NextUI Input File: A Bug & Workaround

NextUI is a fantastic library for building beautiful and functional user interfaces, but even the best tools can have hiccups. One such issue currently affects its Input component when used with the type="file" attribute. This post will delve into the problem, explain why it occurs, and offer a safe workaround until the issue is officially resolved.

The Bug: Double Clicks and Undefined Files

The issue manifests as follows:

• Clicking to Choose a File: When you first click the file input, the selected file appears to be "undefined" in the console.
• Second Attempt: Only after clicking the file selection dialog again does the selected file actually register and become available.

This behavior is inconsistent and frustrating, especially when you expect the input to behave like a standard HTML <input type="file"> element.

Root Cause: Empty String as Default Value

The bug stems from how NextUI's Input component handles its default value. It assumes an empty string ("") as the default for all input types, including file inputs. This assumption is problematic because HTML file input elements don't have a meaningful empty string value. Instead, they are typically initialized with null or undefined.

The Workaround: Using the Vanilla HTML Input

While a fix for this issue is awaited from the NextUI team, we can use a workaround to ensure our file input works as intended:

import { useState } from 'react';


function MyComponent() {
  const [selectedFile, setSelectedFile] = useState(null);


  const handleChange = (e) => {
    setSelectedFile(e.target.files[0]);
  };


  return (
    <div>
      {/* Use the vanilla HTML input component for file selection */}
      <input type="file" onChange={handleChange} />


      {/* Display selected file information (if any) */}
      {selectedFile && (
        <p>Selected File: {selectedFile.name}</p>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}


export default MyComponent;

In this workaround, we:

• Import useState: We'll use state management to track the selected file.
• Vanilla input Component: We replace NextUI's Input with a standard HTML <input> element with type="file".
• Handle Change Event: The onChange event handler updates the state with the selected file.
• Conditional Rendering: We conditionally display the selected file information.

This simple workaround provides the functionality we need without relying on NextUI's file input, which is currently experiencing the bug.

Important Note: This workaround is a temporary solution. As soon as NextUI releases a fix for the file input bug, it's essential to switch back to using their Input component to leverage all its benefits.