Develop Reference

Processing array of data with promise

I'm seeking guidance on how best to handle the following scenario. I'm fairly new to JS and async development, so I'm trying to understand the best way to handle this. I call one api (callAPI) which returns an array of items. I need to take those items and send them to another api (callAPI2) but that api doesn't have a bulk method, so I have to call the api for each item in the array. Below is how I have it structured: getArray promise returns the first array, I send the array to promise 2 (getIndividualData) where I loop and call the second api. I'm wondering if there are better ways to structure this? If I pass in a large array, I may need to pace the calls to the api so I don't get throttled... so maybe I need some version of Promise.all?
let getArray = function() {
return new Promise(function(resolve,reject) {
callApi.get().on('success', function(result, response) {
resolve(result);
});
});
}
let getIndividualData = function(arrayOfItems) {
return new Promise(function(resolve,reject) {
var responseArray = [];
for(var i = 0; i < arrayOfItems.length; i++) {
callApi2.get(arrayOfItems[i]).on('success', function(result, response) {
responseArray.push(result);
});
}
resolve(responseArray);
});
}
let failureCallback = function() {
return "Error!";
}
getArray().then(function(response) {
return getIndividualData(response);
}).then(function(finalArray) {
console.log(`The final array is ${JSON.stringify(finalArray)}`);
}).catch(failureCallback);

You can make a request for each item in a large array without getting throttled by implementing a concurrency throttler with a Set of Promises and async/await syntax. I've duplicated your code below, modifying the implementation of getIndividualData and passing in concurrency as an option.
let getArray = function() {
return new Promise(function(resolve,reject) {
callApi.get().on('success', function(result, response) {
resolve(result);
});
});
}
let getIndividualData = async function(arrayOfItems, { concurrency }) {
var promiseSet = new Set(),
responseArray = [],
i = 0;
while (i < arrayOfItems.length) {
if (promiseSet.size >= concurrency) {
await Promise.race(promiseSet)
}
const promise = new Promise(function(resolve,reject) {
callApi2.get(arrayOfItems[i]).on('success', function(result, response) {
resolve(result)
})
})
responseArray.push(promise.then(result => {
promiseSet.delete(promise)
return result
}))
i += 1
}
return Promise.all(responseArray)
}
let failureCallback = function() {
return "Error!";
}
getArray().then(function(response) {
return getIndividualData(response, { concurrency: 10 });
}).then(function(finalArray) {
console.log(`The final array is ${JSON.stringify(finalArray)}`);
}).catch(failureCallback);

Reformulating this to a helper that promisifies an object that has an .on('success') event handler and an async function for the top-level .then()ish code gives us something like this...
To pace the API calls, add in p-limit or similar to getIndividualData.
function promisifyOnSuccessObj(onSuccessObj) {
return new Promise((resolve) => {
onSuccessObj.on("success", (result, response) => resolve(result));
// TODO: what about `response`?
// TODO: onSuccessObj.on('error')..?
});
}
function getIndividualData(arrayOfItems) {
// Returns an array of promises
return arrayOfItems.map((item) =>
promisifyOnSuccessObj(callApi2.get(item)),
);
}
async function doThings() {
const result = await promisifyOnSuccessObj(callApi.get());
const individualDatas = await Promise.all(getIndividualData(result));
console.log(`The final array is ${JSON.stringify(individualDatas)}`);
}

