So while learning Flutter, it seems that initState() is not a place to use Providers as it does not yet have access to context which must be passed. The way my instructor gets around this is to use the didChangeDependencies() life-cycle hook in conjunction with a flag so that any code inside doesn't run more than once:
bool _isInit = true;
#override
void didChangeDependencies() {
if (_isInit) {
// Some provider code that gets/sets some state
}
_isInit = false;
super.didChangeDependencies();
}
This feels like a poor development experience to me. Is there no other way of running initialisation code within a Flutter Widget that has access to context? Or are there any plans to introduce something more workable?
The only other way I have seen is using Future.delayed which feels a bit "hacky":
#override
void initState() {
Future.delayed(Duration.zero).then(() {
// Some provider code that gets/sets some state
});
super.initState();
}
I have implemented as follows inside didChangeDependencies
#override
void didChangeDependencies() {
super.didChangeDependencies();
if (_isInit) {
setState(() {
_isLoading = true;
});
Provider.of<Products>(context).fetchAndSetProducts().then((_) {
setState(() {
_isLoading = false;
});
});
}
_isInit = false;
}
It's possible to schedule code to run at the end of the current frame. If scheduled within initState(), it seems that the Widget is fully setup by the time the code is running.
To do so, you can use the addPostFrameCallback method of the SchedulerBinding instance:
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
SchedulerBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
// Some provider code that gets/sets some state
})
}
You can also use WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback() for this. They both behave the same for the purpose of running code once after the Widget has been built/loaded, but here is some more detail on the differences.
Note: be sure to import the file needed for SchedulerBinding:
import 'package:flutter/scheduler.dart';
you can have the Provider in a separate function and call that function within the initState()
bool isInit = true;
Future<void> fetch() async {
await Provider.of<someProvider>(context, listen: false).fetch();
}
#override
void initState() {
if (isInit) {
isInit = false;
fetch();
}
isInit = false;
super.initState();
}
Related
You can see the strange behaviour in this video: https://streamable.com/r5ld2y
The InitValue is the correct one, but when I restart the App it first goes to zero, AFTER loading the Screen OR press a button, it loads the shared prefs...
This is my Cubit (Only with the LoadCounter Func):
class DrinkCubit extends Cubit<DrinkState> {
DrinkCubit() : super(DrinkState(drinkValue: 0));
Future<void> loadCounter() async {
final prefs = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();
state.drinkValue = (prefs.getInt('counter') ?? 0);
}
}
And this is my InitFunction in the main window!
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
Future.delayed(Duration.zero,()
{
BlocProvider.of<DrinkCubit>(context).loadCounter();
});
}
So how do I fix this, that the correct value is directly after starting the app showed
Try this:
getData(){
BlocProvider.of<DrinkCubit>(context).loadCounter();
}
#override
void initState() {
SchedulerBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
getData();
});
super.initState();
}
SchedulerBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback ensures that code inside run before UI code.
And if it allows me to give you a hint, is better remove SharedPreferences of your Bloc and put in another class.
I have a Flutter app for web that checks if control is pressed, and is managed in my internal state. Using this answer I created the code to check if control is pressed. My code is below:
class _CanvasViewState extends ConsumerState<CanvasView> {
late final FocusNode focus;
late final FocusAttachment _nodeAttachment;
#override
void initState() {
focus = FocusNode();
_nodeAttachment = focus.attach(context, onKey: (node, event) {
// preform call to provider
return KeyEventResult.ignored;
});
focus.requestFocus();
super.initState();
}
#override
void dispose() {
focus.dispose();
super.dispose();
}
_CanvasViewState();
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
_nodeAttachment.reparent();
....
}
}
This works fine initially. However, if I go to a different application and come back it no longer works. The function callback inside of my initState is no longer called when I press control. Am I going about checking if control is pressed completely wrong or how can this be accomplished?
Instead of initState() try using didChangeDependencies()
like this:
bool _init = true;
#override
void didChangeDependencies() {
if(_init == true){
focus = FocusNode();
_nodeAttachment = focus.attach(context, onKey: (node, event) {
// preform call to provider
return KeyEventResult.ignored;
});
focus.requestFocus();
_init = false;
}
super.didChangeDependencies();
}
I create a button to test the database. it returns a set of data. While i did in initState function, what i get is null.
#override
void initState() {
db.queryData('username').then((val) {
_userAuthData = val;
});
super.initState();
print(_userAuthData);
}```
** both async/await and future.then() works the same in button on press function.
you can execute async function on init method by using future
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
Future.delayed(Duration.zero,()async{
final _userAuthData=await db.queryData('username');
print(_userAuthData);
});
});
I am calling initial method to load data from API using initState. But it is resulting me an error. Here is error:
Unhandled Exception: inheritFromWidgetOfExactType(_LocalizationsScope) or inheritFromElement() was called before _ScreenState.initState() completed.
