How to make recursive HTTP calls using RxJs operators?

Question

I use the following method in odder to retrieve data by passing pageIndex (1) and pageSize (500) for each HTTP call.

this.demoService.geList(1, 500).subscribe(data => {
    this.data = data.items;
});

The response has a property called isMore and I want to modify my method in odder to continue HTTP calls if isMore is true. I also need to merge the returned values and finally return the accumulated values.

For example, assuming that there are 5000 records and until 10th HTTP call, the service returns true for isMore value. After 10th HTTP call, it returns false and then this method sets this.data value with the merged 5000 records. For this problem, should I use mergeMap or expand or another RxJs operator? What is the proper way to solve this problem?

Update: I use the following approach, but it does not merge the returned values and not increase the pageIndex. For this reason it does not work (I tried to make some changes, but could not make it work).

let pageIndex = 0;
this.demoService.geList(pageIndex+1, 500).pipe(
    expand((data) => {
        if(data.isComplete) {
            return of(EMPTY);
        } else {
            return this.demoService.geList(pageIndex+1, 500);
        }
    })
).subscribe((data) => {
    //your logic here
});

Update II:

of({
    isMore : true,
    pageIndex: 0,
    items: []
  }).pipe(
    expand(data => demoService.geList(data.pageIndex+1, 100)
    .pipe(
      map(newData => ({...newData, pageIndex: data.pageIndex+1}))
    )),
    // takeWhile(data => data.isMore), //when using this, it does not work if the total record is less than 100
    takeWhile(data => (data.isMore || data.pageIndex === 1)), // when using this, it causing +1 extra HTTP call unnecessarily
    map(data => data.items),
    reduce((acc, items) => ([...acc, ...items]))
  )
  .subscribe(data => {
    this.data = data;
  });  

Update III:

Finally I made it work by modifying Elisseo's approach as shown below. Howeveri **I need to make it void and set this.data parameter in this getData() method. How can I do this?

getData(pageIndex, pageSize) {
  return this.demoService.geList(pageIndex, pageSize).pipe(
    switchMap((data: any) => {
      if (data.isMore) {
        return this.getData(pageIndex+1, pageSize).pipe(
          map((res: any) => ({ items: [...data.items, ...res.items] }))
        );
      }
      return of(data);
    })
  );
}

I want to merge the following subscribe part to this approach but I cannot due to some errors eg "Property 'pipe' does not exist on type 'void'."

.subscribe((res: any) => {
    this.data = res;
});

Answer 1

getData(pageIndex, pageSize) {
    return this.demoService.getList(pageIndex, pageSize).pipe(
      switchMap((data: any) => {
        if (!data.isCompleted) {
          return this.getData(pageIndex+1, pageSize).pipe(
            map((res: any) => ({ data: [...data.data, ...res.data] }))
          );
        }
        return of(data);
      })
    );
  }

stackblitz NOTE: I updated pasing as argument pageIndex+1 as @mbojko suggest -before I wrote pageIndex++

UPDATE 2

Using expand operator we need take account that we need feed the "recursive function" with an object with pageIndex -it's necesarry in our call- for this, when we make this.demoService.getList(data.pageIndex+1,10) we need "transform the result" adding a new property "pageIndex". for this we use "map"

  getData() {
    //see that initial we create "on fly" an object with properties: pageIndex,data and isCompleted
    return of({
      pageIndex:1,
      data:[],
      isCompleted:false
    }).pipe(
      expand((data: any) => {
        return this.demoService.getList(data.pageIndex,10).pipe(
            //here we use map to create "on fly" and object
            map((x:any)=>({
              pageIndex:data.pageIndex+1, //<--pageIndex the pageIndex +1
              data:[...data.data,...x.data], //<--we concatenate the data using spread operator
              isCompleted:x.isCompleted}))  //<--isCompleted the value
        )
      }),
      takeWhile((data: any) => !data.isCompleted,true), //<--a take while
            //IMPORTANT, use "true" to take account the last call also
      map(res=>res.data)  //finally is we only want the "data" 
                          //we use map to return only this property
    )
  }

Well we can do a function like this:

  getData() {
    of({pageIndex:1,data:[],isCompleted:false}).pipe(
      expand((data: any) => {
        return this.demoService.getList(data.pageIndex,10).pipe(
            tap(x=>{console.log(x)}),
            map((x:any)=>({
              pageIndex:data.pageIndex+1,
              data:[...data.data,...x.data],
              isComplete:x.isComplete}))
        )
      }),
      takeWhile((data: any) => !data.isComplete,true), //<--don't forget the ",true"
    ).subscribe(res=>{
       this.data=res.data
    })
  }

See that in this case we don't return else simple subscribe to the function and equal a variable this.data to res.data -it's the reason we don't need the last map

Update 3 by Mrk Sef

Finally, if you don't want your stream to emit intermittent values and you just want the final concatenated data, you can remove the data concatenation from expand , and use reduce afterward instead.

  getData() {
    of({
      pageIndex: 1,
      data: [],
      isCompleted: false
    })
      .pipe(
        expand((prevResponse: any) => this.demoService.getList(prevResponse.pageIndex, 10).pipe(
            map((nextResponse: any) => ({
              ...nextResponse,
              pageIndex: prevResponse.pageIndex + 1
            }))
          )
        ),
        takeWhile((response: any) => !response.isCompleted, true),
        // Keep concatenting each new array (data.items) until the stream
        // completes, then emit them all at once
        reduce((acc: any, data: any) => {
          return [...acc, ...data.data];
        }, [])
      )
      .subscribe(items => {
        this.data=items;
      });
  }

Answer 2

It doesn't matter if you're total record change as long as api response give you the isMore flag.

I'm skipping the part how to implement reducer action event i'm assuming you've already done that part. So i will just try to explain with pseudo codes.

You have a table or something like that with pagination data. on intial state you can just create an loadModule effect or using this fn:

getPaginationDataWithPageIndex(pageIndex = 1){ this.store.dispatch(new GetPaginationData({ pageIndex: pageIndex, dataSize: 500})); }

in your GetPaginationData effect

... map(action => {
return apicall.pipe(map((response)=> {
   if(response.isMore){
    return new updateState({data:response.data, isMore: responseisMore})
} else {
   return new updateState({isMore: response.isMore}),
}
}})
`

all you have to left is subscribing store in your .ts if isMore is false you will not display the next page button. and on your nextButton or prevButton's click method you should have to just dispatch the action with pageIndex

Answer 3

I do not think recursion is the correct approach here:

interval(0).pipe(
    map(count => this.demoService.getList(count + 1, 500)),
    takeWhile(reponse => response.isMore, true),
    reduce((acc, curr) => //reduce any way you like),
).subscribe();

This should make calls to your endpoint until the endpoint returns isMore === false. The beautiful thing about interval is that we get the count variable for free.

But if you are set on using recrsion, here is the rxjs-way to do that using the expand-operator (see the docs ). I find it slightly less readable, as it requires an if-else-construct which increases code complexity. Also the outer 'counter' variable just isn't optimal.

let index = 1;
this.demoService.geList(index, 500).pipe(
    expand(response => response.isMore ? this.demoService.geList(++index, 500) : empty()),
    reduce((acc, curr) => //reduce here)
).subscribe();