I'm a Flutter newbie and I have a basic understanding question:
I built a google_maps widget where I get the location of the user and also would like to show the current location in a TextWidget.
So I'm calling a function in initState querying the stream of the geolocator package:
class _SimpleMapState extends State<SimpleMap> {
Position userPosStreamOutput;
void initPos() async {
userPosStream = geoService.getStreamLocation();
userPosStream.listen((event) {
print('event:$event');
setState(() {
userPosStreamOutput = event;
});
});
setState(() {});
}
#override
void initState() {
initPos();
super.initState();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold( //(very simplified)
body: Text(userPosStreamOutput.toString()),
This works just fine. But would it make sense to use a Streamprovider instead? Why?
Thanks
Joerg
An advantage to use StreamProvider is to optimize the process of re-rendering. As setState is called to update userPosStreamOutput value, the build method will be called each time your stream yields an event.
With a StreamProvider, you can apply the same logic of initializing a stream but then, you will use a Consumer which will listen to new events incoming and provide updated data to children widgets without triggering other build method calls.
Using this approach, the build method will be called once and it also makes code more readable in my opinion.
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
body: StreamProvider(
create: (_) => geoService.getStreamLocation(),
initialData: null,
child: Consumer<Position>(
builder: (context, userPosStreamOutput, _) {
return Text(userPosStreamOutput.toString());
},
),
),
);
}
Related
I am confusing when using provider. Some developers use FutureBuilder to fetch API when open app's screen as following
var provider = locator<AppIntroProvider>(); //GetIt Dependancy Infection
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
body: FutureBuilder(
future: provider.getAppIntroItems(),
builder: (context, AsyncSnapshot<dynamic> snapshot) => snapshot
.data ==
null
? Container(
color: Colors.red,
) : MyDataListWidget(),
),
);
}
But I implemented API call in InitState and listen data using Consumer, Like this.
var provider = locator<AppIntroProvider>(); //GetIt DI
#override
void initState() {
provider.getAppIntroItems();
super.initState();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
//provider = Provider.of<AppIntroProvider>(context); //If I don't use GetIt DI
return Scaffold(
body: Consumer<AppIntroProvider>(
builder: (context, appInfoProvider, child) => appInfoProvider
.appIntroItemsDao ==
null
? Container(
color: Colors.red,
)
: MyDataListWidget(),
),
);
}
My Question is
What is the purpose of using FutureBuilder instead of using Consumer?
What is the different?
What is right and more efficient way to implement API call?
FutureBuilder is just a simple widget that handles some of the operations such as fetching the future in init state in the end you can use both of them.
I usually use FutureBuilder if I want to deal with different states such as Loading, Error, HasData it makes it easier to control them in the builder function
Consumer just allows you to access your state management data.
Also if you don't use FutureBuilder you have to maintain a loading state such as setting it to loading when you first start the request and then setting it to false after it's done. This can be useful if you want to use the loading state in somewhere
In my flutter project when I start the project in the simulator everything works fine and the future builder only fires once, but when I do hot reload the FutureBuilder fires twice which causes an error any idea how to fix this?
Future frameFuture() async {
var future1 = await AuthService.getUserDataFromFirestore();
var future2 = await GeoService.getPosition();
return [future1, future2];
}
#override
void initState() {
user = FirebaseAuth.instance.currentUser!;
super.initState();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return FutureBuilder(
future: frameFuture(),
builder: (context, snap) {
if (snap.connectionState == ConnectionState.done && snap.hasData) return HomePage();
else return Container(
color: Colors.black,
child: Center(
child: spinKit,
),
);
}
);
}
I solved the issue. I put the Future function in the initState and then used the variable in the FutureBuilder. I'm not sure why it works this way, but here's the code:
var futures;
Future frameFuture() async {
var future1 = await AuthService.getUserDataFromFirestore();
var future2 = await GeoService.getPosition();
return [future1, future2];
}
#override
void initState() {
user = FirebaseAuth.instance.currentUser!;
super.initState();
futures = frameFuture();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return FutureBuilder(
future: futures,
builder: (context, snap) {
if (snap.connectionState == ConnectionState.done && snap.hasData) return HomePage();
else return Container(
color: Colors.black,
child: Center(
child: spinKit,
),
);
}
);
}
The solution as you already figured out is to move the future loading process to the initState of a StatefulWidget, but I'll explain the why it happens:
You were calling your future inside your build method like this:
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return FutureBuilder(
future: frameFuture(),
The issue is that Flutter calls the build method each time it renders the Widget, whenever a dependency changes(InheritedWidget, setState) or Flutter decides to rebuild it. So each time you redraw your UI frameFuture() gets called, this makes your build method to have side effects (this async call) which it should not, and is encouraged for widgets not to have side effects.
