How to update dojo tree data dynamically

Question

I would like to know how ot update the data of the dojo.dijit.tree component dynamically. At the moment I'm creating the tree using dojo.data.ItemFileReadStore and dijit.tree.ForestStoreModel. Once I create the tree, I would like to reload it periodically with new JSON data.

This is how I create the tree at the moment:

<div dojoType="dojo.data.ItemFileReadStore" jsId="myStore" url=getJSONResult></div>

<div dojoType="dijit.tree.ForestStoreModel" jsId="myModel" store="myStore" query="{type:'cat'}" rootId="myRoot" rootLabel="Data" childrenAttrs="children"></div>

<div dojoType="dijit.Tree" model="myModel" labelAttr="sname" label="Data" />

Thanks in advance.

Layke · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-11 13:03:49Z

Explicitly you "can't", but that doesn't mean you can't hack things to pieces and die trying.

refreshTree : function(){
    dijit.byId("myTree").dndController.selectNone(); // As per the answer below     
    // Credit to this discussion: http://mail.dojotoolkit.org/pipermail/dojo-interest/2010-April/045180.html
    // Close the store (So that the store will do a new fetch()).
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.store.clearOnClose = true;
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.store.close();

    // Completely delete every node from the dijit.Tree     
    dijit.byId("myTree")._itemNodesMap = {};
    dijit.byId("myTree").rootNode.state = "UNCHECKED";
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.root.children = null;

    // Destroy the widget
    dijit.byId("myTree").rootNode.destroyRecursive();

    // Recreate the model, (with the model again)
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.constructor(dijit.byId("myTree").model)

    // Rebuild the tree
    dijit.byId("myTree").postMixInProperties();
    dijit.byId("myTree")._load();

},

This will refresh your Tree.

Thanks for your answer Laykes. Your script does indeed refresh the tree rendering. However, with this example I haven't been able to load new data on it. I have implemented a periodic refresh calling the function that you created. My store has the url property set to a filename which contains JSON data. I'm changing the data on the file but the tree is always rendering the initial data. Do you know how to load new data on it? — Zion, Mar 25 '11 at 13:10
Sorry TheLostGuy, I assumed that your store is set to refresh on close. Add this: dijit.byId("myTree").model.store.clearOnClose = true; — Layke, Mar 25 '11 at 15:53
Thanks a lot Laykes. This is indeed working for me now. Cheers! — Zion, Apr 1 '11 at 12:38
Wish I could give more upvotes for this answer. You saved my hide! — JoeCortopassi, May 19 '11 at 16:37

kcrossen · Answer 2 · 2012-02-10 16:34:56Z

Here's a problem with Layke's solution (which otherwise does work) found by pre-production testing for a commercial website.

Case 1:

Create & populate a tree.
Click on a node to select.
Execute refreshTree as in Layke's solution.
Click on a node, get error "this.labelNode is undefined".

Now start again, case 2:

Create & populate a tree.
Click on a node to select.
Ctrl-click on the previously selected node.
Execute refreshTree as in Layke's solution.
Click on a node, no error.

The stored selection references to the first selection are being used to undo the selection attributes (background color, etc.) when the second selection is made. Unfortunately, the referred-to objects are now in the bit-bucket. The modified code appears to be production-ready, i.e. hasn't failed any pre-production tests.

The solution is to put:

Tree.dndController.selectNone();

prior to first line of Layke's refreshTree solution above.

In response to meta suggestions, here it is:

refreshTree : function() {
    // Destruct the references to any selected nodes so that 
    // the refreshed tree will not attempt to unselect destructed nodes
    // when a new selection is made.
    // These references are contained in Tree.selectedItem,
    // Tree.selectedItems, Tree.selectedNode, and Tree.selectedNodes.
    Tree.dndController.selectNone();

    Tree.model.store.clearOnClose = true;
    Tree.model.store.close();

    // Completely delete every node from the dijit.Tree     
    Tree._itemNodesMap = {};
    Tree.rootNode.state = "UNCHECKED";
    Tree.model.root.children = null;

    // Destroy the widget
    Tree.rootNode.destroyRecursive();

    // Recreate the model, (with the model again)
    Tree.model.constructor(dijit.byId("myTree").model)

    // Rebuild the tree
    Tree.postMixInProperties();
    Tree._load();

}

Taneeda · Answer 3 · 2012-02-23 16:18:52Z

Thanks for this function, works great in my tree.

A notice to those who are new to dojo (like me)... After creation of the tree, it is needed to extend the tree with the refresh function:

dojo.extend(dijit.Tree, {
    refresh: function() {
        this.dndController.selectNone();
        //...
    }
});

Then you can call the function with:

dijit.byId('myTree').refresh();

Tigertron · Answer 4 · 2013-10-10 22:31:17Z

Updating your store will automatically update your tree!

