using portalUtils to get current logged user won't work for off-panel widgets

[Alexwang]

Hello, I was trying to use portalUtils to get the current logged user in an off-panel widget like HomeButton, but returned null. I didn't have this issue with any in-panel widgets. So using portalUtils to get current logged user doesn't work for off-panel widgets? How to get the current logged portal user in off-panel widgets?

[RobertScheitlin__GISP]

Alex,

   It worked fine for me in an in panel widget. Did you mis-align your requires in the widget you were testing?

[Alexwang]

Thanks, Robert. Yes, it works for in-panel widgets, but not for off-panel widgets. for instance, if i put the codes in the HomeButton startup(), it returns null. 

this._portal = portalUtils.getPortal(this.appConfig.portalUrl);
console.log(this._portal.user);

[RobertScheitlin__GISP · Accepted solution]

Alex,

  OK that is just a timing issue then.

Place this in the startup in the homebutton widget:

        setTimeout(lang.hitch(this, function(){
          this.portal = portalUtils.getPortal(this.appConfig.portalUrl);
          this.username = this.portal.user.username;
          console.info(this.username);
        }), 1000);‍‍‍‍‍

[Alexwang]

Wow. Thanks Robert. I assume the delay was caused by the getPortal()?

[RobertScheitlin__GISP]

No, it has to do with the off panel widgets life cycle and then getting called much quicker then in panel widgets and so much other app initializing happening at the same.

[Alexwang]

Robert, setTimeout() worked, but instead of using a hard way of delay, do you know if there are other ways to handle this such as a method with a deferred return object, or an event to fire when the user object loading was completed?

[RobertScheitlin__GISP]

Alex,

  OK, it looks like I found a good event to listen for (line 26 - 30):

      startup: function() {
        var initalExtent = null;
        this.inherited(arguments);
        this.own(on(this.map, 'extent-change', lang.hitch(this, 'onExtentChange')));

        var configExtent = this.appConfig && this.appConfig.map &&
          this.appConfig.map.mapOptions && this.appConfig.map.mapOptions.extent;

        if (configExtent) {
          initalExtent = new Extent(
            configExtent.xmin,
            configExtent.ymin,
            configExtent.xmax,
            configExtent.ymax,
            new SpatialReference(configExtent.spatialReference)
          );
        } else {
          initalExtent = this.map._initialExtent || this.map.extent;
        }

        this.createHomeDijit({
          map: this.map,
          extent: initalExtent
        });

        this.own(topic.subscribe("preloadWidgetsLoaded", lang.hitch(this, function(){
          this.portal = portalUtils.getPortal(this.appConfig.portalUrl);
          this.username = this.portal.user.username;
          console.info(this.username);
        })));
      },‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