Cannot access 'variable_name' before initialization

Question

When using reactive variables by declaring them using the $: syntax, you get the following error.

Cannot access 'variable_name' before initialization

Here is the code:

App.svelte

<script>
    import { ledzep, redhotchilis } from './data.js'
    
    $: bandmembers = [...ledzep, ...redhotchilis]
    
    let namesWithA = bandmembers.filter(d => {
            if (d.indexOf('a') > 0) {               
                return true;
            }
        else {
            return false
        }
    })
    
</script>
<h2>Band Members</h2>
<ul>
{#each bandmembers as member}
    <li>{member}</li>
{/each}
</ul>

<h2>Members with "A" in their names</h2>
<ul>
{#each namesWithA as member}
    <li>{member}</li>
{/each}
</ul>

data.js

export const ledzep = ["Jimmy Page", "John Bonham", "Robert Plant", "John Paul Jones"]
export const redhotchilis = ["Anthony Kiedis", "Flea", "Chad Smith", "Josh Klinghoffer"]

Answer 1

When you assign variables using $: you cannot assign them as part of other variables declared using let, const, or var.

When you do assignments using $:, you can only use them in other variables assigned using $:. In the code posted above, you need to change the following lines:

let namesWithA = bandmembers.filter(d => {
            if (d.indexOf('a') > 0) {               
                return true;
            }
        else {
            return false
        }
    })

to the following:

$: namesWithA = bandmembers.filter(d => {
            if (d.indexOf('a') > 0) {               
                return true;
            }
        else {
            return false
        }
    })

It took me a while to figure this out and just wanted to share this with any other Svelte newbies that are starting out in this new technology.