ngResource - extend instead of copy in default success

[dadleyy]

when defining custom actions, the methods that get fired are currently replacing the resource's data with the call's information when it succeeds via a copy call. Lines 475-507. I think it would make more sense for this to be an extend. Right now, the code looks like:

var promise = $http(httpConfig).then(function(response) {
  var data = response.data,
      promise = value.$promise;

  if (data) {
    if (action.isArray) {
    ...
    } else {
      copy(data, value); /* 1 */
      value.$promise = promise;
    }
  }
  ...
});

I'm suggesting that copy be changed into an extend. The reason being is we can then change custom actions to insert themselves into the original object:

if( isInstanceCall ) {
    data[name] =  action.isArray ? [ ] : { };
    value = data[name];
}

so calls like:

var user = API.User( ).get({ user_id: 123 });
...
user.$tracks();

will basically end up with an object looking like:

{
    name: "some user name",
    website: "example.com",
    tracks: [{ ... }]
}

where the tracks property was created on the original user variable resource object when called, and populated during the $tracks success callback. The rest of the information (website, name) were filled by the get call. Right now, the call to user.$tracks() would kill all the get call's properties, and since it's an array method breaks because:

var value = isInstanceCall ? data : (action.isArray ? [] : new Resource(data));

evaluates to the original user object, which is not an array and later the action tries pushing into it. I think it would be a good idea to have custom actions (that are GET) assume they will be appended into the original resource object based on their name rather than replace it.

[IgorMinar]

can you create a plunker with modified version of angular that shows the new behavior that you want to achieve?

your example above is missing way too much context.

[dadleyy]

I've made the plunker here. check out lines 501-514 in the resource.js file - thats where the angular logic happens. The usage happens in the main script.js file.

[yohaiai]

While this is a nice idea, I think its going a bit too far in terms of automation.
Default actions, like $get, could still be called and that will result in placing the object within itself.

I think it's better to fix the resource so it won't break on instance's array actions, possibly by changing to:

if(action.isArray){
    value = [];
} else{
    value = isInstanceCall ? data : new Resource(data);
}

and allow the user to decide by himself whether to extend the object or not, by using a promise:

resource.$children()
.then(function(data){
    resource.children = data;
)