Problem
I'm trying to get the diskName value back from this.getDiskName('C:')
and assign it to element['name']:
getDisksInfo () {
...
element['name'] = this.getDiskName('C:')
...
},
getDiskName (diskLetter) {
if (process.platform == 'win32') {
var exec = require('child_process').exec
var cmd = `wmic logicaldisk where caption="${diskLetter}" get VolumeName`
exec(cmd, (err, stdout, stderr) => {
if (err) {
console.log(err)
}
let diskName = stdout.split('\n')[1]
return diskName
})
}
}
I tried doing this, but I keep getting different errors:
getDiskName (diskLetter, callback) {
...
exec(cmd, (err, stdout, stderr) => {
if callback(null, () => {
let diskName = stdout.split('\n')[1]
return diskName
})
...
}
Question
Could someone please explain how to return the value properly?
Your problem is that you are missing either a callback coming into getDiskName() or a Promise() coming out.
Since the Promise approach seems to be more popular nowadays, I'll go with that for this answer.
With a Promise approach, you need the function to return a Promise. In most cases, you just wrap all the code up in a Promise and return that:
getDiskName(diskLetter) {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
// rest of your code in the function
});
}
Then, instead of your return, you'll call resolve():
let diskName = stdout.split('\n')[1];
resolve(diskName)
And for your error, you'll call reject:
if (err) {
reject(err);
}
Then, in the function that uses it, you'll have to wait for the then() in your function:
this.getDiskName('C:').then(diskName => console.log(diskName))
The callback method is similar, you just pass in the callback into getDiskName and call it when you're ready.
This is a more idiomatic method to handle a case like this. We'll pass a function in to getDiskName which takes the disk name (which is the return value) as a parameter.
getDisksInfo () {
...
this.getDiskName('C:', function(diskName) {
element['name'] = diskName;
});
// Note that code from here to the end doesn't have access
// to element['name']
...
},
getDiskName (diskLetter, func) {
if (process.platform == 'win32') {
var exec = require('child_process').exec
var cmd = `wmic logicaldisk where caption="${diskLetter}" get VolumeName`
exec(cmd, (err, stdout, stderr) => {
if (err) {
console.log(err)
}
let diskName = stdout.split('\n')[1]
func(diskName);
})
}
}
Now, this still might not work for you since perhaps you have code after the call which relies on knowing the diskName. In that case, you would probably roll that code into your anonymous function. Perhaps getDisksInfo takes a function as a parameter instead.
This is the general pattern, you have to determine how it best fits in your program.
Related
Please help trying to get this function to return value back to my main process. currently everything shows in the console however if I return the object its blank or undefined
const GetSelectDeviceFromDB = () => {
db.all("SELECT * FROM device_list", function (err, rows) {
rows.forEach(function (row) {
console.log(row.device);
return row.device;
});
});
};
module.exports = { GetSelectDeviceFromDB };
OUPUTS:
console.log =. { device1, device2 }
return = undefined and if I add the return to the beginning of the sql statement I get {}
Since all() method is asynchronous and it is using a callback, you can turn your method into a method like this:
const GetSelectDeviceFromDB = () => new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
db.all('SELECT * FROM device_list', (err, rows) => {
if (err) {
reject(err);
}
const devices = rows.map((row) => row.device);
resolve(devices);
});
});
It will return a Promise, so you can call it like this:
GetSelectDeviceFromDB().then(devices => { ... })
Returning from forEach isn't a good idea, returning from another object's method (db.all in you case) isn't either. You need to return exactly in the first scope of the lambda function, somewhere outside of db.all(...). But in this case it's an async method, so you should make your whole function async or a Promise
I'm new to js. I've read many of the prior stack overflow posts on asynchronicity but still don't understand the question below.
I have the following code to upload an image file to an S3 bucket. The key thing the code needs to achieve is to have the image1 variable in the parent store the information in the data variable from the s3.upload call in the child function.
My code using promises below works fine. My understanding is that the same thing can be done using callbacks only, and I've been trying to rewrite the code below with callbacks only as a learning exercise, but it has not worked. How would I change this code to do the same thing with callbacks and no promises?