By moving the async computation to the initState you're only calling it once and then accessing the cached variable futures from your state.
As a plus here is an excerpt of the docs of the FutureBuilder class
"The future must have been obtained earlier, e.g. during State.initState, State.didUpdateWidget, or State.didChangeDependencies. It must not be created during the State.build or StatelessWidget.build method call when constructing the FutureBuilder. If the future is created at the same time as the FutureBuilder, then every time the FutureBuilder's parent is rebuilt, the asynchronous task will be restarted."
Hope this makes clear the Why of the solution.
This can happen even when the Future is called from initState. The prior solution I was using felt ugly.
The cleanest solution is to use AsyncMemoizer which effectively just checks if a function is run before
import 'package:async/async.dart';
class SampleWid extends StatefulWidget {
const SampleWid({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
final AsyncMemoizer asyncResults = AsyncMemoizer();
#override
_SampleWidState createState() => _SampleWidState();
}
class _SampleWidState extends State<SampleWid> {
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
_getData();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return FutureBuilder(
future: widget.asyncResults.future,
builder: (context, snapshot) {
if (!snapshot.hasData) return yourLoadingAnimation();
// ... Do things with the data!
});
}
// The async and await here aren't necessary.
_getData() async () {
await widget.asyncResults.runOnce(() => yourApiCall());
}
}
Surprisingly, there's no .reset() method. It seems like the best way to forcibly rerun it is to override it with a new AsyncMemoizer(). You could do that easily like this
_getData() async ({bool reload = false}) {
if (reload) widget.asyncResults = AsyncMemoizer();
await widget.asyncResults.runOnce(() => yourApiCall());
}
I have a reuable stateful widget that returns a button layout. The button text changes to a loading spinner when the network call is in progress and back to text when network request is completed.
I can pass a parameter showSpinner from outside the widget, but that requires to call setState outside of the widget, what leads to rebuilding of other widgets.
So I need to call setState from inside the button widget.
I am also passing a callback as a parameter into the button widget. Is there any way to isolate the spinner change state setting to inside of such a widget, so that it still is reusable?
The simplest and most concise solution does not require an additional library. Just use a ValueNotifier and a ValueListenableBuilder. This will also allow you to make the reusable button widget stateless and only rebuild the button's child (loading indicator/text).
In the buttons' parent instantiate the isLoading ValueNotifier and pass to your button widget's constructor.
final isLoading = ValueNotifier(false);
Then in your button widget, use a ValueListenableBuilder.
// disable the button while waiting for the network request
onPressed: isLoading.value
? null
: () async {
// updating the state is super easy!!
isLoading.value = true;
// TODO: make network request here
isLoading.value = false;
},
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return ValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
valueListenable: isLoading,
builder: (context, value, child) {
if (value) {
return CircularProgressIndicator();
} else {
return Text('Load Data');
}
},
);
}
You can use StreamBuilder to solve this problem.
First, we need to create a stream. Create a new file to store it, we'll name it banana_stream.dart, for example ;).
class BananaStream{
final _streamController = StreamController<bool>();
Stream<bool> get stream => _streamController.stream;
void dispose(){
_streamController.close();
}
void add(bool isLoading){
_streamController.sink.add(isLoading);
}
}
To access this, you should use Provider, so add a Provider as parent of the Widget that contain your reusable button.
Provider<BananaStream>(
create: (context) => BananaStream(),
dispose: (context, bloc) => bloc.dispose(),
child: YourWidget(),
),
Then add the StreamBuilder to your button widget:
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return StreamBuilder<bool>(
stream: Provider.of<BananaStream>(context, listen:false),
initialData: false,
builder: (context, snapshot){
final isLoading = snapshot.data;
if(isLoading == false){
return YourButtonWithNoSpinner();
} else{
return YourButtonWithSpinner();
}
}
);
}
}
And to change isLoading outside, you can use this code:
final provider = Provider.of<BananaStream>(context, listen:false);
provider.add(true); //here is where you change the isLoading value
That's it!
Alternatively, you can use ValueNotifier or ChangeNotifier but i find it hard to implement.
I found the perfect solution for this and it is using the bloc pattern. With this package https://pub.dev/packages/flutter_bloc
The idea is that you create a BLOC or a CUBIT class. Cubit is just a simplified version of BLOC. (BLOC = business logic component).
Then you use the bloc class with BlocBuilder that streams out a Widget depending on what input you pass into it. And that leads to rebuilding only the needed button widget and not the all tree.
simplified examples in the flutter counter app:
// input is done like this
onPressed: () {
context.read<CounterCubit>().decrement();
}
// the widget that builds a widget depending on input
_counterTextBuilder() {
return BlocBuilder<CounterCubit, CounterState>(
builder: (context, state) {
if (state.counterValue < 0){
return Text("negative value!",);
} else if (state.counterValue < 5){
return Text("OK: ${state.counterValue}",
);
} else {
return ElevatedButton(onPressed: (){}, child: const Text("RESET NOW!!!"));
}
},
);
}
I have a first screen which ask the user to enter to input, then when the users clicks on a button, the app goes on a second screen which uses a FutureBuilder to call an API.
