Question: Programmatically invoking ArraySerializer for JSONAPI

[shicholas]

I am trying to write a controller spec for something that already works as expected, namely:

  render json: products, include: 'category', meta: pagination

which gives me the JSON API that I expect. I'm trying to write something like this in my tests:

product = FactoryGirl.create(:product)
expected_json = ActiveModel::Serializer::Adapter.create(
  ActiveModel::Serializer::ArraySerializer.new(
    [product], 
    included: 'category'
    meta: pagination
  )
).to_json

but I can't seem to get the included part to display (the data and meta attributes work just fine). Any help to programatically create a JSON document w/ included would be greatly appreciated.

[bf4]

what version are you one? Which ruby? Ruby version? Rails version?

Right now, in order to get what you want, you need to crib the code from the controller. There's some examples in #889 (comment)

Soon, when #954 is merged, you'll be able to just use that.

[shicholas]

thanks for the quick response @bf4!

what version are you one? Which ruby? Ruby version? Rails version?

0.10.0.rc2, 2.2.2p95, 4.2.3

I'll try the comment you referenced and get back shortly. Thanks again!

[shicholas]

unfortunately I got:

Failure/Error: adapter = ActiveModel::Serializer::Adapter.create(serializer_instance, adapter_opts)
NoMethodError:
  undefined method `new' for nil:NilClass

with both the rc2 and the latest master. Here is my code:

serializer = ActiveModel::Serializer.serializer_for(product)
serializer_opts = {
  each_serializer: serializer,
  included: %w(
    category
  ),
  meta: pagination
}
serializer_instance = serializer.new(product, serializer_opts)
adapter_opts = {adapter: "jsonapi"}

adapter = ActiveModel::Serializer::Adapter.create(serializer_instance, adapter_opts)
adapter.as_json

I will dig deeper into this over the weekend.

[bf4]

I think the problem is that the adapter is json_api not jsonapi.

If that doesn't work, you can also try setting Serializer.adapter = ActiveModel::Serializer::JsonApi

what are serializer and product in the above?

[bf4]

Also, for reasons, in the controller each_serializer: serializer becomes serializer: serializer, which is used by ArraySerializer (if you have a collection, which product doesn't appear to be)

[shicholas]

thanks! json_api resolved the nil issue. I am still having trouble getting the included working with this code (meta and data work as expected):

serializer = ActiveModel::Serializer.serializer_for([product])
serializer_opts = {
  each_serializer: serializer,
  included: %w(
    category
  ),
  meta: pagination
}
serializer_instance = serializer.new([product], serializer_opts)
adapter_opts = {adapter: "json_api"}

adapter = ActiveModel::Serializer::Adapter.create(serializer_instance, adapter_opts)
adapter.as_json

[bf4]

see which opts go the serializer and which to the adapter

include (not included) is an adapter opt (basically of the render options, [:include, :fields, :adapter] are passed to the adapter and the rest to the serializer)

[shicholas]

thanks for your help, this worked!

serializer = ActiveModel::Serializer.serializer_for([product])
serializer_opts = {
  each_serializer: serializer,
  meta: pagination
}
serializer_instance = serializer.new([product], serializer_opts)
adapter_opts = {adapter: "json_api", include: ['category']}

adapter = ActiveModel::Serializer::Adapter.create(serializer_instance, adapter_opts)
adapter.as_json

[bf4]

@joaomdmoura wanna mark this for documentation?

[joaomdmoura]

Hey ppl, have just read trough it, I'm glad you figured that out!
Of course, I'm always up for documentation! I'll check the #1005 before open a new issue.

[Zelnox]

This was helpful. In terms of performance compared to 0.8.x, it's a bit slower due to the adapter step.