Async Data Initialization in initState - flutter

Question

I'm calling an async method getMyLocation() to get my current location in my initState(). The method can take a while...
I wanted to understand the behavior of initState() in these cases. Does the method still execute in the background as build() renders or does initState() timeout since it needs to complete before build() renders?
In my build() I have a statement checking if my latitude is null, in which case I return a Loading() widget. Sometimes Screen() renders and sometimes Loading() goes on indefinitely. I am assuming sometimes the getMyLocation() successfully executes during initState() and sometimes it timesout?
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
final userData = Provider.of<MyUser>(context, listen: false);
final myUser = userData.getUser();
userData.getMyLocation();
}
getMyLocation() async {
_myUser.longitude = await getCurrentLongitude();
_myUser.latitute = await getCurrentLatitude();
notifyListeners();
}
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
final userData = Provider.of<MyUser>(context);
final myUser = userData.getUser();
myUser.latitude == null?
return Loading()
: return Screen()

Answer 1

Great question. First of all, initState() runs synchronously, it prepares various things needed for build() method to run properly. If you are executing some async function here, it will just return a Future because you can't await it in the initState(). In your case you probably need a FutureBuilder. The "proper way" of dealing with futures would be something like:
class MyWidget extends StatefulWidget {
const MyWidget({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
#override
State<MyWidget> createState() => _MyWidgetState();
}
class _MyWidgetState extends State<MyWidget> {
Future<void> getMyLocation() async {
final userData = Provider.of<MyUser>(context, listen: false);
final myUser = await userData.getUser();
// if getUser() is async then we have to await
myUser.longitude = await getCurrentLongitude();
myUser.latitute = await getCurrentLatitude();
// notifyListeners();
// You probably do not need this, should be done in provider methods instead
}
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return FutureBuilder(
future: getMyLocation(),
builder: (context, snapshot) {
if (snapshot.hasError) {
return SomeErrorWidget();
}
if (snapshot.hasData) {
return Screen(snapshot.data);
}
return SomeLoadingWidget();
});
}