[javascript] Processing $http response in service

I recently posted a detailed description of the issue I am facing here at SO. As I couldn't send an actual $http request, I used timeout to simulate asynchronous behavior. Data binding from my model to view is working correct, with the help of @Gloopy

Now, when I use $http instead of $timeout (tested locally), I could see the asynchronous request was successful and data is filled with json response in my service. But, my view is not updating.

updated Plunkr here

This question is related to javascript angularjs angular-http

The answer is


As far as caching the response in service is concerned , here's another version that seems more straight forward than what I've seen so far:

App.factory('dataStorage', function($http) {
     var dataStorage;//storage for cache

     return (function() {
         // if dataStorage exists returned cached version
        return dataStorage = dataStorage || $http({
      url: 'your.json',
      method: 'GET',
      cache: true
    }).then(function (response) {

              console.log('if storage don\'t exist : ' + response);

              return response;
            });

    })();

});

this service will return either the cached data or $http.get;

 dataStorage.then(function(data) {
     $scope.data = data;
 },function(e){
    console.log('err: ' + e);
 });

A much better way I think would be something like this:

Service:

app.service('FruitsManager',function($q){

    function getAllFruits(){
        var deferred = $q.defer();

        ...

        // somewhere here use: deferred.resolve(awesomeFruits);

        ...

        return deferred.promise;
    }

    return{
        getAllFruits:getAllFruits
    }

});

And in the controller you can simply use:

$scope.fruits = FruitsManager.getAllFruits();

Angular will automatically put the resolved awesomeFruits into the $scope.fruits.


I've read http://markdalgleish.com/2013/06/using-promises-in-angularjs-views/ [AngularJS allows us to streamline our controller logic by placing a promise directly on the scope, rather than manually handing the resolved value in a success callback.]

so simply and handy :)

var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
            app.factory('Data', function($http,$q) {
                return {
                    getData : function(){
                        var deferred = $q.defer();
                        var promise = $http.get('./largeLoad').success(function (response) {
                            deferred.resolve(response);
                        });
                        // Return the promise to the controller
                        return deferred.promise; 
                    }
                }
            });
            app.controller('FetchCtrl',function($scope,Data){
                $scope.items = Data.getData();
            });

Hope this help


When binding the UI to your array you'll want to make sure you update that same array directly by setting the length to 0 and pushing the data into the array.

Instead of this (which set a different array reference to data which your UI won't know about):

 myService.async = function() {
    $http.get('test.json')
    .success(function (d) {
      data = d;
    });
  };

try this:

 myService.async = function() {
    $http.get('test.json')
    .success(function (d) {
      data.length = 0;
      for(var i = 0; i < d.length; i++){
        data.push(d[i]);
      }
    });
  };

Here is a fiddle that shows the difference between setting a new array vs emptying and adding to an existing one. I couldn't get your plnkr working but hopefully this works for you!


tosh shimayama have a solution but you can simplify a lot if you use the fact that $http returns promises and that promises can return a value:

app.factory('myService', function($http, $q) {
  myService.async = function() {
    return $http.get('test.json')
    .then(function (response) {
      var data = reponse.data;
      console.log(data);
      return data;
    });
  };

  return myService;
});

app.controller('MainCtrl', function( myService,$scope) {
  $scope.asyncData = myService.async();
  $scope.$watch('asyncData', function(asyncData) {
    if(angular.isDefined(asyncData)) {
      // Do something with the returned data, angular handle promises fine, you don't have to reassign the value to the scope if you just want to use it with angular directives
    }
  });

});

A little demonstration in coffeescript: http://plunker.no.de/edit/ksnErx?live=preview

Your plunker updated with my method: http://plnkr.co/edit/mwSZGK?p=preview


I had the same problem, but when I was surfing on the internet I understood that $http return back by default a promise, then I could use it with "then" after return the "data". look at the code:

 app.service('myService', function($http) {
       this.getData = function(){
         var myResponseData = $http.get('test.json').then(function (response) {
            console.log(response);.
            return response.data;
          });
         return myResponseData;

       }
});    
 app.controller('MainCtrl', function( myService, $scope) {
      // Call the getData and set the response "data" in your scope.  
      myService.getData.then(function(myReponseData) {
        $scope.data = myReponseData;
      });
 });

Related to this I went through a similar problem, but not with get or post made by Angular but with an extension made by a 3rd party (in my case Chrome Extension).
The problem that I faced is that the Chrome Extension won't return then() so I was unable to do it the way in the solution above but the result is still Asynchronous.
So my solution is to create a service and to proceed to a callback

app.service('cookieInfoService', function() {
    this.getInfo = function(callback) {
        var model = {};
        chrome.cookies.get({url:serverUrl, name:'userId'}, function (response) {
            model.response= response;
            callback(model);
        });
    };
});

Then in my controller

app.controller("MyCtrl", function ($scope, cookieInfoService) {
    cookieInfoService.getInfo(function (info) {
        console.log(info);
    });
});

Hope this can help others getting the same issue.


