Flutter: Changing the current tab in tab bar view using a button - dart

Question

I am creating an app that contains a tab bar on its homepage. I want to be able to navigate to one of the tabs using my FloatingActionButton. In addition, I want to keep the default methods of navigating to that tab, i.e. by swiping on screen or by clicking the tab.
I also want to know how to link that tab to some other button.
Here is a screenshot of my homepage.

Answer 1

You need to get the TabBar controller and call its animateTo() method from the button onPressed() handle.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() => runApp(new MyApp());
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return new MaterialApp(
title: 'Flutter Demo',
home: new MyTabbedPage(),
);
}
}
class MyTabbedPage extends StatefulWidget {
const MyTabbedPage({Key key}) : super(key: key);
#override
_MyTabbedPageState createState() => new _MyTabbedPageState();
}
class _MyTabbedPageState extends State<MyTabbedPage> with SingleTickerProviderStateMixin {
final List<Tab> myTabs = <Tab>[
new Tab(text: 'LEFT'),
new Tab(text: 'RIGHT'),
];
TabController _tabController;
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
_tabController = new TabController(vsync: this, length: myTabs.length);
}
#override
void dispose() {
_tabController.dispose();
super.dispose();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return new Scaffold(
appBar: new AppBar(
title: new Text("Tab demo"),
bottom: new TabBar(
controller: _tabController,
tabs: myTabs,
),
),
body: new TabBarView(
controller: _tabController,
children: myTabs.map((Tab tab) {
return new Center(child: new Text(tab.text));
}).toList(),
),
floatingActionButton: new FloatingActionButton(
onPressed: () => _tabController.animateTo((_tabController.index + 1) % 2), // Switch tabs
child: new Icon(Icons.swap_horiz),
),
);
}
}
If you use a GlobalKey for the MyTabbedPageState you can get the controller from any place, so you can call the animateTo() from any button.
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
static final _myTabbedPageKey = new GlobalKey<_MyTabbedPageState>();
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return new MaterialApp(
title: 'Flutter Demo',
home: new MyTabbedPage(
key: _myTabbedPageKey,
),
);
}
}
You could call it from anywhere doing:
MyApp._myTabbedPageKey.currentState._tabController.animateTo(...);

Answer 2

I am super late, but hopefully someone benefits from this. just add this line to your onPressed of your button and make sure to change the index number to your preferred index:
DefaultTabController.of(context).animateTo(1);

Answer 3

You can use TabController:
TabController _controller = TabController(
vsync: this,
length: 3,
initialIndex: 0,
);
_controller.animateTo(_currentTabIndex);
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
bottom: TabBar(
controller: _controller,
tabs: [
...
],
),
),
body: TabBarView(
controller: _controller,
children: [
...
],
),
);
And than, setState to update screen:
int _currentTabIndex = 0;
setState(() {
_currentTabIndex = 1;
});

Answer 4

chemamolin's answer above is correct, but for additional clarification/tip, if you want to call your tabcontroller "from anywhere", also make sure the tabcontroller is not a private property of the class by removing the underscore, otherwise the distant class will not be able to see the tabcontroller with the example provided even when using the GlobalKey.
In other words, change
TabController _tabController;
to:
TabController tabController;
and change
MyApp._myTabbedPageKey.currentState._tabController.animateTo(...);
to:
MyApp._myTabbedPageKey.currentState.tabController.animateTo(...);
and everywhere else you reference tabcontroller.

Answer 5

If you want to jump to a specific page, you can use
PageController.jumpToPage(int)
However if you need animation, you'd use
PageController.animateToPage(page, duration: duration, curve: curve)
Simple example demonstrating it.
// create a PageController
final _controller = PageController();
bool _shouldAnimate = true; // whether we animate or jump
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(),
floatingActionButton: FloatingActionButton(
onPressed: () {
if (_shouldAnimate) {
// animates to page1 with animation
_controller.animateToPage(1, duration: Duration(seconds: 1), curve: Curves.easeOut);
} else {
// jump to page1 without animation
_controller.jumpToPage(1);
}
},
),
body: PageView(
controller: _controller, // assign it to PageView
children: <Widget>[
FlutterLogo(colors: Colors.orange), // page0
FlutterLogo(colors: Colors.green), // page1
FlutterLogo(colors: Colors.red), // page2
],
),
);
}

Answer 6

DefaultTabController(
length: 4,
initialIndex: 0,
child: TabBar(
tabs: [
Tab(
child: Text(
"People",
style: TextStyle(
color: Colors.black,
),
),
),
Tab(
child: Text(
"Events",
style: TextStyle(
color: Colors.black,
),
),
),
Tab(
child: Text(
"Places",
style: TextStyle(
color: Colors.black,
),
),
),
Tab(
child: Text(
"HashTags",
style: TextStyle(
color: Colors.black,
),
),
),
],
),
)

Answer 7

i was trying to solve similar issue but passing methods or controllers down the widget tree wasn't a clean option for me. i had requirement to go back to tabbed page from other non-tabbed routes (back to specific tabs).
following solution worked for me
Inside tabbed page: read route arguments
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
final String? tabId = Get.arguments;
_selectedTabIndex = tabId !=null? int.parse(tabId): 0;
return Scaffold(
....
body: _pages[_selectedPageIndex]['page'] as Widget,
bottomNavigationBar: BottomNavigationBar(
onTap: _selectPage,
....);
}
Now the calling page
onSubmit:() { // or some other event
// do something here
Get.offAndToNamed(Routes.homeTabs,
arguments: TabIndex.specialTab.index.toString());
//Routes is a const & TabIndex is enum defined somewhere
}