Parent function:
try {
image1 = await uploadToAWSBucket(file);
}
catch (error) {
return next(error);
}
Child:
const uploadToAWSBucket = async (fileObject) => {
let randomFileName = shortid.generate();
const AWSUploadObject = {
Bucket: BUCKET_NAME,
Key: randomFileName,
Body: fileObject.buffer,
ContentType: fileObject.mimetype,
};
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
s3.upload(AWSUploadObject, (err, data) => {
if (err) {
return reject(err);
}
return resolve(data);
});
});
};
At first, you need to add a callback arg to you async function, removing async keyword
const uploadToAWSBucket = (fileObject, callback) => {
Next, you need to handle s3 response in a callback manner replacing Promise with callback usage.
s3.upload(AWSUploadObject, (err, data) => {
if (err) {
callback(err);
return;
}
callback(null, data);
});
Or maybe you can even simplify it to
s3.upload(AWSUploadObject, callback)
You also need to update your usage to a callback manner
uploadToAWSBucket(file, (error, image1) => {
if (error) {
next(error);
return;
}
// your success code here
});
The final result is
const uploadToAWSBucket = (fileObject, callback) => {
let randomFileName = shortid.generate();
const AWSUploadObject = {
Bucket: BUCKET_NAME,
Key: randomFileName,
Body: fileObject.buffer,
ContentType: fileObject.mimetype,
};
s3.upload(AWSUploadObject, callback);
};
That's it. I hope this explanation will help you to understand how to use callbacks.
If my understanding is correct, you want to use image1 after the catch block.
In that case, I suppose, you will be calling some function with image1. It can be done as follows, with some snippets taken from this answer:
const uploadToAWSBucket = (fileObject, callback) => { ... }; // described in the linked answer
uploadToAWSBucket(file, function callback(error, image1) {
if(error) { return next(error); }
someOtherFunction(image1, next); // "next" is passed as callback, with the assumption that nothing else needed to be called after that.
});
If you want to call 2 more functions with the result of someOtherFunction, it can be done as follows:
uploadToAWSBucket(file, function callback(error, image1) {
if(error) { return next(error); }
someOtherFunction(image1, function someOtherFunctionCb(error, someOtherFunctionResult) {
if(error) { return next(error); }
someOtherFunction2(someOtherFunctionResult, function someOtherFunction2Cb(error, someOtherFunction2Result) {
if(error) { return next(error); }
someOtherFunction3(someOtherFunction2Result, function someOtherFunction3Cb(error, someOtherFunction3Result) {
if(error) { return next(error); }
next(null, someOtherFunction3Result);
});
});
});
});
Basically, you cannot have local global variables if you use callbacks. I will try to explain a problem situation.
let image1 = null;
uploadToAWSBucket(file, function uploadToAWSBucketCallback(error, _image1) {
if(error) { return next(error); }
image1 = _image1;
});
someOtherFunction(image1, function someOtherFunctionCb(error, someOtherFunctionResult) {
if(error) { return next(error); }
...
});
In the above snippet, someOtherFunction will be called before uploadToAWSBucketCallback is executed. That means, image1 is not assigned with _image1. Now, you know what will be the value of image1 when someOtherFunction is called.
The second snippet shows how to pass result of one async function to another, by nesting the subsequent calls inside the callbacks. This makes code less readable for many. There are libraries like async, which helps to make things easier & readable.
The second snippet can be rewritten with async library's waterfall function like this:
async.waterfall([
function uploadToAWSBucketStep(callback) {
uploadToAWSBucket(file, callback);
},
function someOtherFunctionStep(image1, callback) {
someOtherFunction(image1, callback);
},
function someOtherFunction2Step(someOtherFunctionResult, callback) {
someOtherFunction2(someOtherFunctionResult, callback);
},
function someOtherFunction3Step(someOtherFunction2Result, callback) {
someOtherFunction3(someOtherFunction2Result, callback);
}
], function lastStep(error, someOtherFunction3Result) {
if(error) { return next(error); };
next(null, someOtherFunction3Result);
});
Promisifcation of a callback-based function is well understood and well documented.
I have never seen a discussion of "de-promisification", but it is pretty simple.
Starting with your uploadToAWSBucket() and assuming you want your callback to be "nodeback" style (signature (err, data)), then you can write:
const uploadToAWSBucketNodeback = (fileObject, nodeback) => {
uploadToAWSBucket(fileObject) // call the promise-returning "async" version.
.then(data => { // success path
nodeback(null, data);
})
.catch(nodeback); // error path
};
Or you could write a generic de-promisifier ...
const depromisify = (asyncFunction) => {
return function(...params) {
let nodeback = params.pop(); // strip nodeback off the end of params
asyncFunction(...params)
.then(data => { // success path
nodeback(null, data);
})
.catch(nodeback); // error path
}
};
... then
const uploadToAWSBucketNodeback = depromisify(uploadToAWSBucket);
Either approach will allow you to write:
uploadToAWSBucketNodeback(fileObject, function(err, data)) {
if(err) {
// handle error
} else {
// handle data
}
}
Notes
we just need to know that the original asyncFunction is thenable/catchable.
the original asyncFunction is completely opaque to the depromisified function.
we don't need to know anything about the internal workings of the original asyncFunction. Thus, the composition of AWSUploadObject doesn't need to be replicated ..... it is still performed by uploadToAWSBucket().
After reading everyone's responses, I came up with the following which I think works and is basically what #Pavlo Zhukov suggested. (Note the function names have changed slightly from my earlier post.)
