Issue with dynamic display using st.session_state in Streamlit

[AntoniaJost]

Description

I've currently enhanced our Streamlit app to include an option for users to toggle the display of detailed, additional information (such as plots and additional data) beyond an initial report. The goal is to allow users to view or hide this extra information at will, without re-triggering the generation of the main report.

Expected Behavior

The ideal functionality would enable toggling additional information on/off seamlessly after the report is being created:

• When toggled on, the additional information should display immediately without regenerating the initial report.
• When toggled off, the additional information should hide instantly, again without affecting the initial report.

Current Behavior

Unfortunately, leveraging st.session_state for this purpose leads to suboptimal behaviour. The current implementation requires users to press the "generate" button again to apply changes in the toggle state (show/hide additional information). This results in the entire report being re-rendered, which is not the desired outcome.

Attempted Workarounds

Several workarounds to manipulate st.session_state were attempted, but none provided a satisfactory solution to update the UI dynamically in the desired manner.

Possible Solutions

1. Maintain Current Implementation (current "solution"): Accept the limitation and require users to regenerate the report to toggle additional information.
2. Use Expanders: Move the additional information into expanders instead of using a toggle for immediate display/hide functionality, acknowledging the compromise on UI aesthetics.
3. Seeking Suggestions: Open to any alternative approaches or insights that might circumvent the current limitations with st.session_state.

Additional Context

This issue seems to be rooted in the way Streamlit handles session states and dynamic UI updates. It reflects a broader challenge with achieving interactive logic in Streamlit applications without compromising user experience or app performance.