You could combine Promise.all, map and async...await syntax and in the end get one array of resolved individual promises based on the previous resolved array promise.
const mockApi = {
request: (response) => {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
setTimeout(() => resolve(response), 1000)
})
},
getArray() {
return this.request(['foo', 'bar', 'baz'])
},
getItem(item) {
return this.request(`Resolved: ${item}`)
}
}
async function getData() {
const array = await mockApi.getArray();
const final = await Promise.all(array.map(e => mockApi.getItem(e)));
console.log(final)
}
getData()

function inside function is not waiting for promise in javascript

Sorry if my title is not very explicit I dont know how to explain this properly.
I am trying to use the distinct function for my app that uses loopback 3 and mongodb. It seems to work right but my endpoint wont hit the return inside my function.
This is my code
const distinctUsers = await sellerCollection.distinct('userId',{
hostId : host.id,
eventId:{
"$ne" : eventId
}
}, async function (err, userIds) {;
if(!userIds || userIds.length ==0)
return [];
const filter = {
where:{
id: {
inq: userIds
}
}
};
console.log("should be last")
return await BPUser.find(filter);
});
console.log(distinctUsers);
console.log("wtf??");
//return [];
If I uncomment the return [] it will send the return and later it will show the should be last, so even when I dont have the return it seems to finish. It is now waiting for the response. I dont like the way my code looks so any pointer of how to make this look better I will take it.

It looks like the sellerCollection.distinct takes a callback as one of it's parameters, therefore, you cannot use async/await with a callback-style function, since it's not a promise.
I would suggest turning this call into a promise if you'd like to use async/await:
function findDistinct(hostId, eventId) {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
sellerCollection.distinct(
'userId',
{ hostId, eventId: { "$ne": eventId } },
function (error, userIds) {
if (error) {
reject(error);
return;
}
if (!userIds || userIds.length === 0) {
resolve([]);
return;
}
resolve(userIds);
}
)
})
}
Then, you can use this new function with async/await like such:
async function getDistinctUsers() {
try {
const hostId = ...
const eventId = ...
const distinctUsers = await findDistinct(hostId, eventId)
if (distinctUsers.length === 0) {
return
}
const filter = {
where: {
id: { inq: userIds }
}
}
const bpUsers = await BPUser.find(filter) // assuming it's a promise
console.log(bpUsers)
} catch (error) {
// handle error
}
}

Redis Client del function not being called inside a for loop

I have been trying to call the redisClient.del function inside a for loop and the function is not returning any state.
studentSchema.methods.generateAuthToken = function () {
let admin = this;
let access = 'student';
let token = jwt.sign({ _id: student._id.toHexString(), access }, HRCSECRET).toString();
student.tokens.forEach(element => {
console.log(element.token);
redisClient.del(element.token, (err, result) => {
if(err){
console.log(err);
}
else{
console.log(result);
}
})
});
student.tokens = [{ access, token }];
return student.save().then(() => { return token; });
};
There is no console.log statement printed during the execution

Did you try to check in Redis-cli is your stuff deleted?
Just a little refactor below
studentSchema.methods.generateAuthToken = async () => {
// your code before
const promises = []
student.tokens.forEach(element => {
promises.push(redisClient.del(element.token))
})
await Promise.all(promises)
// your next code
}

In Node, how do I request JSON from multiple URLs using promises?

Please forgive the fairly case-specific question, though I think the general end goal could be of use to other people.
Goal: Populate a MongoDB with data requested from multiple JSON API URLs.
Short question: So far I've had some success with request-promise, which uses Bluebird:
var rp = require('request-promise');
var options = {
uri: 'http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qsq5.json',
headers: {
'User-Agent': 'Request-Promise'
},
json: true
};
rp(options)
.then(function (body) {
// Mongoose allows us query db for existing PID and upsert
var query = {pid: body.programme.pid},
update = {
name: body.programme.title,
pid: body.programme.pid,
desc: body.programme.short_synopsis
},
options = { upsert: true, new: true };
// Find the document
Programme.findOneAndUpdate(query, update, options, function(err, result) {
if (err) return res.send(500, { error: err });
return res.send("succesfully saved");
});
})
.catch(function (err) {
return res.send(err);
})
But how do I loop over an array of URLs, without the program failing if any of the promises are rejected?
Something like this for example, using Bluebird, fails if any of the URLs errors.
const urls = ['http://google.be', 'http://google.uk']
Promise.map(urls, rp)
.map((htmlOnePage, index) => {
return htmlOnePage;
})
.then(console.log)
.catch((e) => console.log('We encountered an error' + e));
As I want to write to the DB with successful requests, and ignore those that might not be responding right then, I need something that skips over rejected promises, which .all does not do.
Long question:
I've been reading up about promises all day and it's making my head hurt! But I've found some good resources, such as https://pouchdb.com/2015/05/18/we-have-a-problem-with-promises.html, which mentions the use of a Promise factory. Would this work for my case? I initially thought I should make each request, process the result and add it to the DB, then move on to the next request; but having seen .all I thought I should do all the requests, save the results in an array and loop over that with my DB saving function.
Should I even be using Promises for this? Maybe I should just make use of something like async.js and run my requests in series.
Thanks very much for any help or ideas.

