How to change React-Hook-Form defaultValue with useEffect()?

I am creating a page for user to update personal data with React-Hook-Form. Once paged is loaded, I use useEffect to fetch the user's current personal data and set them into default value of the form.

I put the fetched value into defaultValue of <Controller />. However, it is just not showing in the text box. Here is my code:

import React, {useState, useEffect, useCallback} from 'react';
import { useForm, Controller } from 'react-hook-form'
import { URL } from '../constants';

const UpdateUserData = props => {
    const [userData, setUserData] = useState(null);
    const { handleSubmit, control} = useForm({mode: 'onBlur'});

    const fetchUserData = useCallback(async account => {
        const userData = await fetch(`${URL}/user/${account}`)
                            .then(res=> res.json());
        console.log(userData);
        setUserData(userData);
    }, []);

    useEffect(() => {
        const account = localStorage.getItem('account');
        fetchUserData(account);
    }, [fetchUserData])

    const onSubmit = async (data) => {
        // TODO
    }

    return (
        <div>
            <form onSubmit={handleSubmit(onSubmit)}>
                <div>
                    <label>User Name:</label>
                    <Controller
                        as={<input type='text' />}
                        control={control}
                        defaultValue={userData ? userData.name : ''}
                        name='name'
                    />
                </div>
                
                <div>
                    <label>Phone:</label>
                    <Controller
                        as={<input type='text' />}
                        control={control}
                        defaultValue={userData ? userData.phone : ''}
                        name='phone'
                    />
                </div>
                <button>Submit</button>
            </form>
        </div>
    );
}

export default UpdateUserData;

The called API is working well and the value is actually set to userData state.

{
  name: "John",
  phone: "02-98541566"
  ...
}

I also tried to setUserData with mock data in useEffect(), and it doesn't work either. Is there any problem in my above code?


You can use setValue (https://react-hook-form.com/api/useform/setvalue).

Import it from useForm:

const { handleSubmit, control, setValue} = useForm({ mode: 'onBlur' });

Then call it with the user data after it's received:

useEffect(() => {
    if (userData) {
        setValue([
            { name: userData.name }, 
            { phone: userData.phone }
        ]);
    }
}, [userData]);

You can remove the default values from the form.

EDIT: See alternative answers below if this does not work.


@tam answer is halfway through what is needed to make it work with version 6.8.3.

You need to provide the default value but also to useEffect to reset. That particular distinction is required if you have a form that you reload with another entity. I have a complete example in CodeSanbox here.

In a nutshell: You need to define your defaultValues in the userForm.

 const { register, reset, handleSubmit } = useForm({
    defaultValues: useMemo(() => {
      return props.user;
    }, [props])
  });

Then you need to listen to potential change.

  useEffect(() => {
    reset(props.user);
  }, [props.user]);

The example in the Code Sandbox allows swapping between two users and have the form change its values.


setValue didn't work for me. Alternatively, you can use the reset method:

Reset either the entire form state or part of the form state.

Here is working code:

 /* registered address */
const [registeredAddresses, setRegisteredAddresses] = useState([]);

const { register, errors, handleSubmit, reset } = useForm <FormProps> ({
    validationSchema: LoginSchema,
});

/**
 * get addresses data
 */
const getRegisteredAddresses = async () => {
    try {
        const addresses = await AddressService.getAllAddress();
        setRegisteredAddresses(addresses);
        setDataFetching(false);
    } catch (error) {
        setDataFetching(false);
    }
};

useEffect(() => {
    getRegisteredAddresses();
}, []);

useEffect(() => {
    if (registeredAddresses) {
        reset({
            addressName: registeredAddresses[0].name,
            tel: registeredAddresses[0].contactNumber
        });
    }
}, [registeredAddresses]); 

@tommcandrew's setValue parameter formatting didn't work for me.

This format did:

useEffect(() => {
  const object = localStorage.getItem('object');
  setValue("name", object.name);
}, [])