NativeScript/NativeScript · error · Error

element cannot be null or undefinied.

Error message

element cannot be null or undefinied.

What it means

FlexboxLayout's static attached-property helpers (setOrder/getOrder, setFlexGrow/getFlexGrow, setFlexShrink/getFlexShrink) require a View instance. validateArgs throws when the element argument is null or undefined.

Source

Thrown at packages/core/ui/layouts/flexbox-layout/flexbox-layout-common.ts:139

	}
}

export type AlignSelf = 'auto' | AlignItems;
export namespace AlignSelf {
	export const AUTO = 'auto';
	export const FLEX_START = 'flex-start';
	export const FLEX_END = 'flex-end';
	export const CENTER = 'center';
	export const BASELINE = 'baseline';
	export const STRETCH = 'stretch';

	export const isValid = makeValidator<AlignSelf>(AUTO, FLEX_START, FLEX_END, CENTER, BASELINE, STRETCH);
	export const parse = makeParser<AlignSelf>(isValid);
}

function validateArgs(element: View): View {
	if (!element) {
		throw new Error('element cannot be null or undefinied.');
	}

	return element;
}

/**
 * A common base class for all cross platform flexbox layout implementations.
 */
@CSSType('FlexboxLayout')
export abstract class FlexboxLayoutBase extends LayoutBase {
	get flexDirection(): FlexDirection {
		return this.style.flexDirection;
	}
	set flexDirection(value: FlexDirection) {
		this.style.flexDirection = value;
	}

	get flexWrap(): FlexWrap {

View on GitHub (pinned to 6800aefa65)

Solutions

1. Ensure a real View is passed to all six helpers
2. Check getViewById()/lookups for undefined before use
3. Guard calls with if (child)

Example fix

// before
FlexboxLayout.setOrder(container.getViewById('a'), 2);
// after
const a = container.getViewById('a');
if (a) {
  FlexboxLayout.setOrder(a, 2);
}

const child = flexbox.getViewById('item');
if (child != null) {
  FlexboxLayout.setOrder(child, 1);
  FlexboxLayout.setFlexGrow(child, 1);
}

function isNonNull<T>(v: T | null | undefined): v is T {
  return v != null;
}

try {
  FlexboxLayout.setFlexGrow(child, 2);
} catch (e) {
  if (String(e.message).includes('element cannot be null')) {
    // re-resolve or skip child
  }
}

When it happens

Trigger: FlexboxLayout.setOrder(null, 1), getFlexGrow(undefined), setFlexShrink(view-not-loaded, 0); passing result of a failed getViewById().

Common situations: Configuring flex children before they are added/looked up; variables cleared after view removal; copy-paste calling helpers with the wrong variable.

Related errors

• element cannot be null or undefinied.
• element cannot be null or undefinied.
• source is null or undefined
• target is null or undefined
• eventName is not a string

AI-assisted analysis of NativeScript/NativeScript@6800aefa65 (2026-08-30). Data as JSON: /api/errors/24e4c2dd55810a6d. Report an issue: GitHub.