Get reference to view model with compose

[olanod]

I have a composed view <compose view-model="app/some/nice-view"></compose> and I'd like to reference the inner view model form a sibling element of the compose or from the js code.
I'd like to do something like this:

<button click.delegate="foo.jump()">Click Me</button>
<compose view-model.ref="foo" view-model="app/some/nice-view"></compose>

export class NiceView {
    ...
    jump(){...}
}

[EisenbergEffect]

Well, you can get a hold of the compose's view model with compose.ref="foo". From there you can probably get at the composed view model instance.

[olanod]

Well the view model instance would be foo.currentViewModel, but there's a timing issue. If I want to assign this view model to my current view model there's no clean way to do it because that property(currentViewModel) only exists when the composed element is attached(bound?) and that happens after the callbacks of my current view model are called.

[EisenbergEffect]

Did you try doing <button click.delegate="foo.currentViewModel.jump()">Click Me</button> ?

[olanod]

That should work, but I wish there was a simpler/prettier way because I have to access that more than once, and that's just an example, I actually have to use it in one place like this this.$parent.$parent.foo.currentViewModel.otherThing.someMethod()(btw it would be nice to get this $parent reference in nested routes automatically).
As you see it's getting ugly. Some other thing that could help is if the view model is injectable somehow.

[EisenbergEffect]

It can't be injectible because it can dynamically change at any time if it's bound. We could add an event to the compose element that fires whenever a composition completes.

[jdanyow]

@olanod can this be closed? This week's release eliminates the need to use $parent.

[jdanyow]

closing- @olanod please re-open if you're still having trouble with this.

[timfish]

I'm trying to use compose.ref with typescript but the currentViewModel doesn't exist in any definitions. Does that means it's not a public API or are the definitions incomplete?

[eamodio]

@jdanyow I had the same question as @timfish -- can currentViewModel safely be used?