method returning value before completing function execution

Question

function rip(intent_update, output_rnr){
    var headers_conv = {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        'Accept': 'application/json',
        'Authorization': 'Basic YWFjZWU2M'
    };
    var dataString = '{ "output": { "text": {  "values": [' + output_rnr + '] }  }  }';
    var options_conv = {
        url: 'https://watson-api-explorer.mybluemix.net/'+ intent_update + '?version=2017-05-26',
        method: 'POST',
        headers: headers_conv,
        body: dataString
    };
    function callback_conv(error, response, body) {
        if (!error && response.statusCode === 200) {
            console.log(body);
        }
    }
    request(options_conv, callback_conv);
}
app.post('/api/message', function(req, res) {
  var workspace = process.env.WORKSPACE_ID || '<workspace-id>';
  }
  var payload = {
    workspace_id: workspace,
    context: req.body.context || {},
    input: req.body.input || {}
  };

  // Send the input to the conversation service
  conversation.message(payload, function(err, data) {
    if (err) {
      return res.status(err.code || 500).json(err);
    }
    return res.json(updateMessage(payload, data));
  });
});

function updateMessage(input, response) {
  if (!response.output) {
    response.output = {};
  } else {
    if (response.intents.length > 0 && (response.intents[0].intent === 'rnr')) {
            response = getCalculationResult(response);
    }

  }
   return response;
 }

function getCalculationResult(response){

    var result = '';
    if(response.intents[0].intent === 'rnr'){
        var question  = response.input.text;
        var query     = qs.stringify({q: question, ranker_id: ranker_id, fl: 'contentHtml'});

        solrClient.get('fcselect', query, function(err, searchResponse) {
            if(err) {
                 console.log('Error searching for documents: ' + err);
            }
            else {
                result = JSON.stringify(searchResponse.response.docs[0].contentHtml, null, 1);
                rip(response.intents[0].intent, result);
            }
        });

    }
    /*
     * if(result === ''){
            setTimeout(function(){
            response.output.text[0] = result + response.input.text;
        }, 15000);
    }
    else{
        var output = result + response.input.text;
        response.output.text[0] = output;
    }
    */
    response.output[0].text = response.output[0].text + result;
    return response;

}

This code is returning values from functions before completing execution of method. I have tried to use setTimeout but still the result is same. How can re write my methods to wait until method execution is completed before a value is returned. I have also tried writing with call back but unable to get desired result(may be i am implementing call back in wrong way)

Answer 1

You can use Promise.all, and say with one custom code something like: "Just if these functions are completed, then, do this".

For example...

var message = "";

promise1 = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    setTimeout(() => {
        message += "my";
        resolve(message);
    }, 2000)
})

promise2 = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    setTimeout(() => {
        message += " first";
        resolve(message);
    }, 2000)
})

promise3 = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    setTimeout(() => {
        message += " promise";
        resolve(message);
    }, 2000)
})

var printResult = (results) => {console.log("Results = ", results, "message = ", message)}

function main() {
    // See the order of promises. Final result will be according to it
    Promise.all([promise1, promise2, promise3]).then(printResult);
    Promise.all([promise2, promise1, promise3]).then(printResult);
    Promise.all([promise3, promise2, promise1]).then(printResult);
    console.log("\"\"" + message);
}

main();

See the Official documentation about Promises here.

See this tutorial to understand with examples about Promises.

Answer 2

You can use simple callbacks to avoid this async nature.

    function rip(intent_update, output_rnr){
        var headers_conv = {
            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
            'Accept': 'application/json',
            'Authorization': 'Basic YWFjZWU2M'
        };
        var dataString = '{ "output": { "text": {  "values": [' + output_rnr + '] }  }  }';
        var options_conv = {
            url: 'https://watson-api-explorer.mybluemix.net/'+ intent_update + '?version=2017-05-26',
            method: 'POST',
            headers: headers_conv,
            body: dataString
        };
        function callback_conv(error, response, body) {
            if (!error && response.statusCode === 200) {
                console.log(body);
            }
        }
        request(options_conv, callback_conv);
    }
    app.post('/api/message', function(req, res) {
      var workspace = process.env.WORKSPACE_ID || '<workspace-id>';
      }
      var payload = {
        workspace_id: workspace,
        context: req.body.context || {},
        input: req.body.input || {}
      };

      // Send the input to the conversation service
      conversation.message(payload, function(err, data) {
        if (err) {
          return res.status(err.code || 500).json(err);
        }
        updateMessage(payload,data,function(resultData){
            if(resultData){
                return res.json(resultData);
            }
        });

      });
    });

    function updateMessage(input, response,callback) {
      if (!response.output) {
        response.output = {};
      } else {
        if (response.intents.length > 0 && (response.intents[0].intent === 'rnr')) {
                getCalculationResult(response,function(result){
                response=result;
                if(callback){
                    callback(response);
                    return response;
                }
            });
        }
      }
     }

    function getCalculationResult(response,callback){

        var result = '';
        if(response.intents[0].intent === 'rnr'){
            var question  = response.input.text;
            var query     = qs.stringify({q: question, ranker_id: ranker_id, fl: 'contentHtml'});

            solrClient.get('fcselect', query, function(err, searchResponse) {
                if(err) {
                     console.log('Error searching for documents: ' + err);
                }
                else {
                    result = JSON.stringify(searchResponse.response.docs[0].contentHtml, null, 1);
                    rip(response.intents[0].intent, result);
                }
            });
        if(callback){
            response.output[0].text = response.output[0].text + result;
            callback(response);
            return response;
        }

        }


    }