Shiny module access output outside namespace - r

Question

I need my Shiny module to hide/show a div outside of the namespace. I tried passing the div id to the module server function and using shinyjs to show/hide it but that is not working. I'm not getting an error, it just doesn't show/hide the div.
I know the Shiny module documentation says modules cannot access outputs outside the namespace. The docs do, though, give a way for the module to access inputs outside the namespace using reactives.
Does anyone know if there is a way for a Shiny module to access an output outside the namespace?
Here is what I'm trying to do:
### ui.R ###
header <- dashboardHeader(
title = a(href = 'http://google.com')
)
dashboardPage(
skin = 'black',
header,
dashboardSidebar(
sidebarMenu( id='tabs',
menuItem('Edit Existing Client', tabName = 'client-info')
)),
dashboardBody(
useShinyjs(),
fluidRow(
tabItems(
tabItem(tabName = "client-info",
div(selectClientModuleUI("clientinfons")),
div(id='editclientinfo', uiOutput('editclientstuff'))
)
)
)
)
)
### server.R ###
shinyServer(function(session,input, output) {
output$editclientstuff <- renderUI({
div(
fluidRow(
column(6,
textInput('editname', "Display name", value ='Testing name')
),
column(6,
numericInput('editastart','Start', value ='3')
)
)
)
})
callModule(selectClientModule, 'clientinfons', 'editclientinfo')
shinyjs::hide(id='editclientstuff')
})
### in global.R ###
selectClientModuleUI <- function(id){
ns <- NS(id)
clientlist = c(0, 1, 2)
names(clientlist) = c('Choose client', 'Fred', 'Kim')
div(
selectInput(ns('selectclient'), 'Select client to edit', choices = clientlist, selected = NULL, multiple = FALSE)
)
}
selectClientModule <- function(input, output, session, divtoshow = ''){
observeEvent(input$selectclient, {
if (!is.null(input$selectclient) && input$selectclient > 0){
print(paste0("showing ", divtoshow))
shinyjs::show(divtoshow)
}
})
}

Answer 1

That is possible by giving the value as a reactive (not as the value of the reactive) to the module. You can change the reactive Value in the module and return the reactive from the Module to the app (note, return the reactive itself, not its value). The following app switches the 'divtoshow' in the main app from inside the module. If nothing is selected, it's hidden, otherwise it's shown (note, I adjusted you code a little so it's working as a stand-alone app):
library(shinydashboard)
library(shinyjs)
# Module
selectClientModuleUI <- function(id){
ns <- NS(id)
clientlist = c(0, 1, 2)
names(clientlist) = c('Choose client', 'Fred', 'Kim')
div(
selectInput(ns('selectclient'), 'Select client to edit', choices = clientlist, selected = NULL, multiple = FALSE)
)
}
selectClientModule <- function(input, output, session, divtoshow){
observeEvent(input$selectclient, {
if (input$selectclient > 0){
print(paste0("showing editclientinfo"))
divtoshow("editclientinfo") # set the div to show to "editclientinfo", this will be visible outside the module
}else{
divtoshow("") # set the div to show to "", if nothing was chosen
}
})
# return the div to show as reactive to the main app
return(divtoshow)
}
# Main App
ui <- shinyUI(
dashboardPage(
skin = 'black',
dashboardHeader(
title = a(href = 'http://google.com')
),
dashboardSidebar(
sidebarMenu( id='tabs',
menuItem('Edit Existing Client', tabName = 'client-info')
)),
dashboardBody(
useShinyjs(),
fluidRow(
tabItems(
tabItem(tabName = "client-info",
div(selectClientModuleUI("clientinfons")),
div(id='editclientinfo', uiOutput('editclientstuff'))
)
)
)
)
))
server <- shinyServer(function(session,input, output) {
output$editclientstuff <- renderUI({
div(
fluidRow(
column(6,
textInput('editname', "Display name", value ='Testing name')
),
column(6,
numericInput('editastart','Start', value ='3')
)
)
)
})
# store the div to show in a reactive
divtoshow <- reactiveVal('')
# divtoshow can be changed in side this module, so it's a return value
divtoshow <- callModule(selectClientModule, 'clientinfons', divtoshow)
# observe the value of divtoshow and toggle the corresponding div
observeEvent(divtoshow(), {
if(divtoshow() == "editclientinfo"){
shinyjs::show("editclientinfo")
}else{
shinyjs::hide("editclientinfo")
}
})
})
shinyApp(ui, server)