How to get CONTEXT for the provider to work? Flutter - flutter

Question

In the Future fetchStudentInfo() function, i would like to use the userId from my Auth class to do filtering. The userId is embedded in the URL and it will retrieve data from database. But, the issue is that the context is lacking in the function itself. However, I couldn't figure out a way to pass in the context. It would be great if any legend could help me. The solution which retrieve data from internet is found on the flutter documentation. And i wouldn't like to hard code the userId.
import 'dart:convert';
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
import '../model/student.dart';
import '../provider/auth.dart';
Future<Student> fetchStudentInfo() async {
final auth = Provider.of<Auth>(context);
final response = await http.post(
'https://intermediary-sharpe.000webhostapp.com/Student/read_one.php?userId=$auth.userId');
if (response.statusCode == 200) {
return Student.fromJson(json.decode(response.body));
} else {
throw Exception('Failed');
}
}
class ProfileScreen extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_ProfileScreenState createState() => _ProfileScreenState();
}
class _ProfileScreenState extends State<ProfileScreen> {
Future<Student> student;
#override
void initState() {
// TODO: implement initState
super.initState();
student = fetchStudentInfo();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
body: FutureBuilder<Student>(
builder: (context, snapshot) {
if (snapshot.hasData) {
return Text(snapshot.data.studentId);
} else if (snapshot.hasError) {
return Text('${snapshot.error}');
}
return CircularProgressIndicator();
},
future: student,
),
);
}
}
import 'package:flutter/cupertino.dart';
import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
import 'dart:convert';
import 'dart:async';
import 'package:shared_preferences/shared_preferences.dart';
import '../model/http_exception.dart';
class Auth with ChangeNotifier {
String _token;
DateTime _expiryDate;
String userId;
Timer _authTimer;
bool get isAuthenticated {
return token != null;
}
String get token {
if (_expiryDate != null &&
_expiryDate.isAfter(DateTime.now()) &&
_token != null) {
return _token;
}
return null;
}
Future<void> _authenticate(
String email, String password, String urlSegment) async {
final url =
'https://identitytoolkit.googleapis.com/v1/accounts:$urlSegment?key=AIzaSyCkNZysDY4PGpScw2jUlBpd0mvpGjgSEag';
try {
final response = await http.post(
url,
body: json.encode(
{
'email': email,
'password': password,
'returnSecureToken': true,
},
),
);
final responseData = json.decode(response.body);
if (responseData['error'] != null) {
throw HttpException(responseData['error']['message']);
}
_token = responseData['idToken'];
userId = responseData['localId'];
_expiryDate = DateTime.now().add(
Duration(
seconds: int.parse(
responseData['expiresIn'],
),
),
);
_autoLogout();
notifyListeners();
final prefs = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();
final userData = json.encode({
'token': _token,
'userId': userId,
'expiryDate': _expiryDate.toIso8601String(),
});
prefs.setString('userData', userData);
} catch (error) {
throw error;
}
}
//Auto Login Function
Future<bool> tryAutoLogin() async {
final prefs = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();
if (!prefs.containsKey('userData')) {
return false;
}
final extractedUserData =
json.decode(prefs.getString('userData')) as Map<String, Object>;
final expiryDate = DateTime.parse(extractedUserData['expiryDate']);
if (expiryDate.isBefore(DateTime.now())) {
return false;
}
_token = extractedUserData['token'];
userId = extractedUserData['userId'];
_expiryDate = expiryDate;
notifyListeners();
_autoLogout();
return true;
}
//SignUp function
Future<void> signUp(String email, String password) async {
return _authenticate(email, password, 'signUp');
}
//Login Function
Future<void> login(String email, String password) async {
return _authenticate(email, password, 'signInWithPassword');
}
//Logout Function
Future<void> logout() async {
_token = null;
userId = null;
_expiryDate = null;
if (_authTimer != null) {
_authTimer.cancel();
_authTimer = null;
}
notifyListeners();
final prefs = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();
prefs.clear();
}
//Auto Logout function
void _autoLogout() {
if (_authTimer != null) {
_authTimer.cancel();
}
final timeToExpiry = _expiryDate.difference(DateTime.now()).inSeconds;
_authTimer = Timer(Duration(seconds: timeToExpiry), logout);
}
//PHP related functions
}
Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

I agree with #lyio, you need to modify the function to pass the context, however after passing context, you cannot call it from initState as stated in documentation of initState
BuildContext.dependOnInheritedWidgetOfExactType from this method. However, didChangeDependencies will be called immediately following this method, and BuildContext.dependOnInheritedWidgetOfExactType can be used there.
Getting provider with Provider.of(context) under the hood is using the inherited widget, so cannot be called using context from initState
So implement instead of initState use didChangeDependencies to call your fetchStudentsInfo(context) method

Answer 2

Wouldn't the easiest solution be to pass the context into fetchStudentInfo?
You would change fetchStudentInfo() to fetchStudentInfo(BuildContext context). And then, when you call the method you pass in the required context. That way, you have the appropriate context available.

Answer 3

If you are not using the `fetchStudentInfo()` outside of the state class, then just move that method into the state class and the issue will be resolved.
Since Any state class has a context getter defined by default./
I just realized how improper this answer was.
Update:
According to the answer by #dlohani, didChangeDependencies should be used in stead of initState.
So what you can do is following:
Pass BuildContext as parameter in the fetchStudentInfo method
Override didChangeDependencies in state class & call fetchStudentInfo from here instead of initState