componentDidMount() not being called when react component is mounted - reactjs

I've been attempting to fetch some data from a server and for some odd reason componentDidMount() is not firing as it should be. I added a console.log() statement inside of componentDidMount() to check if it was firing. I know the request to the server works as it should As I used it outside of react and it worked as it should.
class App extends React.Component {
constructor(props, context) {
super(props, context);
this.state = {
obj: {}
};
};
getAllStarShips () {
reachGraphQL('http://localhost:4000/', `{
allStarships(first: 7) {
edges {
node {
id
name
model
costInCredits
pilotConnection {
edges {
node {
...pilotFragment
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
fragment pilotFragment on Person {
name
homeworld { name }
}`, {}). then((data) => {
console.log('getALL:', JSON.stringify(data, null, 2))
this.setState({
obj: data
});
});
}
componentDidMount() {
console.log('Check to see if firing')
this.getAllStarShips();
}
render() {
console.log('state:',JSON.stringify(this.state.obj, null, 2));
return (
<div>
<h1>React-Reach!</h1>
<p>{this.state.obj.allStarships.edges[1].node.name}</p>
</div>
);
}
}
render(
<App></App>,
document.getElementById('app')
);

The issue here is that the render method is crashing, because the following line is generating an error
<p>{this.state.obj.allStarships.edges[1].node.name}</p>
Fix this to not use this.state.obj.allStarships.edges[1].node.name directly, unless you can guarantee that each receiver is defined.

Check your component's key
Another thing that will cause this to happen is if your component does not have a key. In React, the key property is used to determine whether a change is just new properties for a component or if the change is a new component.
React will only unmount the old component and mount a new one if the key changed. If you're seeing cases where componentDidMount() is not being called, make sure your component has a unique key.
With the key set, React will interpret them as different components and handle unmounting and mounting.
Example Without a Key:
<SomeComponent prop1={foo} />
Example with a Key
const key = foo.getUniqueId()
<SomeComponent key={key} prop1={foo} />

Also check that you don't have more than one componentDidMount if you have a component with a lot of code. It's a good idea to keep lifecycle methods near the top after the constructor.

I encountered this issue (componentDidMount() not being called) because my component was adding an attribute to the component state in the constructor, but not in the Component declaration. It caused a runtime failure.
Problem:
class Abc extends React.Component<props, {}> {
this.state = { newAttr: false }; ...
Fix:
class Abc extends React.Component<props, {newAttr: boolean}> {
this.state = { newAttr: false }; ...