You need a FileWriteStore, which gives you the ability to modify your data.
Use the store to fetch the items you want to update via query.
Update each item returned.

Then save the store and the tree will update.

FileWriteStore.fetch({
    query: { color: "red" },
    onComplete: function(items){
        for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++){
            FileWriteStore.setValue(items[i], "color", "green");
        }
        FileWriteStore.save();              
    }
});

Markus Kühn · Answer 5 · 2013-11-20 15:58:52Z

Layke's solution did not work for me. I am using dojo 1.9.1. My store is of type "ItemFileWriteStore" and the model of type "TreeStoreModel".

myStore = new ItemFileWriteStore({
    url : "../jaxrs/group/tree"
});

itemModel = new TreeStoreModel({
    store : myStore,
    query : {
        id : "0"
    }
});
parser.parse();

This works for me:

var tree = dijit.byId('myTree');
tree.dndController.selectNone(); 
tree._itemNodesMap = {};
tree.model.root = null;
tree.model.store.clearOnClose = true;
tree.model.store.urlPreventCache = true;
tree.model.store.revert(); 
tree.model.store.close();
tree.rootNode.state = "UNCHECKED";
if (tree.rootNode) {
    tree.rootNode.destroyRecursive();
}
tree.postMixInProperties();
tree._load();

Alex Boisselle · Answer 6 · 2014-09-08 17:50:53Z

While going through these answers I've built my own method to update specific nodes once at a time and NOT need the refresh.

_refreshNodeMapping: function (newNodeData) {

    if(!this._itemNodesMap[newNodeData.identity]) return;

    var nodeMapToRefresh = this._itemNodesMap[newNodeData.identity][0].item;
    var domNode = this._itemNodesMap[newNodeData.identity][0].domNode;

    //For every updated value, reset the old ones
    for(var val in newNodeData)
    {
        nodeMapToRefresh[val] = newNodeData[val];

        if(val == 'label')
        {
            domNode.innerHTML = newNodeData[val];
        }
    }  
}

prongs · Answer 7 · 2013-04-16 18:59:08Z

up vote -1 down vote

Not supported at present. See here.

edited Apr 16 '13 at 18:59

prongs
2,365 6 33 68

answered Mar 23 '11 at 17:32

Andy
379 3 6

Thanks for your response Andy. Do you know an alternative tree which can be updated dynamically? – Zion Mar 24 '11 at 17:37

Not in Dojo - but other toolkits may offer this. What I do in Dojo is put up a dojox.widget.Standby widget over the entire tree (loading icon spinner) and simply destroy the tree and bind a new tree to a new store (or repopulated store). – Andy Mar 25 '11 at 14:30

While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. – ThinkingStiff Nov 14 '12 at 19:17

Layke · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-11 13:03:49Z

Explicitly you "can't", but that doesn't mean you can't hack things to pieces and die trying.

refreshTree : function(){
    dijit.byId("myTree").dndController.selectNone(); // As per the answer below     
    // Credit to this discussion: http://mail.dojotoolkit.org/pipermail/dojo-interest/2010-April/045180.html
    // Close the store (So that the store will do a new fetch()).
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.store.clearOnClose = true;
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.store.close();

    // Completely delete every node from the dijit.Tree     
    dijit.byId("myTree")._itemNodesMap = {};
    dijit.byId("myTree").rootNode.state = "UNCHECKED";
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.root.children = null;

    // Destroy the widget
    dijit.byId("myTree").rootNode.destroyRecursive();

    // Recreate the model, (with the model again)
    dijit.byId("myTree").model.constructor(dijit.byId("myTree").model)

    // Rebuild the tree
    dijit.byId("myTree").postMixInProperties();
    dijit.byId("myTree")._load();

},

This will refresh your Tree.

Thanks for your answer Laykes. Your script does indeed refresh the tree rendering. However, with this example I haven't been able to load new data on it. I have implemented a periodic refresh calling the function that you created. My store has the url property set to a filename which contains JSON data. I'm changing the data on the file but the tree is always rendering the initial data. Do you know how to load new data on it? — Zion, Mar 25 '11 at 13:10
Sorry TheLostGuy, I assumed that your store is set to refresh on close. Add this: dijit.byId("myTree").model.store.clearOnClose = true; — Layke, Mar 25 '11 at 15:53
Thanks a lot Laykes. This is indeed working for me now. Cheers! — Zion, Apr 1 '11 at 12:38
Wish I could give more upvotes for this answer. You saved my hide! — JoeCortopassi, May 19 '11 at 16:37

kcrossen · Answer 9 · 2012-02-10 16:34:56Z

Here's a problem with Layke's solution (which otherwise does work) found by pre-production testing for a commercial website.

Case 1:

Create & populate a tree.
Click on a node to select.
Execute refreshTree as in Layke's solution.
Click on a node, get error "this.labelNode is undefined".

