recursive_tree_flutter

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The recursive_tree_flutter library helps build a tree data structure and visualizes it as an inheritance tree (stack view or expandable tree view). While most tree-view libraries focus on the interface, recursive_tree_flutter prioritizes the tree data structure, allowing it to support various special UI styles - that's the strength of this library. For example, it can update the tree when a node is selected, return a list of chosen nodes/leaves, return a list of favorite nodes...

Table of contents

Code example

Reference to Explaining the working of the Expandable Tree based on ExpandableTreeMixin.

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:recursive_tree_flutter/recursive_tree_flutter.dart';

import '../data/custom_node_type.dart';
import '../data/example_vts_department_data.dart';

class ExTreeSingleChoice extends StatefulWidget {
  const ExTreeSingleChoice({super.key});

  @override
  State<ExTreeSingleChoice> createState() => _ExTreeSingleChoiceState();
}

class _ExTreeSingleChoiceState extends State<ExTreeSingleChoice> {
  late TreeType<CustomNodeType> _tree;
  final TextEditingController _textController = TextEditingController();

  @override
  void initState() {
    _tree = sampleTree();
    super.initState();
  }

  @override
  void dispose() {
    _textController.dispose();
    super.dispose();
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return GestureDetector(
      onTap: () => FocusManager.instance.primaryFocus?.unfocus(),
      child: Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(
          title: const Text("Example Single Choice Expandable Tree"),
        ),
        body: Column(
          children: [
            Expanded(
              flex: 4,
              child: SingleChildScrollView(
                child: _VTSNodeWidget(
                  _tree,
                  onNodeDataChanged: () => setState(() {}),
                ),
              ),
            ),
            Expanded(
              flex: 1,
              child: TextFormField(
                controller: _textController,
                decoration: const InputDecoration(
                  hintText: "PRESS ENTER TO UPDATE",
                ),
                onFieldSubmitted: (value) {
                  updateTreeWithSearchingTitle(_tree, value);
                  setState(() {});
                },
              ),
            ),
          ],
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

//? ____________________________________________________________________________

class _VTSNodeWidget extends StatefulWidget {
  const _VTSNodeWidget(
    this.tree, {
    required this.onNodeDataChanged,
  });

  final TreeType<CustomNodeType> tree;

  /// IMPORTANT: Because this library **DOESN'T** use any state management
  /// library, therefore I need to use call back function like this - although
  /// it is more readable if using `Provider`.
  final VoidCallback onNodeDataChanged;

  @override
  State<_VTSNodeWidget> createState() => _VTSNodeWidgetState();
}

class _VTSNodeWidgetState<T extends AbsNodeType> extends State<_VTSNodeWidget>
    with SingleTickerProviderStateMixin, ExpandableTreeMixin<CustomNodeType> {
  final Tween<double> _turnsTween = Tween<double>(begin: -0.25, end: 0.0);

  @override
  initState() {
    super.initState();
    initTree();
    initRotationController();
    if (tree.data.isExpanded) {
      rotationController.forward();
    }
  }

  @override
  void initTree() {
    tree = widget.tree;
  }

  @override
  void initRotationController() {
    rotationController = AnimationController(
      duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 300),
      vsync: this,
    );
  }

  @override
  void dispose() {
    disposeRotationController();
    super.dispose();
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) => buildView();

  @override
  Widget buildNode() {
    if (!widget.tree.data.isShowedInSearching) return const SizedBox.shrink();

    return InkWell(
      onTap: updateStateToggleExpansion,
      child: Row(
        children: [
          buildRotationIcon(),
          Expanded(child: buildTitle()),
          buildTrailing(),
        ],
      ),
    );
  }

  //* __________________________________________________________________________

  Widget buildRotationIcon() {
    return RotationTransition(
      turns: _turnsTween.animate(rotationController),
      child: tree.isLeaf
          ? Container()
          : IconButton(
              iconSize: 16,
              icon: const Icon(Icons.expand_more, size: 16.0),
              onPressed: updateStateToggleExpansion,
            ),
    );
  }

  Widget buildTitle() {
    return Padding(
      padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 6.0),
      child: Text(
        tree.data.title + (tree.isLeaf ? "" : " (${tree.children.length})"),
        maxLines: 1,
        overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis,
      ),
    );
  }

  Widget buildTrailing() {
    if (tree.data.isUnavailable) {
      return const Icon(Icons.close_rounded, color: Colors.red);
    }

    if (tree.isLeaf) {
      return Checkbox(
        value: tree.data.isChosen!, // leaves always is true or false
        onChanged: (value) {
          updateTreeSingleChoice(tree, !tree.data.isChosen!);
          widget.onNodeDataChanged();
        },
      );
    }

    return const SizedBox.shrink();
  }

  //* __________________________________________________________________________

  @override
  List<Widget> generateChildrenNodesWidget(
          List<TreeType<CustomNodeType>> list) =>
      List.generate(
        list.length,
        (int index) => _VTSNodeWidget(
          list[index],
          onNodeDataChanged: widget.onNodeDataChanged,
        ),
      );