If the API returns an error, I would like to go back to the previous screen with Navigator.pop. When I try to do that in the builder of the FutureBuilder, I get an error because I modify the tree while I am building it...
setState() or markNeedsBuild() called during build. This Overlay
widget cannot be marked as needing to build because the framework is
already in the process of building widgets
What is the proper way to go to the previous screen if an error occur?
class Stackoverflow extends StatelessWidget {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
body: Center(
child: FutureBuilder<Flight>(
future: fetchData(context),
builder: (context, snapshot) {
if (snapshot.hasData) {
return ScreenBody(snapshot.data);
} else if (snapshot.hasError) {
Navigator.pop(context, "an error");
}
// By default, show a loading spinner.
return CircularProgressIndicator();
},
)
),
);
}
}
PS: I tried to use addPostFrameCallback and use the Navigator.pop inside, but for some unknown reason, it is called multiple times
You can not directly navigate when build method is running, so it better to show some error screen and give use chance to go back to last screen.
However if you want to do so then you can use following statement to do so.
Future.microtask(() => Navigator.pop(context));
I'd prefer to convert class into StateFullWidget and get rid of FutureBuilder
class Stackoverflow extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_StackoverflowState createState() => _StackoverflowState();
}
class _StackoverflowState extends State<Stackoverflow> {
Flight flight;
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
fetchData().then((data) {
setState(() {
flight = data;
});
}).catchError((e) {
Navigator.pop(context, "an error");
});
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
body: Center(
child: flight != null ? ScreenBody(flight) : CircularProgressIndicator(),
),
);
}
}
and of cause pass context somewhere outside class is not good approach
I have a listView in my screen. I have attached a controller to it. I am able to call my Endpoint, receive response, parse it and insert in row. ListView supposed to Scroll automatically. It does, but not in perfect way. I am always an item behind. This is my code:
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
// Scroll to the most recent item
if (equationList.length > 0) {
_toEnd();
}
return new Scaffold(
appBar: new AppBar(
title: new Text(widget.title),
),
body: EquList(equationList, _scrollController),
floatingActionButton: new FloatingActionButton(
onPressed: onFabClick,
tooltip: 'Fetch Post',
child: new Icon(isLoading ? Icons.pause : Icons.play_arrow),
),
);
}
void _toEnd() {
_scrollController.animateTo(
_scrollController.position.maxScrollExtent,
duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 250),
curve: Curves.ease,
);
}
The problem is, I am calling _toEnd() function before the last item inserts in to the list. So, I am looking for a callback (if there is any) that tells me build() is done. Then I call my _toEnd() function.
What is the best practice in this case?
General solution
Just to clear things up, I did not expect this question to attract so much attention. Hence, I only answered for this very specific case.
As explained in another answer WidgetsBinding offers a way to add a one time post frame callback.
WidgetsBinding.instance!.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
// executes after build
})
As this callback will only be called a single time, you will want to add it every time you build:
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
WidgetsBinding.instance!.addPostFrameCallback((_) => afterBuild);
return Container(); // widget tree
}
void afterBuild() {
// executes after build is done
}
Specific (async)
Elaborating on Günter's comment:
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
executeAfterBuild();
return Container();
}
Future<void> executeAfterBuild() async {
// this code will get executed after the build method
// because of the way async functions are scheduled
}
There is a nice example illustrating that effect here.
Extensive information about scheduling in Dart can be found here.
The async way from #creativecreatorormaybenot is enough to answer the question for most situations.
But if you want to setState() or do something that will change widgets in the tree right after building the widget, you cannot use the async way. Because the callback will be fired during the build process of the widget tree. It will throw an exception:
Dart Error: Unhandled exception:
E/flutter (25259): setState() or markNeedsBuild() called during build.
For this situation, you can register a post frame callback to modify the widget:
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
WidgetsBinding.instance
.addPostFrameCallback((_) => executeAfterWholeBuildProcess(context));
If you don't want to use WidgetsBinding:
Use Future or Timer
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
Timer(_runsAfterBuild); // <-- Just add this line
return Container();
}
Future<void> _runsAfterBuild() async {
// This code runs after build ...
}
Add a dummy wait (fixes #creativecreatureormaybenot problem)
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
_runsAfterBuild();
return Container();
}
Future<void> _runsAfterBuild() async {
await Future.delayed(Duration.zero); // <-- Add a 0 dummy waiting time
// This code runs after build ...
}