Kevin Powell - Community•2y ago

Clear input field after click in the button

Hiii everyone. I am beginner in React and I am trying to clear the input field everytime I add a new task or simply, everytime I click in the button "Add". But apparently, just putting setNewTask(''); in the addTask function did not work and I wanna know why...

import { useState } from 'react';
import './App.css';
function App() {
  const [todoList, setTodoList] = useState([]);
  const [newTask, setNewTask] = useState('');

  const handleInputValue = (event) => {
    setNewTask(event.target.value);
  };

  const addTask = () => {
    const newTodoList = [...todoList, newTask]; // allows to expand an array or object into individual elements.
    setTodoList(newTodoList);
    setNewTask(''); // Clear the input field
  };

  return (
    <div className="App">
      <h2>Todo List</h2>
      <div className="addTasks">
        <input
          type="text"
          placeholder="Write something..."
          onChange={handleInputValue}
        />
        <button className="button" onClick={addTask}>
          Add
        </button>
      </div>
      <div className="list">
        {todoList.map((task, index) => {
          return (
            <p className="text" key={index}>
              {task}
            </p>
          );
        })}
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}
export default App

import { useState } from 'react';
import './App.css';
function App() {
  const [todoList, setTodoList] = useState([]);
  const [newTask, setNewTask] = useState('');

  const handleInputValue = (event) => {
    setNewTask(event.target.value);
  };

  const addTask = () => {
    const newTodoList = [...todoList, newTask]; // allows to expand an array or object into individual elements.
    setTodoList(newTodoList);
    setNewTask(''); // Clear the input field
  };

  return (
    <div className="App">
      <h2>Todo List</h2>
      <div className="addTasks">
        <input
          type="text"
          placeholder="Write something..."
          onChange={handleInputValue}
        />
        <button className="button" onClick={addTask}>
          Add
        </button>
      </div>
      <div className="list">
        {todoList.map((task, index) => {
          return (
            <p className="text" key={index}>
              {task}
            </p>
          );
        })}
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}
export default App

39 Replies

Chris Bolson•2y ago

I think (and I am also relatively new to React so I'm sorry if I am wrong), that you need to tell the input that it's value is "newTask". i.e. you need to add value={newTask} to your input field.

SsteOP•2y ago

it worked...But why? I though it was not need the {newTask}, because I already have the onChange={handleInputValue} in the input

Chris Bolson•2y ago

Because the input field needs to "know" that it's value is the value of newTask so, when you change the newTask value it will be updated. The handleInputValue function is setting the newTask value by getting the value of the input field. But it is not setting anything in the input field, only retrieving. For the input field to "know" that its value is supposed to be the same as the newTask value you need to tell it that. This is done by setting its value to the value of newTask, otherwise there is no relation between your input value and the newTask value.

SsteOP•2y ago

it makes sense. Thanks so much 🙂 @Chris I found out something that is bothering me in the code. When I add more than five tasks, the content inside of the container, is going up in a way, that I can't see the input filed anymore. Can u help me with his, please?

Chris Bolson•2y ago

That is probably because you have kept the default styling from when you set up the react project which places the contents in the center of the page, both vertically and horizontally. Therefore, as you add more items the contents gets “longer” (taller) and the centering pushes it up (and down) to keep it centered. You need to look in the css files, probably the app.css, and adjust the position of your container. I think that you will find this defined in the .app class.

SsteOP•2y ago

yeah, I made some changes in the app.css file. It looks like this:

body {
  background-color: pink;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  height: 100vh;
}

button {
  margin: 8px;
}

h2 {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  margin-top: -270px;
}

input {
  height: 33px;
  width: 245px;
  border-radius: 4px;
  border: none;
  font-size: 15px;
  padding-left: 9px;
  max-width: 300px;
}
input::placeholder {
  font-size: 15px;
  padding-left: 4px;
}
input:focus {
  outline: none;
}

.button {
  background-color: rebeccapurple;
  padding: 6px 30px;
  border-radius: 3px;
  color: white;
  outline: none;
}

.button:focus {
  outline: none;
}

.text {
  word-break: break-all;
  max-width: 260px;
}

.task-container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
}

.removeButton {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  background-color: rgb(231, 12, 12);
  width: 13px;
  height: 28px;
  border-radius: 3px;
  color: white;
  outline: none;
  font-size: 18px;
}

body {
  background-color: pink;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  height: 100vh;
}

button {
  margin: 8px;
}

h2 {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  margin-top: -270px;
}

input {
  height: 33px;
  width: 245px;
  border-radius: 4px;
  border: none;
  font-size: 15px;
  padding-left: 9px;
  max-width: 300px;
}
input::placeholder {
  font-size: 15px;
  padding-left: 4px;
}
input:focus {
  outline: none;
}