Now start again, case 2:

Create & populate a tree.
Click on a node to select.
Ctrl-click on the previously selected node.
Execute refreshTree as in Layke's solution.
Click on a node, no error.

The stored selection references to the first selection are being used to undo the selection attributes (background color, etc.) when the second selection is made. Unfortunately, the referred-to objects are now in the bit-bucket. The modified code appears to be production-ready, i.e. hasn't failed any pre-production tests.

The solution is to put:

Tree.dndController.selectNone();

prior to first line of Layke's refreshTree solution above.

In response to meta suggestions, here it is:

refreshTree : function() {
    // Destruct the references to any selected nodes so that 
    // the refreshed tree will not attempt to unselect destructed nodes
    // when a new selection is made.
    // These references are contained in Tree.selectedItem,
    // Tree.selectedItems, Tree.selectedNode, and Tree.selectedNodes.
    Tree.dndController.selectNone();

    Tree.model.store.clearOnClose = true;
    Tree.model.store.close();

    // Completely delete every node from the dijit.Tree     
    Tree._itemNodesMap = {};
    Tree.rootNode.state = "UNCHECKED";
    Tree.model.root.children = null;

    // Destroy the widget
    Tree.rootNode.destroyRecursive();

    // Recreate the model, (with the model again)
    Tree.model.constructor(dijit.byId("myTree").model)

    // Rebuild the tree
    Tree.postMixInProperties();
    Tree._load();

}

Taneeda · Answer 10 · 2012-02-23 16:18:52Z

Thanks for this function, works great in my tree.

A notice to those who are new to dojo (like me)... After creation of the tree, it is needed to extend the tree with the refresh function:

dojo.extend(dijit.Tree, {
    refresh: function() {
        this.dndController.selectNone();
        //...
    }
});

Then you can call the function with:

dijit.byId('myTree').refresh();

Tigertron · Answer 11 · 2013-10-10 22:31:17Z

Updating your store will automatically update your tree!

You need a FileWriteStore, which gives you the ability to modify your data.
Use the store to fetch the items you want to update via query.
Update each item returned.

Then save the store and the tree will update.

FileWriteStore.fetch({
    query: { color: "red" },
    onComplete: function(items){
        for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++){
            FileWriteStore.setValue(items[i], "color", "green");
        }
        FileWriteStore.save();              
    }
});

Markus Kühn · Answer 12 · 2013-11-20 15:58:52Z

Layke's solution did not work for me. I am using dojo 1.9.1. My store is of type "ItemFileWriteStore" and the model of type "TreeStoreModel".

myStore = new ItemFileWriteStore({
    url : "../jaxrs/group/tree"
});

itemModel = new TreeStoreModel({
    store : myStore,
    query : {
        id : "0"
    }
});
parser.parse();

This works for me:

var tree = dijit.byId('myTree');
tree.dndController.selectNone(); 
tree._itemNodesMap = {};
tree.model.root = null;
tree.model.store.clearOnClose = true;
tree.model.store.urlPreventCache = true;
tree.model.store.revert(); 
tree.model.store.close();
tree.rootNode.state = "UNCHECKED";
if (tree.rootNode) {
    tree.rootNode.destroyRecursive();
}
tree.postMixInProperties();
tree._load();

Alex Boisselle · Answer 13 · 2014-09-08 17:50:53Z

While going through these answers I've built my own method to update specific nodes once at a time and NOT need the refresh.

_refreshNodeMapping: function (newNodeData) {

    if(!this._itemNodesMap[newNodeData.identity]) return;

    var nodeMapToRefresh = this._itemNodesMap[newNodeData.identity][0].item;
    var domNode = this._itemNodesMap[newNodeData.identity][0].domNode;

    //For every updated value, reset the old ones
    for(var val in newNodeData)
    {
        nodeMapToRefresh[val] = newNodeData[val];

        if(val == 'label')
        {
            domNode.innerHTML = newNodeData[val];
        }
    }  
}

prongs · Answer 14 · 2013-04-16 18:59:08Z

up vote -1 down vote

Not supported at present. See here.

edited Apr 16 '13 at 18:59

prongs
2,365 6 33 68

answered Mar 23 '11 at 17:32

Andy
379 3 6

Thanks for your response Andy. Do you know an alternative tree which can be updated dynamically? – Zion Mar 24 '11 at 17:37

Not in Dojo - but other toolkits may offer this. What I do in Dojo is put up a dojox.widget.Standby widget over the entire tree (loading icon spinner) and simply destroy the tree and bind a new tree to a new store (or repopulated store). – Andy Mar 25 '11 at 14:30

While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. – ThinkingStiff Nov 14 '12 at 19:17

How to update dojo tree data dynamically

7 Answers

This will refresh your Tree.

7 Answers

This will refresh your Tree.