But how do I loop over an array of URLs, without the program failing if any of the promises are rejected?
if you return a value from .catch other than a rejected promise, you will return a resolved promise
So, your .then for each individual request could return an object like
{
success: true,
result: whateverTheResultIs
}
and your catch returns
{
success: false,
error: whateverTheErrorIs
}
Really you don't NEED the success property, it's a convenience though
So the code would be - assuming process(url) returns a Promise
Promise.map(urls, url =>
process(url)
.then(result => ({result, success:true}))
.catch(error => ({error, success:false}))
)
.then(results => {
let succeeded = results.filter(result => result.success).map(result => result.result);
let failed = results.filter(result => !result.success).map(result => result.error);
});
Or, in ES5
Promise.map(urls, function (url) {
return process(url).then(function (result) {
return { result: result, success: true };
}).catch(function (error) {
return { error: error, success: false };
});
}).then(function (results) {
var succeeded = results.filter(function (result) {
return result.success;
}).map(function (result) {
return result.result;
});
var failed = results.filter(function (result) {
return !result.success;
}).map(function (result) {
return result.error;
});
});

I don't know if this fit your case, but I think You can use a counter to check when all promises has returned, regardless of the fact that each one has been resolved or rejected
var heroes = [
'Superman',
'Batman',
'Spiderman',
'Capitan America',
'Ironman',
];
function getHero(hero) {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
setTimeout(() => {
return Math.round(Math.random()) ? resolve(hero + ' lives') : reject(hero + ' dead');
}, Math.random() * 3000)
})
}
function checkHeroes() {
var checked = heroes.length;
heroes.forEach((hero) => {
getHero(hero)
.then((res) => {
checked --;
console.log(res);
if (!checked) done();
})
.catch((err) => {
checked --;
console.log(err);
if (!checked) done();
});
})
}
function done() {
console.log('All heroes checked');
}
checkHeroes();

I think your issue is less about the bluebird api than structuring your promise chain.
const reducePropsToRequests = (props) => Promise.resolve(Object
.keys(props)
.reduce((acc, key) => {
acc[key] = request(sources[key]);
return acc;
}, {}));
const hashToCollection = (hash) => Promise.resolve(Object
.keys(hash)
.reduce((acc, k) => {
return [...acc, {source: k, data: hash[k]}];
}, []));
const fetchFromSources = (sources) => Promise.props(sources);
const findSeveralAndUpdate = (results) => Promise
.each(results.map(obj => {
// you have access to original {a: 'site.com'}
// here, so use that 'a' prop to your advantage by abstracting out
// your db config somewhere outside your service
return Programme.findOneAndUpdate(someConfig[obj.source], obj.data);
}))
const requestFromSeveralAndUpdate = (sources) => reducePropsToRequests(sources)
.then(fetchFromSources)
.then(hashToCollection)
.then(findSeveralAndUpdate)
.catch(/* some err handler */);
requestFromSeveralAndUpdate({ a: 'site.com', b: 'site.net' });

