This guide provides examples of common Accessor usage patterns. Accessor aims to make developing custom API classes easy by providing a mechanism to get, and set properties.
The code snippets below include @arcgis/core ES modules (ESM) for use in local builds, and AMD examples in vanilla JavaScript.
If are using the AMD modules and TypeScript, you will want to install the ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript 4.x type definitions. If you are using @arcgis/core ES modules, the typings are included in the install. See Setting up your Typescript environment for more information.
Extend Accessor
Many classes in the API extend the Accessor class. These classes can expose properties that may have unique characteristics, such as being read-only or computed.
Create a simple subclass
When building applications with JavaScript use the create
method which automatically calls super()
. When building with TypeScript, use the @subclass() decorator along with the extends
keyword.
Also when using TypeScript decorators such as @subclass()
, it is required to set the use
flag to false
for backwards compatibility. More information is available in the TSConfig Reference.
The declared
property is specified as a string in the constructor, and helps the API differentiate between the existing class that you are extending and the custom one you are building. In the API, declared
is readonly. This property provides the same functionality in both JavaScript and TypeScript. However, as shown in the example below, the implementations are different.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
// declaredClass is "custom.Color"
@subclass("custom.Color")
class Color extends Accessor {
// ...
}
Mixins with Accessor
The ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript uses mixins to build its classes. A mixin is a function that assists in the creation of the super class when building a subclass. Read this excellent article that goes deep dive on mixins with TypeScript.
First we define our Evented
to add an event system to a class.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
// A type to represent a constructor function
type Constructor<T = object> = new (...args: any[]) => T;
// A type to represent a mixin function
// See for more details https://www.bryntum.com/blog/the-mixin-pattern-in-typescript-all-you-need-to-know/
type Mixin<T extends (...input: any[]) => any> = InstanceType<ReturnType<T>>;
// TBase extends Constructor<Accessor> indicating that `EventedMixin`
// expects the base class to extend `Accessor`.
export const EventedMixin = <TBase extends Constructor<Accessor>>(Base: TBase) => {
@subclass("custom.EventedMixin")
return class Evented extends Base {
// A first function defined by the mixin
emit(type: string, event?: any): boolean {
// ...
}
// Another function defined by the mixin
on(type: string, listener: (event: any) => void): IHandle {
// ...
}
}
}
// define the type of the mixin. This is useful to type properties that extends this mixin
// eg: `myProperty: EventedMixin;`
export type EventedMixinType = Mixin<typeof EventedMixin>;
In this example we create a super class that extends Accessor
and adds capabilities from Evented
. The Collection
class then extends the final subclass.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators";
// import the newly created custom mixin
import { EventedMixin } from "custom/EventedMixin.ts";
@subclass("custom.Collection")
export class Collection extends EventedMixin(Accessor) {
// Collection extends a super class composed of Accessor and EventedMixin.
}
Properties
Define a simple property
Use the following syntax for creating simple properties that do not require any additional behavior. You can define both default values and types for primitive property values. If working with TypeScript, default property values can be set in the constructor.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass, property } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass("custom.Color")
class Color extends Accessor {
@property()
r: number = 255;
@property()
g: number = 255;
@property()
b: number = 255;
@property()
a: number = 1;
}
Define custom getter and setter
There may be times when you may need to verify, validate, or transform values set on a property. You may also need to do additional (synchronous) work when a property is being set. The this.set() method is inherited from Accessor. The following snippets show this.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass, property } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass("custom.Collection")
class Collection extends Accessor {
private _items: any[] = [];
// Example: Define a custom property getter.
// Accessor caches the values returned by the getters.
// At this point `length` will never change.
