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Re: Null cell value query result data structure

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Patrick-Kennedy
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

Hi, I am wondering how null cell values are structured in query results.

For example, when I iterate over the query results from a selectRecordsAsync() function, e.g. with a .forEach(map(x => {...})) function, when I hit a null value, the script errors. It’s easy enough to skip over these null values by wrapping the functionality in condiional e.g. if (x !== null) {...} but how do the arrays containing the query results represent the null values?

Are the null values empty objects, or empty array indexes?

I tried to emulate the data structure in node:

> let m = [{}, {id: 1}, {id: 2}, {}, {}, {id: 3}] // <-- empty objects
> console.log(m.map(a => a.id))
[ undefined, 1, 2, undefined, undefined, 3 ]
> let p = [, {id: 1}, {id: 2}, , , {id: 3}] // <-- empty indexes
> console.log(p.map(b => b.id))
[ <1 empty item>, 1, 2, <2 empty items>, 3 ]

Is what node reports as <# empty item(s)> a null value, i.e. is the query result returning an array of objects where there exists values, but empty array indexes where there are not? Or, am I misconceiving the data structure for field values?

The following is an example of the code used to produce these null errors:

// Load the Example table object
let table = base.getTable("Example Table");
console.log(table); // <-- the whole table as a single object of id, name, description, url, fields
console.log(Array.isArray(table)); // <-- false

// Query for all the record objects from the table
let query = await table.selectRecordsAsync({
    sorts: [
        {field: "Created"}
    ],
    fields: [
        "Linked Field" // <-- a linked field on the table which allows for multiple record links
    ]
});
console.log(query); // <-- "{recordIds: Array(#), records: Array(#)}" a single object containing two keys, each with a value which is an array of a) recordID objects {id: "strings"} and b) an array of record objects {id: "string", name: "string"}
console.log(Array.isArray(query)); // <-- false

// Grab the objects in the records array
let exampleTableRecords = query.records;
console.log(exampleTableRecords); // <-- "(#) [Object, Object, Object, ...]" an array of all of the table's record objects {id: "string", name: "string"}
console.log(Array.isArray(exampleTableRecords)); // <-- true

// Iterate over the query results for each record's "Linked Field" values
exampleTableRecords.forEach(q => {
    let exampleFieldArray = q.getCellValue("Linked Field");
    console.log(exampleFieldArray); // <-- null OR "(#) [Object, Object, Object, ...]"
    console.log(JSON.stringify(exampleFieldArray)); // <-- "null" OR "[{"id":"rec...","name":"..."},{"id":"rec...","name":"..."}, ...]"
    console.log(Array.isArray(exampleFieldArray)); // <-- false on null values OR true
    console.log(exampleFieldArray.map(m => m.id)); // <-- this will error on null values OR "(#) [array of RecordIDs, ..., ...]"
    // let fieldArrayIDs = exampleFieldArray.map(r => r.id);
})

Error msg:

TypeError: null is not an object (evaluating 'exampleFieldArray.map')
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
kuovonne
18 - Pluto
18 - Pluto

null is a data type in JavaScript. It is not an empty object, and it is not an empty array. It is null. You cannot map or iterate null.

When a cell is “blank”, its value is null. For example, if you try to get the cell value of a linked record field with no linked records, you will get null, not an empty array.

See Solution in Thread

2 Replies 2
kuovonne
18 - Pluto
18 - Pluto

null is a data type in JavaScript. It is not an empty object, and it is not an empty array. It is null. You cannot map or iterate null.

When a cell is “blank”, its value is null. For example, if you try to get the cell value of a linked record field with no linked records, you will get null, not an empty array.

ooooOOOOOOooooooh, okay - so rather than empty values or values that are empty objects, there is an explicit null for empty cells?

e.g. iterating a map function over:

let q = [{id: 0}, {id: 1}, {id: 2}, null, null, {id: 3}];

…would exhibit the same data type error:

> console.log(q.map(c => c.id))
Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'id' of null
    at REPL34:1:26
    at Array.map (<anonymous>)

Thank you!!