Answer 8

A solution with TabController + Streams
Pass a stream into the state object. Pass the new tab index through the stream for the state to update itself. Here's how I'm doing it.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
class TabsWidget extends StatefulWidget {
const TabsWidget({Key? key, this.tabs = const [], this.changeReceiver}) : super(key: key);
final List<Tab> tabs;
// To change the tab from outside, pass in the tab index through a stream
final Stream<int>? changeReceiver;
#override
State<TabsWidget> createState() => _TabsWidgetState();
}
class _TabsWidgetState extends State<TabsWidget> with SingleTickerProviderStateMixin {
int _index = 0;
late TabController _tabController;
#override
void initState() {
_tabController = TabController(length: widget.tabs.length, vsync: this, initialIndex: _index);
// Listen to tab index changes from external sources via this stream
widget.changeReceiver?.listen((int newIndex) {
setState(() {
_index = newIndex;
_tabController.animateTo(newIndex);
});
});
super.initState();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
if (widget.tabs.isEmpty) return const SizedBox.shrink(); // If no tabs, show nothing
return TabBar(tabs: widget.tabs, controller: _tabController, );
}
}
// Sample usage - main
import 'dart:async';
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'tabs_widget.dart';
void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatefulWidget {
const MyApp({Key? key}) : super(key: key);
#override
State<MyApp> createState() => _MyAppState();
}
class _MyAppState extends State<MyApp> {
final StreamController<int> tabChangeNotifier = StreamController();
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
title: 'Tab Change Demo',
home: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: const Text('Tab Change Demo'),
),
body: SingleChildScrollView(child: Column(
children: [
const SizedBox(height: 30,),
Row(mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.spaceAround, children: [
ElevatedButton(onPressed: () => tabChangeNotifier.add(0), child: const Text('Go Orange')),
ElevatedButton(onPressed: () => tabChangeNotifier.add(1), child: const Text('Go Red')),
ElevatedButton(onPressed: () => tabChangeNotifier.add(2), child: const Text('Go Green')),
],),
const SizedBox(height: 30,),
TabsWidget(changeReceiver: tabChangeNotifier.stream, tabs: const [
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.circle, color: Colors.orange,),),
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.circle, color: Colors.red,),),
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.circle, color: Colors.green,),),
],),
],
),), // This trailing comma makes auto-formatting nicer for build methods.
),
);
}
#override
void dispose() {
tabChangeNotifier.close();
super.dispose();
}
}
This is how the above sample looks.

Answer 9

Use DefaultTabController instead of a local TabController, high enough in your widget tree, and then you'll have access to it from anywhere in that sub tree.
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return DefaultTabController(
initialIndex: initialIndex,
length: tabs.length,
child: SizedBox( // From here down you have access to the tab controller
width: double.infinity,
child: Column(
mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.max,
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.start,
crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
children: [
SomeWidget(), // Has access to the controller
TabBar(
controller: DefaultTabController.of(context),
tabs:
tabs.map((tab) => Tab(child: Text(tab.title, style: const TextStyle(color: Colors.black)))).toList(),
),
Expanded(
child: TabBarView(
controller: DefaultTabController.of(context),
children: tabs.map((tab) => tab.widget).toList(),
),
),
],
),
),
);
}
In any point in that tree, you can access the tab controller with DefaultTabController.of(context) and change the tab, like so:
DefaultTabController.of(context)?.animateTo(0);

Answer 10

class Tab bar
class TabBarScreen extends StatefulWidget {
TabBarScreen({Key key}) : super(key: key);
#override
_TabBarScreenState createState() => _TabBarScreenState();
}
final List<Tab> tabs = <Tab>[
Tab(text: 'Page1'),
Tab(text: 'Page2'),
];
class _TabBarScreenState extends State<TabBarScreen> with SingleTickerProviderStateMixin {
TabController tabController;
#override
void initState() {
super.initState();
tabController = new TabController(vsync: this, length: tabs.length);
}
#override
void dispose() {
tabController.dispose();
super.dispose();
}
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return DefaultTabController(
length: 2,
child: Scaffold(
backgroundColor: Theme.of(context).primaryColor,
appBar: AppBar(
backgroundColor: Theme.of(context).primaryColor,
centerTitle: true,
shape: Border(bottom: BorderSide(color: Colors.white)),
title: Text("Tab Bar",),
bottom: TabBar(
controller: tabController,
tabs: tabs,
indicatorWeight: 5,
indicatorColor: Colors.white,
labelColor: Colors.white,
),
),
body: TabBarView(
controller: tabController,
children: [
PageOneScreen(controller: tabController),
PageTwoScreen(controller: tabController),
],
),
),
);
}
}
class PageOne
class PageOneScreen extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_PageOneScreenState createState() => _PageOneScreenState();
PageOneScreen({controller}) {
tabController = controller;
}
}
TabController tabController;
class _PageOneScreenState extends State<PageOneScreen> {
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Column(
children: [
RaisedButton(
onPressed: () {
tabController.animateTo(1); // number : index page
},
child: Text(
"Go To Page 2",
),
),
],
);
}
}