// See the "Notify a property change" section
@property()
get length(): number {
return this._items.length;
}
set length(value: number) {
// Example: perform validation
if (value <= 0) {
throw new Error(`value of length not valid: ${value}`);
}
// internally you can access the cached value of `length` using `_get`.
const oldValue = this._get<number>("length");
if (oldValue !== value) {
// a setter has to update the value from the cache
this._set("length", value);
// Example: perform additional work when the length changes
this._items.length = value;
}
}
}
Define a read-only property
The following syntax shows how to set a read-only property. The this.set() method is inherited from Accessor.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass, property } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass("custom.Person")
class Person extends Accessor {
// Example: read-only property may not be externally set
@property({ readOnly: true })
firstName: string;
@property({ readOnly: true })
lastName: string;
updateName(firstName: string, lastName: string): void {
// We may still update the read-only property internally, which will change
// the property and notify changes to watchers
this._set({
firstName,
lastName
});
}
}
Define a proxy property
These snippets show how to create a two-way binding on an inner property.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import Collection from "@arcgis/core/core/Collection.js";
import { subclass, property, aliasOf } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass("custom.GroupLayer")
class GroupLayer extends Accessor {
@property()
sublayers: Collection = new Collection();
// Define a property that reflects one in another object.
@property({ aliasOf: "sublayers.length" })
length: number;
// Alternatively you can use the `@aliasOf` decorator
// @aliasOf
// length: number
// You can also proxy a method from another object.
@aliasOf("sublayers.add")
add: (item: any) => void;
}
Computed properties
Define a computed property
You may need to use this when a property value depends on numerous other properties. These properties are always read-only.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass, property } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass()
class Person extends Accessor {
@property()
firstName: string;
@property()
lastName: string;
@property({
readOnly: true
})
get fullName(): string {
return `${this.firstName} ${this.lastName}`;
}
}
Define a writable computed property
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass, property } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass()
class Person extends Accessor {
@property()
firstName: string;
@property()
lastName: string;
@property()
get fullName(): string {
return `${this.firstName} ${this.lastName}`;
}
set fullName(value: string) {
if (value === "") {
this._set("firstName", null);
this._set("lastName", null);
return;
}
const [firstName, lastName] = value.split(" ");
this._set("firstName", firstName);
this._set("lastName", lastName);
}
}
Notify a property change
Sometimes properties cannot notify when changed. Accessor has an internal method to notify of any changes, and it marks the property as dirty. The next time the property is accessed its value is re-evaluated.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass, property } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass("custom.Collection")
class Collection extends Accessor {
private _items: any[] = [];
@property({
readOnly: true
})
get length(): number {
return this._items.length;
}
add(item: any): void {
this._items.push(item);
// We know the value of `length` is changed.
// Notify so that at next access, the getter will be invoked
this.notifyChange("length");
}
}
Autocast
Define the property type
It is possible to define a type for a class property.
import Graphic from "@arcgis/core/Graphic.js";
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import Collection from "@arcgis/core/core/Collection.js";
import { subclass, property } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass()
class GraphicsLayer extends Accessor {
@property({
// Define the type of the collection of Graphics
// When the property is set with an array,
// the collection constructor will automatically be called
type: Collection.ofType(Graphic)
})
graphics: Collection<Graphic>;
}
Define a method to cast a property
Sometimes you need to validate a property's value type when it is being set. A good example of this is having well-known, preset, names for specific values, such as map.basemap = "streets-vector"
.
The type
metadata automatically creates an appropriate cast
for Accessor and primitive types if it is not already set.
import Accessor from "@arcgis/core/core/Accessor.js";
import { subclass, property, cast } from "@arcgis/core/core/accessorSupport/decorators.js";
@subclass()
class Color extends Accessor {
@property()
r: number = 0;
@property()
g: number = 0;
@property()
b: number = 0;
@property()
a: number = 1;
@cast("r")
@cast("g")
@cast("b")
protected castComponent(value: number): number {
// cast method to clamp the value that
// will be set on r, g or b between 0 and 255
return Math.max(0, Math.min(255, value));
}
@cast("a")
protected castAlpha(value: number): number {
// cast method to clamp the value that
// will be set on a between 0 and 1
return Math.max(0, Math.min(1, value));
}
}
Additional information
Please refer to these additional links for further information: