How to pass data attributes to a FatFractal server extension and access them from extension code?

Question

In a similar vein to a previous question I've asked, I'm wondering A) how to pass individual data attributes to a server extension and B) how to access those data attributes from inside the server extension source code. As a sidebar (and not necessarily the main purpose of this question), is it possible to return an array of FatFractal objects from a server extension? I am using the FatFractal JavaScript SDK in my client application.

Basically, I am creating a simple search utility where the input parameter will be passed to a server extension, and the server extension will return an array of FFUser objects matching the search condition.

FFDL:

CREATE EXTENSION /SearchUsers AS javascript:require('scripts/Search').searchUsers();

Application JS Code:

        function findUsers() {
            if(!ff.loggedIn()) {
                alert("You must be logged in to search for users.");
            }
            else {
                var searchCriteria = $("#input-user-search").val();

                // pass 'searchCriteria' to 'SearchUsers' extension
                // acquire handle to 'matchedUsers' returned from 'SearchUsers'

                ...

            }
        }

Server Extension JS Code:

var ff = require('ffef/FatFractal');

function searchUsers() {

    var matchedUsers; // an array of FFUser objects
    var searchInput; // the search criteria 


    // acquire handle to 'searchCriteria' passed from client app to assign to 'searchInput'

    ...

    // return 'matchedUsers' to client app

}

...

exports.searchUsers = searchUsers;

Again, the commented sections are those which I need some clarification with. The rest of the implementation logic I believe I have figured out. Thanks in advance for any help!

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 17 '13 at 23:17

For your application JS code, you can just pass the data as URL query parameters:

var searchCriteria = $("#input-user-search").val();

// suitable validation and URL encoding ...

ff.getArrayFromExtension("/SeachUsers?search=" + searchCriteria,
    function(result) {
        // success
});

(Note that you can use the usual getArrayFromUri function too, but you would have to give the full extension URI of `/ff/ext/SearchUsers' in that case.)

Then in your extension, you need to first get the passed in parameter:

var searchCriteria = ff.getExtensionRequestData().httpParameters['search'];

Finally, set the result:

var r = ff.response();
r.responseCode = 200;
r.result = matchedUsers;

Note that you could also use the postObjToExtension function and, well, post an object to your extension, but that might be overkill for this scenario.

How to pass data attributes to a FatFractal server extension and access them from extension code?

1 Answers1