How to change the value of a client-side variable from the Meteor shell?

Question

In /lib/global.js I have:

footerButtons = ['x','y','z'];

I use this in a client-side Spacebars helper:

Template.footer.helpers({
  footerButtons: function(){
    return footerButtons;
  }
});

Then from the meteor shell I do:

footerButtons = ['a', 'b', 'c'];

After I ran this the client-side helper did not update.

Can a Meteor shell command change a client-side variable value?

Answer 1

Meteor shell interfaces directly with the server. While footerButtons is defined on both the client and the server, the Meteor shell command you execute will only affect the server value. Since there isn't reactivity built-in on a global variable like that, your footerButtons client value doesn't change. You'd have to use a Meteor.method or something to get the value from the server.