Code from parent function:
let image1;
uploadToAWSBucketCallbackStyle(file, (err, data) => {
if (err) {
return next(err);
}
image1 = data;
// Do stuff with image1 here or make additional function
// calls using image1.
});
Child function:
const uploadToAWSBucketCallbackStyle = (fileObject, callback) => {
let randomFileName = shortid.generate();
const AWSUploadObject = {
Bucket: BUCKET_NAME,
Key: randomFileName,
Body: fileObject.buffer,
ContentType: fileObject.mimetype,
};
s3.upload(AWSUploadObject, callback);
}
I am trying to call two functions and pass the output of the first function as a parameter into the second.
Function 1:
module.exports.getAllStatisticsByUserId = function(id, callback){
User.findById(id, (err, user) =>{
if(err)
throw err;
if(user)
callback(null, user.statistics);
});
}
Function 2:
module.exports.getGameByStatisticsId = function(id, callback){
Statistics.findById(id, (err, statistics) =>{
if(err)
throw err;
if(statistics)
callback(null, statistics.game);
});
};
I am trying to execute the second method by passing the output of the first method as a parameter but the asynchronous nature of javascript is messing it up. I have tried implementing promises to no avail.
Can anyone suggest some good javascript practices to deal with calling functions asynchronously when they need each other? Any help would be appreciated.
After fixing the issue I mentioned above, you can call them in sequence like this:
module.exports.getAllStatisticsByUserId = function(id, callback){
User.findById(id, (err, user) =>{
if(err) callback(err);
if(user) callback(null, user.statistics);
});
};
module.exports.getGameByStatisticsId = function(id, callback){
Statistics.findById(id, (err, statistics) =>{
if(err) callback(err);
if(statistics) callback(null, statistics.game);
});
};
someService.getAllStatisticsByUserId(id, (err, statistics) => {
if (err || !statistics) {
// handle error
return;
}
someService.getGameByStatisticsId(statistics.id, (err, game) => {
if (err || !game) {
// handle error
return;
}
// handle game
});
});
However, as noted in Mongoose documentation:
When a callback function is not passed, an instance of Query is returned, which provides a special query builder interface.
A Query has a .then() function, and thus can be used as a promise.
So you can simply rewrite the calls like this:
someService.getAllStatisticsByUserId(id).then(statistics =>
someService.getGameByStatisticsId(statistics.id)
).then(game => {
// handle game
}).catch(err => {
// handle error
});
or convert it into an async/await function:
async function getGameByUserId(id) {
try {
const statistics = await someService.getAllStatisticsByUserId(id);
const game = await someService.getGameByStatisticsId(statistics.id);
// handle game
} catch (error) {
// handle error
}
}
Note that an async function always returns a Promise, so you must await it or chain it with a .then() to ensure completion of the query and resolve the returned value, if any.
It looks like you should be able to write:
getAllStatisticsByUserId("me", (err, stats) => {
getGameByStatisticsId(stats.id, (err, game) => {
console.log(game);
});
});
Here's how it would look if these functions returned promises instead.
getAllStatisticsByUserId("me")
.then(stats => getGameByStatisticsId(stats.id))
.then(game => console.log(game))
Even better, if you're able to use a version of Node that supports async/await then you could write.
let stats = await getAllStatisticsByUserId("me");
let game = await getGameByStatisticsId(stats.id);
console.log(game);
This would mean slightly rewriting the original functions (unless User.findById and Statistics.findById already return promises).
module.exports.getAllStatisticsByUserId = function(id, callback){
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
User.findById(id, (err, user) =>{
if(err) return reject(err);
return resolve(user.statistics);
});
});
}
I'm trying to understand how promise's cascading properly works. For this, I created a function which returns a new Promise but has some callback functions in their scope:
exports.function1 = (params) => {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
// do something sync
someFunctionAsyncWithCallback(params, (err, data) => { //async func
err ? reject(err) : resolve(data);
})
}).then(data => {
// do something sync again
anotherAsyncFunctionWithCallback(data, function (err, response) {
return err ? Promise.reject(err) : Promise.resolve(response);
// return err ? reject(err) : resolve(response); ?
});
})
}
Inside then block, how can I made a properly return in order to continue cascading process? In executor there are resolve/reject functions which I can call in order to continue chaining. But, once we are in then execution, these function aren't there - correct me if I'm wrong - and I don't know how to move on.
Any comment will be appreciated.
Avoid combining promise chains with callback-style APIs. Instead, wrap the callback-style API with a promise wrapper, which then lets you compose things reasonably.
The examples you've quoted look like NodeJS APIs. If you're using Node, v8 and higher have utils.promisify which can be used to quickly and easily wrap standard NodeJS-callback-style functions to functions returning promises.