Please try the below Code

You can split the controller (PageCtrl) and service (dataService)

_x000D_
_x000D_
'use strict';_x000D_
(function () {_x000D_
    angular.module('myApp')_x000D_
        .controller('pageContl', ['$scope', 'dataService', PageContl])_x000D_
        .service('dataService', ['$q', '$http', DataService]);_x000D_
    function DataService($q, $http){_x000D_
        this.$q = $q;_x000D_
        this.$http = $http;_x000D_
        //... blob blob _x000D_
    }_x000D_
    DataService.prototype = {_x000D_
        getSearchData: function () {_x000D_
            var deferred = this.$q.defer(); //initiating promise_x000D_
            this.$http({_x000D_
                method: 'POST',//GET_x000D_
                url: 'test.json',_x000D_
                headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }_x000D_
            }).then(function(result) {_x000D_
                deferred.resolve(result.data);_x000D_
            },function (error) {_x000D_
                deferred.reject(error);_x000D_
            });_x000D_
            return deferred.promise;_x000D_
        },_x000D_
        getABCDATA: function () {_x000D_
_x000D_
        }_x000D_
    };_x000D_
    function PageContl($scope, dataService) {_x000D_
        this.$scope = $scope;_x000D_
        this.dataService = dataService; //injecting service Dependency in ctrl_x000D_
        this.pageData = {}; //or [];_x000D_
    }_x000D_
    PageContl.prototype = {_x000D_
         searchData: function () {_x000D_
             var self = this; //we can't access 'this' of parent fn from callback or inner function, that's why assigning in temp variable_x000D_
             this.dataService.getSearchData().then(function (data) {_x000D_
                 self.searchData = data;_x000D_
             });_x000D_
         }_x000D_
    }_x000D_
}());
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_


Because it is asynchronous, the $scope is getting the data before the ajax call is complete.

You could use $q in your service to create promise and give it back to controller, and controller obtain the result within then() call against promise.

In your service,

app.factory('myService', function($http, $q) {
  var deffered = $q.defer();
  var data = [];  
  var myService = {};

  myService.async = function() {
    $http.get('test.json')
    .success(function (d) {
      data = d;
      console.log(d);
      deffered.resolve();
    });
    return deffered.promise;
  };
  myService.data = function() { return data; };

  return myService;
});

Then, in your controller:

app.controller('MainCtrl', function( myService,$scope) {
  myService.async().then(function() {
    $scope.data = myService.data();
  });
});

I really don't like the fact that, because of the "promise" way of doing things, the consumer of the service that uses $http has to "know" about how to unpack the response.

I just want to call something and get the data out, similar to the old $scope.items = Data.getData(); way, which is now deprecated.

I tried for a while and didn't come up with a perfect solution, but here's my best shot (Plunker). It may be useful to someone.

app.factory('myService', function($http) {
  var _data;  // cache data rather than promise
  var myService = {};

  myService.getData = function(obj) { 
    if(!_data) {
      $http.get('test.json').then(function(result){
        _data = result.data;
        console.log(_data);  // prove that it executes once
        angular.extend(obj, _data);
      }); 
    } else {  
      angular.extend(obj, _data);
    }
  };

  return myService;
}); 

Then controller:

app.controller('MainCtrl', function( myService,$scope) {
  $scope.clearData = function() {
    $scope.data = Object.create(null);
  };
  $scope.getData = function() {
    $scope.clearData();  // also important: need to prepare input to getData as an object
    myService.getData($scope.data); // **important bit** pass in object you want to augment
  };
});

Flaws I can already spot are

  • You have to pass in the object which you want the data added to, which isn't an intuitive or common pattern in Angular
  • getData can only accept the obj parameter in the form of an object (although it could also accept an array), which won't be a problem for many applications, but it's a sore limitation
  • You have to prepare the input object $scope.data with = {} to make it an object (essentially what $scope.clearData() does above), or = [] for an array, or it won't work (we're already having to assume something about what data is coming). I tried to do this preparation step IN getData, but no luck.

Nevertheless, it provides a pattern which removes controller "promise unwrap" boilerplate, and might be useful in cases when you want to use certain data obtained from $http in more than one place while keeping it DRY.


Let it be simple. It's as simple as

  1. Return promise in your service(no need to use then in service)
  2. Use then in your controller

Demo. http://plnkr.co/edit/cbdG5p?p=preview

var app = angular.module('plunker', []);

app.factory('myService', function($http) {
  return {
    async: function() {
      return $http.get('test.json');  //1. this returns promise
    }
  };
});

app.controller('MainCtrl', function( myService,$scope) {
  myService.async().then(function(d) { //2. so you can use .then()
    $scope.data = d;
  });
});

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