angular2 forms - Remove all items from a FormArray in Angular

Question

I have a form array inside a FormBuilder and I am dynamically changing forms, i.e. on click load data from application 1 etc.

The issue I am having is that all the data loads in but the data in the FormArray stays and just concats the old items with new.

How do I clear that FormArray to only have the new items.

I've tried this

const control2 = <FormArray>this.registerForm.controls['other_Partners'];
control2.setValue([]);

but it doesn't work.

Any ideas?

ngOnInit(): void {
  this.route.params.subscribe(params => {
    if (params['id']) {
      this.id = Number.parseInt(params['id']);
    } else { this.id = null;}
  });
  if (this.id != null && this.id != NaN) {
    alert(this.id);
    this.editApplication();
    this.getApplication(this.id);
  } else {
    this.newApplication();
  }
}

onSelect(Editedapplication: Application) {
  this.router.navigate(['/apply', Editedapplication.id]);
}

editApplication() {
  this.registerForm = this.formBuilder.group({
    id: null,
    type_of_proposal: ['', Validators.required],
    title: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(5)]],
    lead_teaching_fellow: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(5)]],
    description: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(5)]],
    status: '',
    userID: JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('currentUser')).username,
    contactEmail: JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('currentUser')).email,
    forename: JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('currentUser')).firstname,
    surname: JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('currentUser')).surname,
    line_manager_discussion: true,
    document_url: '',
    keywords: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(5)]],
    financial_Details: this.formBuilder.group({
      id: null,
      buying_expertise_description: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(2)]],
      buying_expertise_cost: ['', [Validators.required]],
      buying_out_teaching_fellow_cost: ['', [Validators.required]],
      buying_out_teaching_fellow_desc: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(2)]],
      travel_desc: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(2)]],
      travel_cost: ['', [Validators.required]],
      conference_details_desc: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(2)]],
      conference_details_cost: ['', [Validators.required]],
    }),

    partners: this.formBuilder.array([
        //this.initEditPartner(),
        //this.initEditPartner()
        // this.initMultiplePartners(1)
      ]
    ),
    other_Partners: this.formBuilder.array([
      //this.initEditOther_Partners(),
    ])
  });
}

getApplication(id) {
  this.applicationService.getAppById(id, JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('currentUser')).username)
    .subscribe(Response => {
      if (Response.json() == false) {
        this.router.navigateByUrl('/');
      } else {
        this.application = Response.json();
        for (var i = 0; i < this.application.partners.length;i++) {
          this.addPartner();
        }
        for (var i = 0; i < this.application.other_Partners.length; i++) {
          this.addOther_Partner();
        }

        this.getDisabledStatus(Response.json().status);
        (<FormGroup>this.registerForm) .setValue(Response.json(), { onlySelf: true });
      }
    });
}

ngOnInit is not being called on click

Answer 1

I had same problem. There are two ways to solve this issue.

Preserve subscription

You can manually clear each FormArray element by calling the removeAt(i) function in a loop.

clearFormArray = (formArray: FormArray) => {
  while (formArray.length !== 0) {
    formArray.removeAt(0)
  }
}

The advantage to this approach is that any subscriptions on your formArray, such as that registered with formArray.valueChanges, will not be lost.

See the FormArray documentation for more information.

---

Cleaner method (but breaks subscription references)

You can replace whole FormArray with a new one.

clearFormArray = (formArray: FormArray) => {
  formArray = this.formBuilder.array([]);
}

This approach causes an issue if you're subscribed to the formArray.valueChanges observable! If you replace the FromArray with a new array, you will lose the reference to the observable that you're subscribed to.