Flutter 2 - Set initial value of an Autocomplete TextFormField - flutter

Question

I can't use TextEditingController because the TextFormField uses the Autocomplete fieldViewBuilder TextEditingController
Autocomplete(
optionsBuilder: (TextEditingValue textEditingValue) {
if (textEditingValue.text == '') return [];
return this
.productNames
.where((Map<String, dynamic> option) {
return option['ar']
.toLowerCase()
.contains(textEditingValue.text.toLowerCase());
});
},
fieldViewBuilder: (context, textEditingController,
focusNode, onFieldSubmitted) =>
TextFormField(
controller: textEditingController,//uses fieldViewBuilder TextEditingController
focusNode: focusNode,
),
),

Answer 1

AutoComplete has a named parameter initialValue for this.
Autocomplete<AutocompletePrediction>(
initialValue: const TextEditingValue(text: "Initial value"),
fieldViewBuilder: ...
...
)

Answer 2

EDIT
I just realized you are using TextFormField which has a parameter called initialValue. IF you do not need the textediting controller, this answer should work
fieldViewBuilder: (context, textEditingController,
focusNode, onFieldSubmitted) =>
TextFormField(
focusNode: focusNode,
initialValue:"Your initial Value",
),
or if you are using your controller try
fieldViewBuilder: (context, textEditingController,
focusNode, onFieldSubmitted) =>
TextFormField(
controller: textEditingController..text="Initial Value",
focusNode: focusNode,
),
ORIGINAL ANSWER
Why don't you use that text editing controller itself. The code will be something like this
Autocomplete(
optionsBuilder: (TextEditingValue textEditingValue) {
if (textEditingValue.text == '') return [];
return this
.productNames
.where((Map<String, dynamic> option) {
return option['ar']
.toLowerCase()
.contains(textEditingValue.text.toLowerCase());
});
},
fieldViewBuilder: (context, textEditingController,
focusNode, onFieldSubmitted){
textEditingController.text = "Your initial text";// You can use the next snip of code if you dont want the initial text to come when you use setState((){});
return TextFormField(
controller: textEditingController,//uses fieldViewBuilder TextEditingController
focusNode: focusNode,
),
}
),
If you are using setState and the above piece of code keeps replacing the text with the initial text, do something like
Autocomplete(
optionsBuilder: (TextEditingValue textEditingValue) {
if (textEditingValue.text == '') return [];
return this
.productNames
.where((Map<String, dynamic> option) {
return option['ar']
.toLowerCase()
.contains(textEditingValue.text.toLowerCase());
});
},
fieldViewBuilder: (context, textEditingController,
focusNode, onFieldSubmitted){
textEditingController.text = textEditingController.text == ""? "Inital Text":textEditingController.text;// You can use the next snip of code if you dont want the initial text to come when you use setState((){});
return TextFormField(
controller: textEditingController,//uses fieldViewBuilder TextEditingController
focusNode: focusNode,
),
}
),
The last solution is not too elegant but works. I will let you know if I find a better solution. You can even assign this textEditingController to a global variable declared at the top and access it from anywhere in the code. And instead of checking if the text is empty, increase the value of a new variable everytime you setState and if the value is == 0, you can set initial text

Answer 3

This is the solution I found for TextFormField. Making sure the controller is updated at the end of the frame.
fieldViewBuilder: (BuildContext context,
TextEditingController fieldTextEditingController,
FocusNode fieldFocusNode,
VoidCallback onFieldSubmitted) {
SchedulerBinding.instance?.addPostFrameCallback((_) { // <--- this part
var initialValue = someValueThatGotUpdatedDuringBuild;
fieldTextEditingController.text = initialValue;
});
return TextFormField(...);
}
...