angular.forEach and objects

Question

The Problem:

I'm doing (what I think is but maybe isn't) a simple angular.forEach over an array then using $resource to make a call based on each value returned. The result of each call is an object, as I'm expecting. But, I can't get these objects to join harmoniously in the way the angular.forEach documentation demonstrates.

But first, some code that works and then a look at code that fails.

Works :

var uniqueIds = {};
angular.forEach(object, function(key, value){
    this.push(key.uniqueIds);
}, uniqueIds);
console.log(uniqueIds)
// uniqueIds equals the expected array

Fails

Here's where things get tricky. Now, in the next sample, inside the angular.forEach is a $resource call.

angular.forEach(array, function(index){
    Resource.query({id:index}, function(result){
        console.log(result)
        // returns the expected object, 
        // but, as expected, I can't access the object outside the async call
    });
    console.log(result);
    // result is undefined
 });

Given the async-ness, it seems a promise could solve the problem. But it doesn't--I'm really still inside the async call. Nor does assigning result to $scope work. In short, I can't seem to get a value outside the Resource.query .

What Do I Need To Happen?

I need the returned object of each $resource call to add up to one object (using angular.extend? I've tried that) in the same way the angular.forEach created an array. I've tried many different approaches, most all based on answers for general async questions asked here, but so far to no avail. I'm positive it's an issue with getting the value out of the $resource call, but how to do that in this case I'm a bit baffled.

Answer 1

Something like this?

var promises = [];

angular.forEach(array, function(index) {
  promises.push(Resource.query(...));
});

$q.all(promises).then(function(result1, result2, result3 ...) {
  // do stuff with result1, result2 ... or
  // var results = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
});

Answer 2

Angular documentation has very good example for this

var values = {name: 'misko', gender: 'male'};
var log = [];
angular.forEach(values, function(value, key) {
    this.push(key + ': ' + value);
 }, log);

Answer 3

.query returns an array reference which is being filled with data when the xhr is completed. Since, probably id is a unique identifier, the query will return array with a single element, thats why I would suggest you to use .get instead.

Anyway, if you still intent to use .query you can do something like:

var arrays = [];
angular.forEach(array, function(index){
    arrays.push(Resource.query({id:index}, function(result){
        console.log(result)
        // returns the expected object, 
        // but, as expected, I can't access the object outside the async call
    }));
    console.log(result);
    // result is undefined
});

$scope.$watch(function () {
    return arrays;
}, function (arrays) {
    angular.forEach(arrays, function (array) {
       angular.forEach(array[0], function () {
          //Do something with the object fields
       });
    });
});

As you can see the code looks pretty bad...

In order to achieve better result you can use:

var objects = [];
angular.forEach(array, function(index){
    objects.push(Resource.get({ id:index });
});

$scope.$watch(function () {
    return objects;
}, function (objects) {
    angular.forEach(objects, function (obj) {
       angular.forEach(obj, function () {
          //Do something with the object fields
       });
    });
});

Even better will be if you let AngularJS to do the $watch by assigning objects to a $scope property.