Related

ReactJS Change Sibling State via Parent

My React structure is
- App
|--SelectStudy
|--ParticipantsTable
In SelectStudy there is a button whose click triggers a message to its sibling, ParticipantsTable, via the App parent. The first Child->Parent transfer works. But how do I implement the second Parent->Child transfer? See questions in comments.
App
class App extends Component {
myCallback(dataFromChild) {
// This callback receives changes from SelectStudy Child Component's button click
// THIS WORKS
alert('SelectStudy Component sent value to Parent (App): ' + dataFromChild.label + " -> " + dataFromChild.value);
// QUESTION: How to Update State of ParticipantsTable (SelectStudy's Sibling) next?
// ........................................................
}
render() {
return (
<div className="App">
<SelectStudy callbackFromParent={this.myCallback}></SelectStudy>
<ParticipantsTable></ParticipantsTable>
</div>
);
}
SelectStudy
class SelectStudy extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
error: null,
isLoaded: false,
items: [],
selectedStudy: null,
isButtonLoading: false
};
this.handleButtonClick = this.handleButtonClick.bind(this);
}
render() {
const { error, isLoaded, items, itemsForReactSelect, selectedStudy, isButtonLoading } = this.state;
return <Button onClick={this.handleButtonClick}>Search</Button>;
}
handleButtonClick = () => {
this.props.callbackFromParent(this.state.selectedStudy);
}
}
ParticipantsTable - this needs to receive a certain variable, e.g. study in its State
class ParticipantsTable extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
//alert('Constructor');
super(props);
// Initial Definition of this component's state
this.state = {
study: null,
items: [],
error: null
};
}
// THIS METHOD IS AVAILABLE, BUT HOW TO CALL IT FROM App's myCallback(dataFromChild)?
setStudy = (selectedStudy) => {
this.setState({study: selectedStudy});
}
render() {
return ( <div>{this.state.study}</div> );
}
}
The state should live definitively at the App level, not in the child. State needs to live one level above the lowest common denominator that needs access to it. So if both SelectStudy and ParticipantsTable need access to the same bit of state data, then it must live in their closest common ancestor (or above).
This is a core concept of React, known as "lifting state up", so much so that it has its own page in the official React documentation.
In your case, it would look something like this. Notice how state lives in only one place, at the <App /> level, and is passed to children via props.
import React from 'react';
class App extends React.Component {
// State lives here at the closest common ancestor of children that need it
state = {
error: null,
isLoaded: false,
items: [],
selectedStudy: null,
isButtonLoading: false
};
myCallback = (dataFromChild) => {
this.setState(dataFromChild);
};
render() {
return (
<div className="App">
{/* State is passed into child components here, as props */}
<SelectStudy data={this.state} callbackFromParent={this.myCallback}></SelectStudy>
<ParticipantsTable study={this.state.selectedStudy} />
</div>
);
}
}
class SelectStudy extends React.Component {
handleButtonClick = () => {
// Here we execute a callback, provided by <App />, to update state one level up
this.props.callbackFromParent({ ...this.props.selectedStudy, isButtonLoading: true });
};
render() {
const { error, isLoaded, items, itemsForReactSelect, selectedStudy, isButtonLoading } = this.props.data;
return <Button onClick={this.handleButtonClick}>Search</Button>;
}
}
// This component doesn't need to track any internal state - it only renders what is given via props
class ParticipantsTable extends React.Component {
render() {
return <div>{this.props.study}</div>;
}
}
I think what you need to understand is the difference between state and props.
state is internal to a component while props are passed down from parents to children
Here is a in-depth answer
So you want to set a state in the parent that you can pass as props to children
1 set state in the parent
this.state = {
value: null
}
myCallback(dataFromChild) {
this.setState({value: dataFromChild.value})
}
2 pass it as a prop to the children
class ParticipantsTable extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
study: props.study,
items: [],
error: null
};
}
Also, although not related to your question, if you learning React I suggest moving away from class-based components in favour of hooks and functional components as they have become more widely used and popular recently.

React: how to use setState and render component when prop changes

This app is supposed to filter words by a specific input. I want to call a function with setState() when rendering a component and technically it's working but there is warning in the console.
Warning: Cannot update during an existing state transition (such as within render). Render methods should be a pure function of props and state.
I guess that this is because I'm calling the function in the render function which I shouldn't, but what should I do instead?
class UsersList extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
allUsers: ["Michał", "Ania", "Kasia", "Tomek", "Hubert", "Jan", "Martyna", "Rafał", "Bartłomiej"],
filteredUsers: [],
input: null
}
}
filter() {
if (this.state.input !== this.props.inputValue) {
const filtered = this.state.allUsers.filter(user => user.toLowerCase().includes(this.props.inputValue));
this.setState({
filteredUsers: filtered.map(user => <li key={user}>{user}</li>),
input: this.props.inputValue
})
}
return this.state.filteredUsers;
}
render() {
this.filter()
return (
<ul>
{this.state.filteredUsers}
</ul>
)
}
}
class App extends React.Component {
constructor() {
super();
this.state = {input: ""};
this.handleInput = this.handleInput.bind(this);
}
handleInput(e) {
this.setState({input: e.target.value})
}
render() {
return (
<div>
<input onChange={this.handleInput} type="search"/>
<UsersList inputValue={this.state.input} />
</div>
);
}
}
The issue here is caused by changes being made to your component's state during rendering.
You should avoid setting component state directly during a components render() function (this is happening when you call filter() during your component's render() function).
Instead, consider updating the state of your component only as needed (ie when the inputValue prop changes). The recommended way to update state when prop values change is via the getDerivedStateFromProps() component life cycle hook.
Here's an example of how you could make use of this hook for your component:
class UsersList extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
allUsers: ["Michał", "Ania", "Kasia", "Tomek",
"Hubert", "Jan", "Martyna", "Rafał",
"Bartłomiej"],
filteredUsers: [],
input: null
}
}
/* Add this life cycle hook, it replaces filter(). Props are updated/incoming
props, state is current state of component instance */
static getDerivedStateFromProps(props, state) {
// The condition for prop changes that trigger an update
if(state.input !== props.inputValue) {
const filtered = state.allUsers.filter(user => user.toLowerCase().includes(props.inputValue));
/* Return the new state object seeing props triggered an update */
return {
allUsers: state.allUsers
filteredUsers: filtered.map(user => <li key={user}>{user}</li>),
input: props.inputValue
}
}
/* No update needed */
return null;
}
render() {
return (<ul>{this.state.filteredUsers}</ul>)
}
}
Hope this helps
The error is coming up as it could create an endless loop inside the component. As render method is executed whenever the state is updated and your function this.filter is doing a state update. Now as the state updates, your render method triggers the function again.
Best way to do that would be in lifecycle methods or maintain the uses in the App and make UserList a dumb component by always passing the list of filtered users for it to display.