When an inherited widget changes, for example if the value of Theme.of() changes, its dependent widgets are rebuilt. If the dependent widget's reference to the inherited widget is in a constructor or an initState() method, then the rebuilt dependent widget will not reflect the changes in the inherited widget.
My code is:
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
this._getCategories();
}
void _getCategories() async {
AppRoutes.showLoader(context);
Map<String, dynamic> data = await apiPostCall(
apiName: API.addUser,
context: context,
parameterData: null,
showAlert: false,
);
if(data.isNotEmpty){
AppRoutes.dismissLoader(context);
print(data);
}else {
AppRoutes.dismissLoader(context);
}
}
You need to call _getCategories after initState has completed.
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
Future.delayed(Duration.zero, () {
this._getCategories();
});
// Could do this in one line: Future.delayed(Duration.zero, this._getCategories);
}
Also, you could do this on a different way, using addPostFrameCallback.
To make this task easier, you could create a mixin to be added to StatefulWidgets.
mixin PostFrameMixin<T extends StatefulWidget> on State<T> {
void postFrame(void Function() callback) =>
WidgetsBinding.instance?.addPostFrameCallback(
(_) {
// Execute callback if page is mounted
if (mounted) callback();
},
);
}
Then, you just need to plug this mixin to you page, like that:
class _MyPageState extends State<MyPage> with PostFrameMixin {
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
postFrame(_getCategories);
}
}
Use the didChangeDependencies method which gets called after initState.
For your example:
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
}
#override
void didChangeDependencies() {
super.didChangeDependencies();
this._getCategories();
}
void _getCategories() async {
// Omitted for brevity
// ...
}
Adding a frame callback might be better than using Future.delayed with a zero duration - it's more explicit and clear as to what is happening, and this kind of situation is what frame callback was designed for:
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) async {
_getCategories();
});
}
an alternative is to put it inside PostFrameCallback which is between initState and Build.
#override
void initState() {
WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) => getData());
super.initState();
}
getData() async {
}
There are many ways to solve this problem, override initState method:
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
// Use any of the below code here.
}
Using SchedulerBinding mixin:
SchedulerBinding.instance!.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
// Call your function
});
Using Future class:
Future(() {
// Call your function
});
Using Timer class:
Timer(() {
// Call your function
});
The best solution i think is use the context from the Widget build. And paste the method _getCategories(context) after the build with the context from the tree.
So there is no problem with the widget tree.
Since flutter calls the build method many times in different condition, to avoid getting the data many times, I initialize the data in initState.
I want to re-build the widget when the data is ready.
Here is my code :
class Test extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_TestState createState() => new _TestState();
}
class _TestState extends State<Test> {
Data data;
bool dataReady = false;
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
getData(context).then((Data data) async {
setState(() {
dataReady= true;
});
});
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
if (dataReady) {
return createMainContent(context);
} else {
return new Container();
}
}
}
However, it results in following exception :
inheritFromWidgetOfExactType(_InheritedProvider) or inheritFromElement() was called before _TestState.initState() completed.
May I know am I doing something wrong here?
When I add the following line to implementation of getData(context)
await Future.delayed(new Duration(milliseconds: 300));
the exception does not happen.
For everyone coming here at a later point
It is best to use the #override void didChangeDependencies () method of the State class.
From the docs
This method is also called immediately after initState. It is safe to call BuildContext.inheritFromWidgetOfExactType from this method.
But make sure to check if you have already performed your initialization
#override
void didChangeDependencies() {
super.didChangeDependencies();
if (bloc == null) { // or else you end up creating multiple instances in this case.
bloc = BlocProvider<MyBloc>.of(context);
}
}
Edit: Better answer below.
Apparently, you cannot access getData(context) during initState (more concrete: before it completed).
The reason, so I believe, is that getData tries to look up an InheritedWidget ancestor up in the tree, but the tree is just now being built (your widget is created during the parent widget's build).
The obvious solution would be to delay getData's lookup to a later point in time. There are several ways to achieve that:
Delay the lookup to a later time. scheduleMicrotask should work fine.
Look it up during the first build call. You could have an isInitialized field set to false and in you build, something like:
if (!isInitialized) {
isInitialized = true;
// TODO: do the getData(...) stuff
}
an alternative is to put it inside PostFrameCallback which is between initState and Build.
#override
void initState() {
WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) => getData());
super.initState();
}
getData() async {
}
I moved my code to my build method from initState and it worked
class _TestState extends State<Test> {
Data data;
bool dataReady = false;
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
getData(context).then((Data data) async {
setState(() {
dataReady= true;
});
});
if (dataReady) {
return createMainContent(context);
} else {
return new Container();
}
}
}