// Get promise-enabled versions:
const promiseSomeFunctionAsyncWithCallback = utils.promisify(someFunctionAsyncWithCallback);
const promiseAnotherAsyncFunctionWithCallback = utils.promisify(anotherAsyncFunctionWithCallback);
// Use them:
exports.function1 = (params) => {
return promiseSomeFunctionAsyncWithCallback(params)
.then(promiseAnotherAsyncFunctionWithCallback);
})
};
If you're not using Node, or you're using an old version, there's nothing magic about utils.promisify, you can easily roll your own:
const promisify = f => return function(..args) {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
f.call(this, ...args, (err, result) => {
if (err) {
reject(err);
} else {
resolve(result);
}
});
});
};
Re your comment:
I have some sync code between these callback functions.. How would you handle it in your first example?
There are two styles for that:
1. Put the sync code in the then callback and chain only when you reach your next async bit:
exports.function1 = (params) => {
// Code here will run synchronously when `function1` is called
return promiseSomeFunctionAsyncWithCallback(params)
.then(result => {
// You culd have synchronous code here, which runs when
// this `then` handler is called and before we wait for the following:
return promiseAnotherAsyncFunctionWithCallback(result);
});
})
};
2. Put the sync code in its own then callback:
exports.function1 = (params) => {
// Code here will run synchronously when `function1` is called
return promiseSomeFunctionAsyncWithCallback(params)
.then(result => {
// You culd have synchronous code here, which runs when
// this `then` handler is called.
// Pass on the result:
return result;
})
.then(promiseAnotherAsyncFunctionWithCallback);
})
};
One advantage to #2 is that each distinct logical step is its own block. It does mean one additional yield back to the microtask loop at the end of this iteration of the main event loop, but that's not likely to be an issue.
You need to return another Promise:
return new Promise((res, rej) => anotherAsyncFunctionWithCallback(data, (err, data) => err ? rej(err) : res(data));
However then it would make sense to promisify the function:
const promisify = f => (...args) => new Promise((res, rej) => f(...args, (err, data) => err? rej(err) : res(data)));
const asyncF = promisify(AsyncFunctionWithCallback);
So one can do:
asyncF(1).then(asyncF).then(console.log);
you can use a flag variable for returning something.
example;
async function test(){
let flag=0;
await fetch(request).then(()=> flag=1}
if(flag==1) return;
}
I am creating a function in node.js that loops through the files of a directory. It is supposed to add the file name to the returnData variable, then return the returnData. However, it keeps returning nothing. I've put a few console.log statements in the function to help me debug, but I can't figure out why it won't work.
function loopMusic (directory) {
var returnData = "";
fs.readdir (directory, function (err, files) {
if (err) {
console.log (err);
}
files.forEach (function (file, index) {
returnData += file;
console.log (returnData);
});
});
console.log (returnData);
return returnData;
}
The first console.log statement is able to print the files, but the one right before the return just prints a new line.
You can make the function return a promise:
function loopMusic (directory) {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
fs.readdir (directory, function (err, files) {
if (err) {
reject(err);
return;
}
files.forEach (function (file, index) {
returnData += file;
console.log (returnData);
});
resolve(returnData);
});
}
You would use in that way:
loopMusic('...')
.then((data) => console.log(data))
.catch((err) => ...);
fs.readdir is asynchronous, meaning it does not return with the result when you call it. Instead the result is provided to the callback, which is called when the command finishes processing. It "calls-back" to the function you provided when it's done (hence the name).
If you wanted to do this synchronously you can do the following:
function loopMusic (directory) {
var returnData = "";
var files = fs.readdirSync(directory);
files.forEach (function (file, index) {
returnData += file;
console.log (returnData);
});
console.log(files);
return returnData;
}
That would return a string of mushed together file paths, as in your question.
However, blocking isn't usually a good idea and you should use the asynchronous version. I like to return a Promise in these situations. Here's an example that returns a promise filled with that string. This technically isn't necessary since the callback could just be used...but lets just pretend.
function loopMusic (directory) {
return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
fs.readdir (directory, function (err, files) {
if (err) {
return reject(err);
}
let returnData = "";
files.forEach (function (file, index) {
returnData += file;
});
resolve(returnData);
});
});
}
Usage:
var musicPromise = loopMusic(dir);
musicPromise.then((musicStr) => console.log(musicStr)), (err) => console.log(err));
The asynchronous nature of this makes it a bit hard to follow since things don't happen in order, but when using Promises the then() is used to handle what happens on success (or failure) when it does complete later on.
Finally, if you're using ES2017+ (the newest version of Node) you can use the async/await pattern. Keep in mind my promise example above:
async function loopMusicAsync(directory) {
try{
return await loopMusic(directory); //promise returned
}
catch(error) {
console.log(error); //promise rejected
return null;
}
}