Meteor - how to give tracker autorun a callback

I have a little piece of code that renders data from the database according to the path name. My only problem is that when I try to retrieve that data, using this.state.note._id it returns an error that says it cannot find _id of undefined. How would I access my object that is put into a state? It only gives the error when I try to access the items inside the object such as _id
import React from "react";
import { Tracker } from "meteor/tracker";
import { Notes } from "../methods/methods";
export default class fullSize extends React.Component{
constructor(props){
super(props);
this.state = {
note: [],
document: (<div></div>)
};
}
componentWillMount() {
this.tracker = Tracker.autorun(() => {
Meteor.subscribe('notes');
let note = Notes.find({_id: this.props.match.params.noteId}).fetch()
this.setState({ note: note[0] });
});
}
renderDocument(){
console.log(this.state.note);
return <p>Hi</p>
}
componentWillUnmount() {
this.tracker.stop();
}
render(){
return <div>{this.renderDocument()}</div>
}
}
I know that the reason it is returning undefined is because (correct me if I am wrong) the page is rendering the function before the the tracker could refresh the data. How would I get like some sort of callback when the tracker receives some data it will call the renderDocument function?
You're initializing your note state as an array but then you're setting it to a scalar later. You're also not checking to see if the subscription is ready which means that you end up trying to get the state when it is still empty. The tracker will run anytime a reactive data source inside it changes. This means you don't need a callback, you just add any code you want to run inside the tracker itself.
You also don't need a state variable for the document contents itself, your render function can just return a <div /> until the subscription becomes ready.
Note also that .findOne() is equivalent to .find().fetch()[0] - it returns a single document.
When you're searching on _id you can shorthand your query to .findOne(id) instead of .findOne({_id: id})
import React from "react";
import { Tracker } from "meteor/tracker";
import { Notes } from "../methods/methods";
export default class fullSize extends React.Component{
constructor(props){
super(props);
this.state = {
note: null
};
}
componentWillMount() {
const sub = Meteor.subscribe('notes');
this.tracker = Tracker.autorun(() => {
if (sub.ready) this.setState({ note: Notes.findOne(this.props.match.params.noteId) });
});
}
renderDocument(){
return this.state.note ? <p>Hi</p> : <div />;
}
componentWillUnmount() {
this.tracker.stop();
}
render(){
return <div>{this.renderDocument()}</div>
}
}

One React Component. Two HOCs. How to make setState correctly update props?

