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View Initializers

ViewInitializer initializes a View from the Inspector, without bootstrap code.

Contents​

Overview​

Instead of a Bootstrap script:

// Without ViewInitializer a script is needed:
private void Awake()
{
    var viewModel = new PlayerViewModel();
    _view.Initialize(viewModel);
}

use the ViewInitializer component and configure everything in the Inspector:

  1. Add ViewInitializer to a GameObject
  2. Set the View (a MonoView component)
  3. Set the ViewModel (a component, a ScriptableObject or DI)
  4. Pick the initialization stage (Awake, Start, OnEnable, Manual, Di)

ViewInitializer​

Fully automatic initialization:

public class ViewInitializer : ViewInitializerBase
{
    // Serialized fields, configured in the Inspector:
    // - View component(s)
    // - ViewModel source(s)
    // - InitializeStage
    // - _isDisposeViewOnDestroy
    // - _isDisposeViewModelOnDestroy
}

InitializeStage​

Defines when initialization happens:

StageWhenDeinitialization
AwakeIn Awake()In OnDestroy()
StartIn Start()In OnDestroy()
OnEnableIn OnEnable()In OnDisable()
ManualOn Initialize()On Deinitialize()
DiConstructorWhen the DI container injectsIn OnDestroy()

Awake (default)​

Initialization in Awake. Fits most cases.

OnEnable / OnDisable​

Handy for screens that are toggled: the View initializes on activation and deinitializes on deactivation:

GameObject.SetActive(true)  → OnEnable → Initialize
GameObject.SetActive(false) → OnDisable → Deinitialize

Manual​

Initialization is driven from code:

[SerializeField] private ViewInitializer _initializer;

public void Show(IViewModel viewModel)
{
    _initializer.Initialize(); // Uses the ViewModel configured in the Inspector
}

public void Hide()
{
    _initializer.Deinitialize();
}

DiConstructor​

The ViewModel is resolved from a DI container. See DI Integration.

ViewInitializerManual​

A simplified variant that needs an explicit call from code:

[SerializeField] private ViewInitializerManual _initializer;

public void Show(IViewModel viewModel)
{
    _initializer.Initialize(viewModel);
}

public void Hide()
{
    _initializer.Deinitialize();
}

Differences from ViewInitializer:

  • No InitializeStage, manual call only
  • The ViewModel is passed to Initialize(IViewModel) directly
  • Cannot be initialized twice without deinitializing

InitializeComponent​

The View/ViewModel source setting inside ViewInitializer:

ResolveType​

TypeDescription
ComponentA Component reference in the Inspector
Reference[SerializeReference], for POCO objects
ScriptableObjectA ScriptableObject reference
DiResolution through a DI container (Zenject/VContainer)

ViewModelInitializeComponent​

The ViewModel specialization:

  • ResolveType.Component points at a MonoViewModel component
  • ResolveType.ScriptableObject points at a ScriptableViewModel
  • ResolveType.Di uses a TypeSelector to pick the ViewModel type from the container

Inspector setup​

Step 1: Add ViewInitializer​

Add the ViewInitializer component to a GameObject.

Step 2: Set the Stage​

Pick the InitializeStage (Awake by default).

Step 3: Set the View​

In the Views section add the View components (MonoView).

Step 4: Set the ViewModel​

In the ViewModel section pick the ResolveType and the source:

  • Mono: drag a MonoViewModel from the Inspector
  • ScriptableObject: drag a ScriptableViewModel
  • Di: pick the type for DI resolution

Step 5: Cleanup options​

  • _isDisposeViewOnDestroy: deinitialize the View in OnDestroy
  • _isDisposeViewModelOnDestroy: call Dispose on the ViewModel

See also​