Getting ref of component in async v-for - vue.js

Question

I have a list of items that don't get created until after an async call happens. I need to be able to get the getBoundingClientRect() of the first (or any) of the created items.
Take this code for instance:
<template>
<div v-if="loaded">
<div ref="myItems">
<div v-for="item in items">
<div>{{ item.name }}</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div v-else>
Loading...
</div>
</template>
<script>
import axios from 'axios';
export default {
data() {
return {
items: []
}
},
created() {
axios.get('/url/with/some/data.json').then((response) => {
this.items = response.data;
this.loaded = true;
}, (error) => {
console.log('unable to load items');
});
},
mounted() {
// $refs is empty here
console.log(this.$refs);
// this.$refs.myItems is undefined
}
};
</script>
So, I'm trying to access the myItems ref in the mounted() method, but the this.$refs is empty {} at this point. So, therefore, I tried using a component watch, and various other methods to determine when I can read the ref value, but have been unsuccessful.
Anyone able to lead me in the right direction?
As always, thanks again!!
UPDATES
Added a this.$watch in the mounted() method and the $refs still come back as {}. I then added the updated() method to the code, then was able to access $refs there and it seemed to work. But, I don't know if this is the correct solution?
How does vuejs normally handle something like dynamically moving a div to an on-screen position based on async data? This is similar to what I'm trying to do, grab an element on screen once it has been rendered first (if it even should be rendered at all based on the async data), then access it to do something with it (move it to a position)?

Answer 1

Instead of doing on this.$refs.myItems during mounted, you can do it after the axios promise returns the the response.
you also update items and loaded, sou if you want to use watch, you can use those

Answer 2

A little late, maybe it helps someone.
The problem is, you're using v-if, which means the element with ref="myItems" doesn't exist yet. In your code this only happens when Axios resolves i.e. this.loaded.
A better approach would be to use a v-show.
<template>
<div>
<div v-show="loaded">
<div ref="myItems">
<div v-if="loaded">
<div v-for="item in items">
<div>{{ item.name }}</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div v-show="!loaded">
Loading...
</div>
</div>
</template>
The difference is that an element with v-show will always be rendered and remain in the DOM; v-show only toggles the display CSS property of the element.
https://v2.vuejs.org/v2/guide/conditional.html#v-show