> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://rive.app/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Inputs

> ⚠️ DEPRECATED: Use Data Binding instead of Inputs for controlling Rive animations

<Warning>
  **DEPRECATION NOTICE:** This entire page documents the legacy Inputs system.
  **For new projects:** Use <Link href="data-binding">Data Binding</Link> instead.
  **For existing projects:** Plan to migrate from Inputs to Data Binding as soon
  as possible. **This content is provided for legacy support only.**
</Warning>

For more information on creating Inputs in Rive, please refer to: [Inputs](/editor/state-machine/inputs).

## Controlling state machine inputs

Once the Rive file is loaded and instantiated, the state machine can be queried for inputs, and these input values can be set, and in the case of triggers, fired, all programmatically.

<Note>
  Inputs can also be set on components at runtime, see [Nested
  Inputs](#nested-inputs) below.
</Note>

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="New Runtime (Recommended)">
    <Warning>
      This functionality is deprecated. We recommend using [react-native/Data Binding](runtimes/react-native/data-binding).
    </Warning>

    You can access the methods to control data binding input on the view reference:

    ```ts theme={null}
    export default function StateMachineInputsExample() {
      const { riveViewRef, setHybridRef } = useRive();
      const { riveFile } = useRiveFile(require('../../assets/rive/rating.riv'));

      useEffect(() => {
        if (riveViewRef) {
          try {
            // Original value
            console.log(
              'Number value: ',
              riveViewRef.getNumberInputValue('rating')
            );
            // Set the value of the input
            riveViewRef.setNumberInputValue('rating', 3.0);
            console.log(
              'Number value: ',
              riveViewRef.getNumberInputValue('rating')
            );
            // Add a delay to allow the view controller to be ready
            setTimeout(() => {
              console.log(
                'Number value after delay: ',
                riveViewRef.getNumberInputValue('rating')
              );
            }, 16);
          } catch (err) {
            console.error(err);
          }
        }
      }, [riveViewRef]);

      return (
        <View style={styles.riveContainer}>
          {riveFile ? (
            <RiveView
              style={styles.rive}
              autoPlay={true}
              file={riveFile}
              hybridRef={setHybridRef}
            />
          ) : null}
        </View>
      );
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Legacy Runtime">
    ### Inputs

    With the React Native runtime, most methods/triggers are available on the ref of the `Rive` component, including setting input values/triggering for state machines. In this case, there is no need to acquire an instance of an input. Simply set the input state from the Rive `ref` or fire an input state.

    ```javascript theme={null}
    export default function StateMachine() {
        const riveRef = React.useRef<RiveRef>(null);
        // Maintain the values of your state machine in React state
        const [selectedLevel, setSelectedLevel] = useState('2');

        const setLevel = (n: number) => {
            setSelectedLevel(n.toString());
            // No need to acquire an instance of a state machine input, just set the
            // input state on the `riveRef` itself
            riveRef.current?.setInputState("Designer's Test", 'Level', n);
        };

        return (
            <SafeAreaView style={styles.safeAreaViewContainer}>
                <ScrollView contentContainerStyle={styles.container}>
                    <Rive
                        resourceName={'skills'}
                        ref={riveRef}
                        autoplay={true}
                        stateMachineName="Designer's Test"
                    />
                    <RadioButton.Group
                        onValueChange={(newValue) => setLevel(parseInt(newValue, 10))}
                        value={selectedLevel}
                    >
                        <View style={styles.radioButtonsWrapper}>
                            <View style={styles.radioButtonWrapper}>
                                <Text>{'Beginner'}</Text>
                                <RadioButton value={'0'} />
                            </View>
                            <View style={styles.radioButtonWrapper}>
                                <Text>{'Intermediate'}</Text>
                                <RadioButton value={'1'} />
                            </View>
                            <View style={styles.radioButtonWrapper}>
                                <Text>{'Expert'}</Text>
                                <RadioButton value={'2'} />
                            </View>
                        </View>
                    </RadioButton.Group>
                </ScrollView>
            </SafeAreaView>
        );
    }
    ```

    <Note>
      See the [React Native API's](/runtimes/react-native/rive-ref-methods#.setinputstate) to learn more about the parameters for `.setInputState()` and `.fireState()`
    </Note>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Nested Inputs

<Warning>
  **⚠️ DEPRECATED FEATURE:** Nested Inputs are part of the legacy Inputs system.
  **Use <Link href="data-binding">Data Binding</Link> instead** for controlling
  component properties at runtime.
</Warning>

You can control the inputs of [Components](editor/fundamentals/components) at runtime. These inputs are not on the main artboard but on a component. To set a nested input, you need to know the **path** where the input exists at an artboard level.

#### Example

![Image](https://ucarecdn.com/2b241b74-91d1-4a7b-b18f-32c3ff94762d/)

<Warning>
  * Use the artboard's unique **hierarchy name**, not the **artboard's name**.
  * Do not include the name of the main artboard. In the example above, the path is `Volume Molecule`, not `Menu/Volume Molecule`.
  * Ensure the components are [marked as exported](/editor/exporting/exporting-names) in the editor to access them at runtime:

  ![Image](https://ucarecdn.com/2280e7c9-2e91-4cf6-89c6-b122e1b2b5e7/)
</Warning>

You can go as many components deep as needed. For example, the **Volume Molecule** artboard shown above has two components with the following unique hierarchy names:

* `Volume Component`
* `FX Component`

<Note>
  Once you go more than one component deep the path will be a `/` separated
  string of the unique hierarchy names.
</Note>

![Image](https://ucarecdn.com/8ba625a6-7f9a-46fe-afaf-8e3bc562dc45/)

If you load in the **Menu** artboard at runtime, and want to get/set an input on the `FX Component` artboard, the path will be `Volume Molecule/FX Component`

<Warning>
  Do not use `/` in the name for your components, as that will break the search
  functionality at runtime.
</Warning>

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="New Runtime (Recommended)">
    <Warning>
      **Note:** The new runtime recommends using [Data Binding](/runtimes/react-native/data-binding) instead of the legacy Inputs system for controlling nested component properties.
    </Warning>

    The new runtime primarily uses data binding for controlling nested properties. See the [Data Binding documentation](/runtimes/react-native/data-binding) for details.

    <Note>
      For examples of using data binding with nested properties in the new runtime, see the [example app](https://github.com/rive-app/rive-nitro-react-native/blob/main/example/src/demos/QuickStart.tsx).
    </Note>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Legacy Runtime">
    To set the **Volume** input for the above example:

    ```tsx theme={null}
    riveRef.current?.setInputStateAtPath("volume", 80.0, "Volume Molecule/Volume Component");
    ```

    **All options:**

    * `setInputStateAtPath(inputName: string, value: boolean | number, path: string)`
    * `fireStateAtPath(inputName: string, path: string)`
  </Tab>
</Tabs>