SolidJS•5mo ago

How to better handle `from`'s possible `undefined` state?

I'm using from to observe a value from an external source. Because that's an observed value, it will be undefined at start. Further in my code I am using the value, for instance on a <Match>:

const volume = from<number>(bridge.observeVolume);

...

<Match when={volume() > 0}>

const volume = from<number>(bridge.observeVolume);

...

<Match when={volume() > 0}>

The problem here is that volume() is possibly undefined, which makes TypeScript mad because comparing undefined with number is a sin. Did I choose the wrong pattern nere? Do I need to further wrap the volume accessor in a memo to guarantee an initial value? Shouldn't it be possible to set the initial value as such?

const volume = from<number>(bridge.observeVolume, bridge.volume);

...

<Match when={volume() > 0}>

const volume = from<number>(bridge.observeVolume, bridge.volume);

...

<Match when={volume() > 0}>

6 Replies

Alex Lohr•5mo ago

Just use volume() ?? 0

Wes•5mo ago

But what if I need to actually compare the value with another number? I ended up writing a util

export function fromWithDefault<T>(
  observer: (update: (newValue: T) => void) => () => void,
  initialValue: T
) {
  const observedValue = from<T>(observer);
  return createMemo(() => observedValue() ?? initialValue);
}

export function fromWithDefault<T>(
  observer: (update: (newValue: T) => void) => () => void,
  initialValue: T
) {
  const observedValue = from<T>(observer);
  return createMemo(() => observedValue() ?? initialValue);
}

Alex Lohr•5mo ago

You should probably apply the memo to the comparison, not the fallback, to get the most out of its reactivity filtering.

Wes•5mo ago

How so?

Alex Lohr•5mo ago

In your function, remove createMemo and put it around the comparison.

const obsVal = from(...);
const normalized = () => obsVal() ?? initial;
const compared = createMemo(() => normalized() > 0.5);

const obsVal = from(...);
const normalized = () => obsVal() ?? initial;
const compared = createMemo(() => normalized() > 0.5);

Alex Lohr•5mo ago

Read the part about memos: https://dev.to/lexlohr/the-zen-of-state-in-solidjs-22lj

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How to better handle `from`'s possible `undefined` state?