Flutter - Space Between stops working when using Expanded or Flexible widget within Row texts to prevent RenderFlex overflow

HectorRafaelMontillaCampos
March 28, 2024
191 views
1 vote
2 Answers

When using the Expanded or Flexible widget to avoid render flex overflow caused by text content within a Row widget, the space between applied to separate the texts is lost.

This is a custom widget that I created to use within the application, here is the code:

class CustomInfoRow extends StatelessWidget {
  final String label;
  final String value;
  final bool hasDivider;

  const CustomInfoRow({
    super.key,
    required this.label,
    required this.value,
    required this.hasDivider,
  });

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    final textStyle =
        Theme.of(context).textTheme.bodyLarge?.copyWith(fontSize: 18.0);

    return Column(
      children: [
        Row(
          mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.spaceBetween,
          children: [
            Expanded(
              child: Text(
                SharedUtils.translate(context, label),
                style: textStyle,
              ),
            ),
            Expanded(
              child: Text(
                SharedUtils.translate(context, value),
                style: textStyle,
              ),
            ),
          ],
        ),
        if (hasDivider) const Divider(),
      ],
    );
  }
}

When I use Flexible widget, it looks like this:

enter image description here

When I use Expanded widget, it looks like this:

enter image description here

This is how I want it looks like:

enter image description here

Please, I appreciate help to solve this situation.

I want to achieve what is described in the last image

Tags: flutter

Answers

You just need to remove the Flexible from your Text on the right.

Result:

Code:

class CustomInfoRow extends StatelessWidget {
  final String label;
  final String value;
  final bool hasDivider;

  const CustomInfoRow({
    super.key,
    required this.label,
    required this.value,
    required this.hasDivider,
  });

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    final textStyle =
        Theme.of(context).textTheme.bodyLarge?.copyWith(fontSize: 18.0);

    return Column(
      crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
      children: [
        Row(
          children: [
            Expanded(
              child: Text(
                label,
                style: textStyle,
              ),
            ),
            const SizedBox(width: 20),
            Text(
              value,
              style: textStyle,
            ),
          ],
        ),
        if (hasDivider) const Divider(),
      ],
    );
  }
}

- Chihiro
- March 28, 2024 at 6:37 am
- 0 votes
0
Certainly, when addressing the issue raised in the Stack Overflow question regarding the loss of space between texts when using Expanded or Flexible widgets within a Row, there are several approaches that can be taken to resolve this layout challenge.
1. Use SizedBox for Explicit Spacing:
  One straightforward solution is to introduce SizedBox widgets between the text elements in the Row to create explicit space. SizedBox can have a fixed width or be defined by a widthFactor to determine its width relative to available space.
```
children: [
  Expanded(
    child: Text(
      SharedUtils.translate(context, label),
      style: textStyle,
    ),
  ),
  SizedBox(width: 16.0), // Add an explicit space here
  Expanded(
    child: Text(
      SharedUtils.translate(context, value),
      style: textStyle,
    ),
  ),
]
```
2. Utilize Flexible with Appropriate flex Values:
  The Flexible widget offers more flexibility than Expanded as it allows you to specify the flexibility of a child with a flex attribute. By adjusting the flex value, you can better control how the space is distributed among the children of the Row.
```
children: [
  Flexible(
    flex: 1,
    child: Text(
      SharedUtils.translate(context, label),
      style: textStyle,
    ),
  ),
  SizedBox(width: 16.0), // Space between texts
  Flexible(
    flex: 1,
    child: Text(
      SharedUtils.translate(context, value),
      style: textStyle,
    ),
  ),
]
```
3. Adjust MainAxisAlignment for Even Distribution:
  If you want the space to be evenly distributed not only between the text elements but also from the elements to the edges of the Row, you can use MainAxisAlignment.spaceAround or MainAxisAlignment.spaceEvenly. These alignment properties will create equal spaces in the direction of the main axis.
```
Row(
  mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.spaceEvenly,
  children: [
    Expanded(
      child: Text(
        SharedUtils.translate(context, label),
        style: textStyle,
      ),
    ),
    // No need for SizedBox here, as spaceEvenly creates equal spaces
    Expanded(
      child: Text(
        SharedUtils.translate(context, value),
        style: textStyle,
      ),
    ),
  ],
)
```
Remember to adjust the size of the space and the flex values according to the specific layout requirements and design intentions. These suggestions should help you address the issue and achieve the desired layout appearance.
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