What would be the idiomatic way to do something like a while loop with promises. So:
do something if the condition still stands do it again repeat then do something else.
dosomething.then(possilblydomoresomethings).then(finish)
I've done it this way I was wondering if there were any better/more idomatic ways?
var q = require('q');
var index = 1;
var useless = function(){
var currentIndex = index;
console.log(currentIndex)
var deferred = q.defer();
setTimeout(function(){
if(currentIndex > 10)
deferred.resolve(false);
else deferred.resolve(true);
},500);
return deferred.promise;
}
var control = function(cont){
var deferred = q.defer();
if(cont){
index = index + 1;
useless().then(control).then(function(){
deferred.resolve();
});
}
else deferred.resolve();
return deferred.promise;
}
var chain = useless().then(control).then(function(){console.log('done')});
Output: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 done
Here's a reusable function that I think is pretty clear.
var Q = require("q");
// `condition` is a function that returns a boolean
// `body` is a function that returns a promise
// returns a promise for the completion of the loop
function promiseWhile(condition, body) {
var done = Q.defer();
function loop() {
// When the result of calling `condition` is no longer true, we are
// done.
if (!condition()) return done.resolve();
// Use `when`, in case `body` does not return a promise.
// When it completes loop again otherwise, if it fails, reject the
// done promise
Q.when(body(), loop, done.reject);
}
// Start running the loop in the next tick so that this function is
// completely async. It would be unexpected if `body` was called
// synchronously the first time.
Q.nextTick(loop);
// The promise
return done.promise;
}
// Usage
var index = 1;
promiseWhile(function () { return index <= 11; }, function () {
console.log(index);
index++;
return Q.delay(500); // arbitrary async
}).then(function () {
console.log("done");
}).done();
This is for bluebird not q but since you didn't mention q specifically.. in the bluebird api doc the author mentions returning a promise-generating function would be more idiomatic than using deferreds.
var Promise = require('bluebird');
var i = 0;
var counter = Promise.method(function(){
return i++;
})
function getAll(max, results){
var results = results || [];
return counter().then(function(result){
results.push(result);
return (result < max) ? getAll(max, results) : results
})
}
getAll(10).then(function(data){
console.log(data);
})
I'd use an object to wrap the value. That way you can have a done property to let the loop know you're done.
// fn should return an object like
// {
// done: false,
// value: foo
// }
function loop(promise, fn) {
return promise.then(fn).then(function (wrapper) {
return !wrapper.done ? loop(Q(wrapper.value), fn) : wrapper.value;
});
}
loop(Q.resolve(1), function (i) {
console.log(i);
return {
done: i > 10,
value: i++
};
}).done(function () {
console.log('done');
});
Here is an extensions to the Promise prototype to mimic the behavior of a for loop. It supports promises or immediate values for the initialization, condition, loop body, and increment sections. It also has full support for exceptions, and it does not have memory leaks. An example is given below on how to use it.
var Promise = require('promise');
// Promise.loop([properties: object]): Promise()
//
// Execute a loop based on promises. Object 'properties' is an optional
// argument with the following fields:
//
// initialization: function(): Promise() | any, optional
//
// Function executed as part of the initialization of the loop. If
// it returns a promise, the loop will not begin to execute until
// it is resolved.
//
// Any exception occurring in this function will finish the loop
// with a rejected promise. Similarly, if this function returns a
// promise, and this promise is reject, the loop finishes right
// away with a rejected promise.
//
// condition: function(): Promise(result: bool) | bool, optional
//
// Condition evaluated in the beginning of each iteration of the
// loop. The function should return a boolean value, or a promise
// object that resolves with a boolean data value.
//
// Any exception occurring during the evaluation of the condition
// will finish the loop with a rejected promise. Similarly, it this
// function returns a promise, and this promise is rejected, the
// loop finishes right away with a rejected promise.
//
// If no condition function is provided, an infinite loop is
// executed.
//
// body: function(): Promise() | any, optional
//
// Function acting as the body of the loop. If it returns a
// promise, the loop will not proceed until this promise is
// resolved.
//
// Any exception occurring in this function will finish the loop
// with a rejected promise. Similarly, if this function returns a
// promise, and this promise is reject, the loop finishes right
// away with a rejected promise.
//
// increment: function(): Promise() | any, optional
//
// Function executed at the end of each iteration of the loop. If
// it returns a promise, the condition of the loop will not be
// evaluated again until this promise is resolved.
//
// Any exception occurring in this function will finish the loop
// with a rejected promise. Similarly, if this function returns a
// promise, and this promise is reject, the loop finishes right
// away with a rejected promise.
//
Promise.loop = function(properties)
{
// Default values
properties = properties || {};
properties.initialization = properties.initialization || function() { };
properties.condition = properties.condition || function() { return true; };
properties.body = properties.body || function() { };
properties.increment = properties.increment || function() { };
// Start
return new Promise(function(resolve, reject)
{
var runInitialization = function()
{
Promise.resolve().then(function()
{
return properties.initialization();
})
.then(function()
{
process.nextTick(runCondition);
})
.catch(function(error)
{
reject(error);
});
}
var runCondition = function()
{
Promise.resolve().then(function()
{
return properties.condition();
})
.then(function(result)
{
if (result)
process.nextTick(runBody);
else
resolve();
})
.catch(function(error)
{
reject(error);
});
}
var runBody = function()
{
Promise.resolve().then(function()
{
return properties.body();
})
.then(function()
{
process.nextTick(runIncrement);
})
.catch(function(error)
{
reject(error);
});
}
var runIncrement = function()
{
Promise.resolve().then(function()
{
return properties.increment();
})
.then(function()
{
process.nextTick(runCondition);
})
.catch(function(error)
{
reject(error);
});
}
// Start running initialization
process.nextTick(runInitialization);
});
}
// Promise.delay(time: double): Promise()
//
// Returns a promise that resolves after the given delay in seconds.
//
Promise.delay = function(time)
{
return new Promise(function(resolve)
{
setTimeout(resolve, time * 1000);
});
}
// Example
var i;
Promise.loop({
initialization: function()
{
i = 2;
},
condition: function()
{
return i < 6;
},
body: function()
{
// Print "i"
console.log(i);
// Exception when 5 is reached
if (i == 5)
throw Error('Value of "i" reached 5');
// Wait 1 second
return Promise.delay(1);
},
increment: function()
{
i++;
}
})
.then(function()
{
console.log('LOOP FINISHED');
})
.catch(function(error)
{
console.log('EXPECTED ERROR:', error.message);
});
Since I can't comment on Stuart K's answer I'll add a little bit here. Based on Stuart K's answer you can boil it down to a surprisingly simple concept: Reuse an unfulfilled promise. What he has is essentially:
Stuart's answer is for a more generic solution, but the basics are awesome (once you realize how it works).
This pattern is now more easily called by using q-flow. An example, for the above problem:
var q = require('q');
require('q-flow');
var index = 1;
q.until(function() {
return q.delay(500).then(function() {
console.log(index++);
return index > 10;
});
}).done(function() {
return console.log('done');
});