NEED HELP - Can't return an array to Bubble from my Plugin

[blurapps]

I’m trying to build a simple plugin to randomize the order of an array of a custom data type.

I’m running a function that shuffles the array randomly and then publishing the results back via instance.publish

On doing this, I get an error:

My shuffling function in INITIALIZE:

instance.data.shuffle = function () {
      var a = instance.data.inputList;
      var j, x, i;
      for (i = a.length - 1; i > 0; i--) {
          j = Math.floor(Math.random() * (i + 1));
          x = a[i];
          a[i] = a[j];
          a[j] = x;
      }
      instance.data.outputList = a;
      instance.publishState("randomized_list", instance.data.outputList);
    }

UPDATE:

function(instance, properties, context) {
	instance.data.inputList = properties.list;
    console.log(properties.list, instance.data.inputList);
    instance.data.outputList = [];
    try{
        instance.data.randomizeList();
        instance.publishState("randomized_list", instance.data.outputList);
    }
    catch(err){
        instance.publishState("randomized_list", null);
        console.log("Shuffling error", err);
    }
}

It’s probably something simple - but I think there’s a lot for me to learn from solving this problem. Any help is welcome!

Thanks,
Ranjit

[ankur1]

Hey, what is the exact issue you are facing?

[exception-rambler]

Things I saw:

• You are calling instance.data.randomizeList(); from Update but your function is called instance.data.shuffle
• It’s cleaner to pass the list as a parameter through to instance.data.shuffle than retrieve it from the instance.data object.
• If your inputList field is of Bubble ‘list’ type then you need to fetch it using .get() and .length(). Bubble doesn’t give you vanilla arrays directly from Properties can you have to call the .get() method to fetch them.
• It’s fine to split the work across Initialize and Update functions and I often do this, but it does add complexity for debugging which for small things probably isn’t worth it, so your shuffle function could probably just sit within Update too.

Try the following:

Within INTIALIZE

instance.data.shuffle = function (a) {
    var j, x, i;
    for (i = a.length - 1; i > 0; i--) {
        j = Math.floor(Math.random() * (i + 1));
        x = a[i];
        a[i] = a[j];
        a[j] = x;
    }
    return a;
  }

Within UPDATE

  if (properties.list){
    instance.data.inputList = properties.list.get(0,properties.list.length());
    console.log(properties.list, instance.data.inputList);
    instance.data.outputList = [];
    try{
        instance.data.outputList = instance.data.shuffle(instance.data.inputList);
        instance.publishState("randomized_list", instance.data.outputList);
    }
    catch(err){
        instance.publishState("randomized_list", null);
        console.log("Shuffling error", err);
    }
  }

[jared.gibb]

How to return objects from plugins (SSA, CSA, Element Update & Element Workflow Actions)

This stumps so many of us when we first start with the plugin editor that I wanted to make a couple quick videos to demonstrate returning an object from your plugin. Video 1: Returning an object from a server-side action – those notes I was writing are below. https://api.thecatapi.com/v1/images/search Getting an object back from the server side actions seems impossible at first but it actually really easy. Let’s start by creating a new plugin! We will start by heading to t…

[blurapps]

Thanks @exception-rambler
silly me!

I was treating properties.list as an array before doing a get() on it.
Tested it now and it works like a charm.

Cheers

[blurapps]

Loved your notes @jared.gibb
It’s a great reference for plugin development.

Thanks!