App Updates: Channel Loading, Chat Screen Enhancements & API Streamlining
What developments have taken place today?
The MyChatAppPage widget has been enhanced to improve channel loading management. A new stateful widget type (ConsumerStatefulWidget) and state class (_MyChatAppPageState) were implemented to manage an _isLoadingChannels boolean, displaying a progress indicator during loading and presenting error messages upon failure. The _loadInitialData function now utilizes Riverpod for API calls, handling errors gracefully with retry functionality and informative user messages via the scaffold. The initial data simulation has been adjusted to populate message arrays successfully after channel loading and uses the currently active channel ID for this purpose. A delay was increased before simulating new messages and updating unread counts to accommodate longer channel load times.
The ChatScreen has been updated to utilize a new ChannelWithMeta data structure, providing richer channel information (name and metadata) instead of the previous DisplayMessage. Logic for selecting active channels now relies on .channel.id, prioritizing display names over standard channel names. Improved error handling includes catching unexpected exceptions, displaying user-friendly messages in the UI, and logging stack traces for debugging. The _currentlyActiveChannelId variable has been updated to use the same .channel.id.
Finally, the application’s routing was streamlined by replacing a dynamic RegisterScreen with a constant version within the navigation structure. A new Riverpod provider was introduced to manage communication with the Channels API using authentication and an ApiClient, ensuring consistent access across the application.
These changes collectively improved channel loading reliability, enhanced user experience through clearer feedback and error handling, optimized data presentation for the chat screen, and standardized API access throughout the application. The improvements address potential issues related to slow loading times, API failures, and inconsistent data representation, leading to a more stable and intuitive user interface.