.button {
  background-color: rebeccapurple;
  padding: 6px 30px;
  border-radius: 3px;
  color: white;
  outline: none;
}

.button:focus {
  outline: none;
}

.text {
  word-break: break-all;
  max-width: 260px;
}

.task-container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
}

.removeButton {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  background-color: rgb(231, 12, 12);
  width: 13px;
  height: 28px;
  border-radius: 3px;
  color: white;
  outline: none;
  font-size: 18px;
}

Chris Bolson•2y ago

margin-top: -270px can’t be good 😅

SsteOP•2y ago

it was aligning automatically the content in the center of the page without the align-items: center defined in the body. So, I found this solution to put the text where I wanted hahah but I tested removing the margin-top to see if that was the problem. It wasn't

Chris Bolson•2y ago

it's notthe problem, but having a negative margin top is not the solution either.

SsteOP•2y ago

I don't know what to do

Chris Bolson•2y ago

When you setup a new Rect app by default it actually includes 2 css files - index.css and app.css. index.css is where the general styles are defined and app.css is where the component specific files are defined. You have changed the app.css but you also need to look in the index.css.

SsteOP•2y ago

should I delete everything there?

Chris Bolson•2y ago

not necessarily, it would be better to try to understand what is causing the issue so you can remember it for the next project. Can you use the inspector to see how the elements are defined? This should help you work out which one is pushing the contents down.

SsteOP•2y ago

let me see the body

Chris Bolson•2y ago

you are getting warmer 😉

SsteOP•2y ago

SsteOP•2y ago

really? maybe is the root. I still don't understand the existence of the root 😅 the id root is point to the last task

Chris Bolson•2y ago

the root is where you can define styles for the whole document - use carefully! It is usually used to define css custom properties such as colors that will then be used repeatadly throughout the code.

SsteOP•2y ago

ok, get it now actually, it is point out to nowhere in the page. It is strange

SsteOP•2y ago

Chris Bolson•2y ago

ah, one second... in react, rather annoyingly, they also define a class with the name of #root - this is not the same as :root You need to look at the css styles in the inspector. Look at how each element is styled. In your case I suspect that the issue is with the styling on the body tag

SsteOP•2y ago

it is good to know it, I was confused about this

Chris Bolson•2y ago

This is defined in the index.css and, whilst you have re-defined it in your app.css, you have not overwritten all of the values.

SsteOP•2y ago

yeah, I think this as well

Chris Bolson•2y ago

In index.css you will see that body has place-items: center; This is what is causing your issue.

SsteOP•2y ago

yes, it has when I try to remove now, everthing dissapear in my page, just the background-color remained

Chris Bolson•2y ago

Have you still got that negative margin-top on your h2? That will pull things up out of view now

SsteOP•2y ago

yes, I forget about it

Chris Bolson•2y ago

easily done 😆

SsteOP•2y ago

oh man, I can't thank u enough for the patience and help

Chris Bolson•2y ago

In summary, when starting a new react project it is highly likely that it will be defined with some default css along with a logo and a demo counter. You need to remember to either delete or adjust these otherwise they can easily mess-up your code as you have seen. I do tend to delete everything but I wanted to help you identify the issue first so you can better understand why it happens.

SsteOP•2y ago

Right away, when I was writing my first react code yesterday, I was suprised by the fact that the button was predefined styled in a different way hahah. Now, everthing makes sense

Chris Bolson•2y ago

Yes, I agree that it is rather confusing. I don't know if it is possible to install React without all the default code and assets but it would be good if it were.

SsteOP•2y ago

yeah, I will have to find a way to configure this thing

Chris Bolson•2y ago

The most confusing thing is the use of the id "root"

SsteOP•2y ago

haha thanks I will search this because I am curious yeah, but it is need for mix hmtl and javascript all together, right?

Chris Bolson•2y ago

By default react uses "root" as the id of the main (and only) div in the index.html file. The components are loaded into this. Now I may be wrong but this is nothing more than that, an id. You should be able to change this to whatever you like. However if you do, don't forget to also change it in the main.jsx file as this is where React is defining where to place the components with a simple document.getElementBy() selector : ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root') as HTMLElement).render( for example something like "react-root" would be clearer

SsteOP•2y ago

thanks, I got it. How long are you learning React?

Chris Bolson•2y ago

3 or 4 months now. I am complicating it further by forcing myself to use Typescript which I find more annoying than helpful but it is pretty much a requirement these days. I am also learning Astro and about to start on Svelte so it doesn't get my full attention .... there is so much to learn! 😅

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Clear input field after click in the button