  @override
  void updateStateToggleExpansion() => setState(() => toggleExpansion());
}

Result:

Demo 5

Features

Some features provided by this library include:

  • Building a tree data structure (Dart code).
  • Various functions for tree operations, such as finding nodes, searching with text, updating multiple choice/single choice trees, etc.
  • Allows lazy-loading to expand the tree at runtime.
  • The tree data structure can be used independently from the Flutter UI.
  • Visualizes the tree structure using Flutter.
  • Allows customization of the Flutter UI to suit specific requirements.

Contents

Tree Data Structure (Dart code)

Inspired by the structure of a directory tree on a computer, there are two types of nodes: directories and files. A directory can contain multiple files and other directories, and a file is the smallest level that cannot contain anything else.

Similarly to the directory tree structure on a computer, recursive_tree_flutter will build a tree data structure that includes inner nodes and leaf nodes.

  • AbsNodeType: An abstract class representing the data type of a node. A node can be either an inner node or a leaf node. This class has the following properties:
    • id: required, dynamic.
      • title: required, String.
      • isInner: boolean, default is true.
      • isUnavailable: boolean, default is false.
      • isChosen: nullable boolean, default is false.
      • isExpanded: boolean, default is false.
      • isFavorite: boolean, default is false.
      • isShowedInSearching: boolean, default is true. Also known as isDisplayable, được sử dụng used when the UI tree has a search function.
      • clone(): abstract method, T extends AbsNodeType. Allows cloning the object.
  • TreeType: The tree data structure.
    • T is the Implement Class of AbsNodeType.
      • data: required, T.
      • children: required, List<TreeType<T>>.
      • parent: required, TreeType<T>?. If parent == null, it means we are at the root of the entire tree.
      • isChildrenLoadedLazily: boolean, default is false. Only used if the current tree is lazy-loading, indicating whether the children have been loaded before or not.
      • isLeaf: Is current tree at a leaf node?
      • isRoot: Is current tree at the root node?
      • clone(tree, parent): static method. Allows cloning a tree.

Helper Functions (Dart code)

Flutter UI Tree

StackWidget: The UI tree is built using the stack approach. Multiple choice, data is parsed only once:

Demo 1

StackWidget: The UI tree is built using the lazy-loading stack approach. Multiple choice, data is parsed at runtime:

Demo 2

ExpandableTreeWidget: The UI tree is built using the expandable approach, and data is parsed only once:

Demo 3

VTSDepartmentTreeWidget: Another UI tree built using the expandable approach, and data is parsed only once:

Demo 4

SingleChoiceTreeWidget: Another UI tree built using the expandable approach, and data is parsed only once, single choice:

Demo 5

LazySingleChoiceTreeWidget: Another UI tree built using the expandable approach, data is parsed at runtime, single choice:

Demo 6

ExVNRegions: Vietnam's regions, tree is customized with different color for each level, data is parsed only once:

Demo 7

ExVTSDms4TreeScreen: Viettel VTS DMS.4 tree:

Demo 8

Explaining the working of the Expandable Tree based on ExpandableTreeMixin

An expandable UI tree has the following structure:

SingleChildScrollView( // tree is scrollable
  - NodeWidget (root)
    -- NodeWidget
      +++ NodeWidget
      +++ NodeWidget
      +++ NodeWidget
    -- NodeWidget
      +++ NodeWidget
    ...
)

We can see that NodeWidget is a StatefulWidget built recursively and wrapped by SingleChildScrollView to provide scrolling capability to the tree. Updating the tree (data) will change the state/UI of the NodeWidget - this can be done using setState or Provider for management. NodeWidget will inherit ExpandableTreeMixin (as shown in the example VTSDepartmentTreeWidget using setState) with some functions like:

  • initTree(): Initializes the tree (data) (called in initState()).
  • initRotationController(): Initializes the rotationController variable used to create an animation effect when expanding the UI tree (called in initState()).
  • disposeRotationController().
  • buildView(): Builds the UI of the tree (already written).
  • buildNode(): Builds the UI of a node (must be implemented). This function allows developers to freely customize the UI in unlimited ways.
  • buildChildrenNodes(): Builds the child nodes with animation for expansion (already written).
  • generateChildrenNodesWidget(): Returns List<NodeWidget>, must be implemented (an example is provided in the function documentation).
  • toggleExpansion(): Determines whether to collapse/expand the child nodes.
  • updateStateToggleExpansion(): Updates the state after performing the collapse/expand action.

BSD-3-Clause License

Copyright (c) 2023, Viettel Solutions

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

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   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

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   contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
   this software without specific prior written permission.

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