I'd just use request and write my own promise with try catch inside that only resolves. Pseudo example below
var request = require('request')
var urls = ['http://sample1.com/json', 'http://sample2.com/json']
var processUrl = (url) => {
return new Promise((resolve,reject)=> {
var result;
try {
var myRequest = {
uri: url,
method: 'GET',
header: {...}
};
request(option, (res,body,err)=> {
if(err) {
result = err;
return;
}
result = body;
})
}
catch(e) {
result = e;
}
finally {
resolve(result)
}
})
}

Promises are not behaving as I expect them to

I'm using Express for routing and Sequelize for DB management.
app.get('/api/users/:username', (req, res) => {
let username = req.params.username;
findChattersPerRole()
.then(chattersPerRole => {
console.log('instakbot should\'ve been added by now...');
});
});
The function findChattersPerRole returns an object with each user's username and role as another object.
const findChattersPerRole = () => {
return fetch('https://tmi.twitch.tv/group/user/instak/chatters')
.then(parseJSON)
.then(r => {
let chatters = r.chatters;
let chattersPerRole = Object.keys(chatters).map(role => {
return chatters[role].map(username => {
console.log('findOrCreateViewer will be executed after this');
findOrCreateViewer(username, role);
return {
username: username,
role: role
};
});
});
return Promise.resolve(flattenDeep(chattersPerRole));
}).catch(err => {
console.log(`Error in fetch: ${err}`);
});
};
The problem is, in my route, I expect the console.log('instakbot should\'ve been added by now...'); to be executed AFTER my viewers got inserted into the database because in my function findChattersPerRole I already insert them with the function findOrCreateViewer. I expect this to happen because in my route I write the console.log when findChattersPerRole() is resolved...
const findOrCreateViewer = (username, role) => {
return Viewer.findOrCreate({
where: {
username
},
defaults: {
instakluiten: 5,
role
}
}).spread((unit, created) => {
console.log('unit is: ', unit.dataValues.username);
if(created){
return `created is ${created}`;
}else{
return unit;
}
});
};
However, in my terminal you can see that this is not the way it's happening... Why aren't my promises being executed at the expected time?
Screenshot of my terminal

The return {username: ...} after findOrCreateViewer(username, role); happens immediately after the function is called and before any data has been inserted. That also means that return Promise.resolve(flattenDeep(chattersPerRole)); happens before any data has been inserted, etc.
You said findOrCreateViewer returns a promise, so you need to wait until that promise is resolved (i.e. wait until after the data was inserted) before continuing with something else.
You want chattersPerRole to be an array of (arrays of) promises and only proceed after all the promises are resolved.
This is easy to do with Promise.all:
const findChattersPerRole = () => {
return fetch('https://tmi.twitch.tv/group/user/instak/chatters')
.then(parseJSON)
.then(r => {
let chatters = r.chatters;
let chattersPerRole = Object.keys(chatters).map(
role => chatters[role].map(username => {
console.log('findOrCreateViewer will be executed after this');
return findOrCreateViewer(username, role).then(
() => ({username, role})
);
});
);
return Promise.all(flattenDeep(chattersPerRole));
}).catch(err => {
console.log(`Error in fetch: ${err}`);
});
};
Now the promise returned by findChattersPerRole will be resolved after all the promises returned by findOrCreateViewer are resolved.

Promises are doing no magic. Returning a promise doesn't mean that calling the function will block, but rather that you can easily chain callbacks to do something with the result. You'll need to use
function findChattersPerRole() {
return fetch('https://tmi.twitch.tv/group/user/instak/chatters')
.then(parseJSON)
.then(r => {
let chatters = r.chatters;
let chattersPerRole = Object.keys(chatters).map(role => {
return chatters[role].map(username => {
console.log('findOrCreateViewer will be executed after this');
return findOrCreateViewer(username, role).then(() => {
// ^^^^^^ ^^^^^
return {
username: username,
role: role
};
});
});
});
return Promise.all(flattenDeep(chattersPerRole));
// ^^^ get a promise for an array of results from an array of promises
}).catch(err => {
console.log(`Error in fetch: ${err}`);
});
}