How to divide a row into two colums with dynamic size

Question

I am trying to divide a row into two columns with the following properties

Each column will have text with a maxLines of 1 and overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis

Column 1 - label

Column 2 - value

The label will take a maximum of half the width The value should take the remaining available space

What happens in my code is that the value column gets a maximum of half the screen size even when the label is short

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(const MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  const MyApp({super.key});
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(
          title: const Text('Welcome to Flutter'),
        ),
        body: const MyRow(),
      ),
    );
  }
}
class MyRow extends StatelessWidget {
  const MyRow({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Row(
      crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
      mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.max,
      children: [
        Flexible(
          flex: 1,
          child: Text('label:' * 1, maxLines: 1, overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis),
        ),
        Expanded(
          flex: 1,
          child: Text('1 2 3 ' * 100, maxLines: 1, overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis),
        ),
      ],
    );
  }
}

user_1514861 · Answer

You could try to do it like this:

return Row(
  crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
  mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.max,
  children: [
    ConstrainedBox(
      constraints: BoxConstraints(maxWidth: MediaQuery.of(context).size.width / 2),
      child: Text('label: ' * 1, maxLines: 1, overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis),
    ),
    Expanded(
      flex: 1,
      child: Text('1 2 3 ' * 100, maxLines: 1, overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis),
    ),
  ],
);

user_12838877 · Answer

it caused you define on Flexible

flex: 1

from documentation, Expanded will fill available space, which is when you define flex:1 to Flexible widget, it will take a half space, then space availabe is only a half of screen.

if you want to specify to set maximum space for label, just use constrainedbox

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Row(
      crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
      mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.max,
      children: [
        ConstrainedBox(
          constraints:
              BoxConstraints(maxWidth: MediaQuery.of(context).size.width * 0.5),
          child: Text('label:' * 100,
              maxLines: 1, overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis),
        ),
        Expanded(
          child: Text('1 2 3 ' * 100,
              maxLines: 1, overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis),
        ),
      ],
    );
  }

user_1463518 · Answer

This works for me but it is a bit too complex

final textWidth = context.getTextWidth(labelStyle, item.value ?? "");

Row(
  children: [
    ConstrainedBox(
      constraints: BoxConstraints(
          maxWidth: max(
              constraints.maxWidth / 2, constraints.maxWidth - textWidth)),
      child: Text(
        '${(item.title)}: ',
        textAlign: TextAlign.start,
        overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis,
        maxLines: 1,
        style: labelStyle,
      ),
    ),
    Expanded(
      child: Text(
        item.value,
        textAlign: TextAlign.start,
        overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis,
        maxLines: 1,
        style: valueStyle,
      ),
    ),
  ],
);

extension TextExtension on BuildContext {
  Size getTextSize(TextStyle style, String? text) {
    final TextPainter textPainter = TextPainter(
      text: TextSpan(text: text ?? "M", style: style),
      maxLines: 1,
      textDirection: TextDirection.ltr,
      textScaleFactor: MediaQuery.textScaleFactorOf(this),
    )..layout();
    return textPainter.size;
  }

  double getTextWidth(TextStyle style, String text) {
    return getTextSize(style, text).width;
  }

user_18340828 · Answer

if not necessary to use row/column can you try with ListTile

const Scaffold(
  body: SafeArea(
    child: Card(
      elevation: 5,
      child: ListTile(
        leading: Icon(Icons.icecream),
        title: Text('I like icecream'),
        subtitle: Text('Icream is good for health'),
        trailing: Icon(Icons.food_bank),
      ),
    ),
  ),

);

How to divide a row into two colums with dynamic size

4 Answers