Given a standard compose function and a 'div' Component, how would you write the two HOCs such that:
The 'div' element starts as a 20px green box, then on click, becomes a 50px blue box.
The concerns of - a: merging state with props, and b: triggering a state change, are handled by separate HOCs.
the updater HOC maps state to props, and sets a default state
the dispatcher HOC accepts a function to get the new state on click
The example below works to get a green box, and correctly fires the handler. The update only happens in the state of the Dispatcher HOC's state. The updater HOC's state remains unchanged, as do its props.
I'm really curious to understand what's happening. Flipping the two HOCs' order in compose causes the handler not to be set. Since they both merge in {...this.props}, that doesn't make sense to me. Guessing there's something I don't understand about how multiple HOCs merge props and state.
const HOCDispatcher = myFunc => BaseComponent => {
return class Dispatcher extends React.Component {
constructor(props,context){
super(props,context);
this.handlerFn = (event)=>{this.setState(myFunc)}
}
render(){
return createElement(BaseComponent,{...this.props,onClick:this.handlerFn});
}
}
}
const HOCUpdater = defaultState => BaseComponent => {
return class Updater extends React.Component {
constructor(props,context){
super(props,context);
this.state = Object.assign({},defaultState,this.state);
}
render(){
return createElement(BaseComponent,{...this.props,...this.state});
}
}
}
const MyComponent = compose(
HOCDispatcher(()=>({
style:{width:'50px',height:'50px',background:'blue'}
})),
HOCUpdater({
style:{width:'20px',height:'20px',background:'green'}
}),
)('div');
If you try to simplify or compile your code in a way to a less complicated structure you can understand it better:
The initial version of MyComponent
const MyComponent= class Dispatcher extends React.Component {
constructor(props,context){
super(props,context);
this.handlerFn = (event)=>{this.setState({
style:{width:'50px',height:'50px',background:'blue'}
})}
}
render(){
return <HOCUpdater onClick={this.handlerFn}/>
}
}
Where HOCUpdater also renders as:
class Updater extends React.Component {
constructor(props,context){
super(props,context);
this.state = {
style:{width:'20px',height:'20px',background:'green'}
};
}
render(){
return <div style:{width:'20px',height:'20px',background:'green'}/>;
}
}
Thus rendering the green box.
After triggering the click
const MyComponent= class Dispatcher extends React.Component {
constructor(props,context){
super(props,context);
this.handlerFn = (event)=>{this.setState({
style:{width:'50px',height:'50px',background:'blue'}
})};
this.state= {
style:{width:'50px',height:'50px',background:'blue'}
};
}
render(){
return <HOCUpdater onClick={this.handlerFn}/>
}
}
If you pay attention to the render, it's still the same because this.props has not changed and it is still empty. Thus no change to the style of the box whereas the state of the Dispatcher is changed!
Did you see where you went wrong? Well, just change this.props to this.state in the Dispatcher and you'll see the magic happen.
But wait, there's more!
What happens if you have a line of code like this?
createElement('div',{
style:{width:'50px',height:'50px',background:'blue'},
style:{width:'20px',height:'20px',background:'green'}
});
Well, it still renders the first one (the blue box) but to avoid this try changing the render method of HOCUpdater to this:
return createElement(BaseComponent,{...this.state});
and also add a componentWillReceiveProps method, so your HOCUpdater will look like this:
const HOCUpdater = defaultState => BaseComponent => {
return class Updater extends React.Component {
constructor(props,context){
super(props,context);
this.state = Object.assign({},defaultState,this.state);
}
componentWillReceiveProps(nextProps){
this.setState(nextProps);
}
render(){
return createElement(BaseComponent,{...this.state});
}
}
}

react immutability helper to render only changed subset of data

Please see the example here http://jsfiddle.net/8xzxkteu/1/
I'm trying to only render part of the data which is changed. In this example, state of component Main, data, is indexed by id and I am using react immutability helper to set only the changed one. But, if you click on the output, it renders all the children, as indicated by the counter. I though using immutability helper react can detect only part of the data changed hence only render it. I probably could use shouldComponentUpdate and compare object values for each child, but is there a better way doing this with immutability helper.
class Child extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.onClick = this.onClick.bind(this)
this.state = {
count: 0
};
}
componentWillReceiveProps(nextProps) {
var count = this.state.count + 1;
this.setState({ count: count });
}
onClick() {
this.props.onClick(this.props.name);
}
render() {
return <p onClick={this.onClick}>{this.props.name}: {this.props.value} {this.state.count}</p>;
}
}
class Main extends React.Component{
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.handleChange = this.handleChange.bind(this)
this.state = {
data: {
"a" : "a",
"b" : "b",
}
};
}
handleChange(id) {
this.setState({
data: React.addons.update(this.state.data, { [id]: { $set: 'x' } })
});
}
render() {
const keys = Object.keys(this.state.data);
const children = keys.map(k => {
return <Child name={k} value={this.state.data[k]} onClick={this.handleChange}/>
})
return <div>
{children}
</div>;
}
}
React.render(<Main />, document.getElementById('container'));
When you change state of component react call shouldComponentUpdate of this component and if it is return true react call render of this component.
After that react call componentWillReceiveProps, then shouldComponentUpdate, then render (if shouldComponentUpdate return true) of all child component.
By default, if there no shouldComponentUpdate method, it is considered that it has returned true. It does not matter whether you use immutable data or not - react does not know about it.
If you have immutable data you want avoid rerender, you should use shouldComponentUpdate. You can use pure-render-decorator, for example – it's check component state and props.
But if you change your state in componentWillReceiveProps you still get rerender because componentWillReceiveProps is called before shouldComponentUpdate.

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