _outCurrentPageController.stream;
void setCurrentPage(int page) {
_outCurrentPageController.sink.add(page);
}
void dispose() {
_outCurrentPageController.close();
}
}
class MenuAndContentScreen extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_MenuAndContentScreenState createState() => _MenuAndContentScreenState();
}
class _MenuAndContentScreenState extends State<MenuAndContentScreen> {
final _currentPageBloc = CurrentPageBloc();
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(),
body: Container(
color: Colors.grey[200],
child: Row(
children: [
MainMenu(
currentPageBloc: _currentPageBloc,
),
Expanded(
child: ContentWidget(
currentPageBloc: _currentPageBloc,
onGenerateRoute: ...
),
),
],
),
),
);
}
#override
void dispose() {
_currentPageBloc.dispose();
}
}
// Then in MainMenu:
currentPageBloc.setCurrentPage(1);
// Then in ContentWidget's state:
final _navigatorKey = GlobalKey();
late final StreamSubscription _subscription;
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
_subscription = widget.currentPageBloc.outCurrentPage.listen(_setCurrentPage);
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Navigator(
key: _navigatorKey,
// Everything else.
);
}
void _setCurrentPage(int currentPage) {
// Can't use this.context, because the Navigator's context is down the tree.
final anotherContext = navigatorKey?.currentContext;
if (anotherContext != null) { // null if the event is emitted before the first build.
Navigator.of(anotherContext).push(...); // Use currentPage
}
}
#override
void dispose() {
_subscription.cancel();
}
This has advantages:
MainMenu does not know who will receive the event, if anybody.
Any number of listeners may listen on such events.
However, there is still a fundamental flaw with Navigator. It can be navigated without MainMenu knowledge using 'back' button or by its internal widgets. So there is no single variable that knows which page is showing now. To highlight the active menu item, you would query the Navigator's stack which eliminates the benefits of BLoC.
For all these reasons I still suggest one of the first two solutions.

Managing state in Flutter using Provider

I'm trying to implement Provider state management on counter application to understand Provider's functionality better. I have added two buttons with respect to two different text widget. So, now whenever I click any of the two widget both the Text widgets get update and give same value. I want both the widgets independent to each other.
I have used ScopedModel already and got the desire result but now I want to try with provider.
Image Link : https://i.stack.imgur.com/ma3tR.png
class HomePage extends StatelessWidget {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
print("====Home Page Rebuilt====");
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: Text("HomePage"),
),
body: Container(
child: Column(
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
//crossAxisAlignment:CrossAxisAlignment.center,
children: [
Consumer<CounterModel>(
builder: (context, value, child) {
return CustomWidget(
number: value.count.toString(),
);
},
),
Consumer<CounterModel>(
builder: (context, value, child) {
return CustomWidget(
number: value.count.toString(),
);
},
),
],
)),
);
}
}
class CustomWidget extends StatelessWidget {
final String number;
const CustomWidget({Key key, this.number}) : super(key: key);
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
print("====Number Page Rebuilt====");
return ButtonBar(
alignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: [
Consumer<CounterModel>(
builder: (context, value, child) {
return Text(
value.count.toString(),
style: Theme.of(context).textTheme.headline3,
);
},
),
FlatButton(
color: Colors.blue,
onPressed: () =>
Provider.of<CounterModel>(context, listen: false).increment(),
child: Text("Click"),
),
],
);
}
}
If you want them independent from each other, then you need to differentiate them somehow. I have a bit of a different style to implement the Provider and it hasn't failed me yet. Here is a complete example.
You should adapt your implementation to something like this:
Define your provider class that extends ChangeNotifier in a CounterProvider.dart file
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
class CounterProvider extends ChangeNotifier {
/// You can either set an initial value here or use a UserProvider object
/// and call the setter to give it an initial value somewhere in your app, like in main.dart
int _counter = 0; // This will set the initial value of the counter to 0
int get counter => _counter;
set counter(int newValue) {
_counter = newValue;
/// MAKE SURE YOU NOTIFY LISTENERS IN YOUR SETTER
notifyListeners();
}
}
Wrap your app with a Provider Widget like so
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
/// don't forget to import it here too
import 'package:app/CounterProvider.dart';
void main() {
runApp(
MaterialApp(
initialRoute: '/root',
routes: {
'/root': (context) => MyApp(),
},
title: "Your App Title",
),
);
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MultiProvider(
providers: [
/// Makes data available to everything below it in the Widget tree
/// Basically the entire app.
ChangeNotifierProvider<CounterProvider>.value(value: CounterProvider()),
],
child: MaterialApp(
home: HomeScreen(),
),
);
}
}
Access and update data anywhere in the app
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
/// MAKE SURE TO IMPORT THE CounterProvider.dart file
import 'package:app/CounterProvider.dart';
class HomeScreen extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_HomeScreenState createState() => _HomeScreenState();
}
class _HomeScreenState extends State<HomeScreen> {
CounterProvider counterProvider;
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
/// LISTEN TO THE CHANGES / UPDATES IN THE PROVIDER
counterProvider = Provider.of<CounterProvider>(context);
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: Text("HomePage"),
),
body: Container(
child: Column(
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
//crossAxisAlignment:CrossAxisAlignment.center,
children: [
_showCounterButton(1),
_showCounterButton(2),
],
),
),
);
}
Widget _showCounterButton(int i) {
return ButtonBar(
alignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: [
Text(
i == 1
? counterProvider.counter1.toString()
: counterProvider.counter2.toString(),
style: Theme.of(context).textTheme.headline3,
),
FlatButton(
color: Colors.blue,
onPressed: () {
/// UPDATE DATA IN THE PROVIDER. BECAUSE YOU're USING THE SETTER HERE,
/// THE LISTENERS WILL BE NOTIFIED AND UPDATE ACCORDINGLY
/// you can do this in any other file anywhere in the Widget tree, as long as
/// it it beneath the main.dart file where you defined the MultiProvider
i == 1
? counterProvider.counter1 += 1
: counterProvider.counter2 += 1;
setState(() {});
},
child: Text("Click"),
),
],
);
}
}
If you want, you can change the implementation a bit. If you have multiple counters, for multiple widgets, then just create more variables in the CounterProvider.dart file with separate setters and getters for each counter. Then, to display/update them properly, just use a switch case inside the _showCounterButton() method and inside the onPressed: (){ switch case here, before setState((){}); }.
Hope this helps and gives you a better understanding of how Provider works.