JavaScript API Scope from Web AppBuilder Widget.js

ChadStidham1

I'm new to customizing widgets and haven't been able to access some methods that are specific to the JavaScript API that according to a development summit session should be accessible.

I'm working on a custom widget that was created from the CustomWidget template directory.  For learning purposes I'm trying to simply show or hide a layer using the snippet below that was included in a developer summit session:

this.projectsLayer = this.map.getLayer('LayerName');

this.projectsLayer.show();

This is contained within the onOpen attribute / event.

onOpen: function(){
this.inherited(arguments);
console.log('onOpen');
this.projectsLayer = this.map.getLayer('LayerName');
this.projectsLayer.show();