Handling errors with Ember Data using the JSON API standard

Ember Data
1

I am struggling to handle an errors response using Ember Data and the ActiveModelAdapter. I have Googled around and the consensus is that the json format needs to be {errors: {field_name: [“My error message”, “another error”]}} but although I am returning this in a HTTP 500 response my model’s “errors” property remains an empty Ember object.

The controller action that performs the save on the ember data model looks like this:

changeStatus: function(statusId) {
    this.set('statusIsLoading', true);
var myModel= this.get('model');
	self = this;
	myModel.set('statusId', statusId);
	myModel.save().then(function(myModel){
		self.set('statusIsLoading', false);
		self.get('ui').setMessage('The status of this application was updated successfully.', '', 'green', 'checkmark');
		}, function(response) {
			self.set('statusIsLoading', false);
                            console.log(myModel.get('errors'));
			self.set('errors', response.responseJSON.errors);
			self.get('ui').setMessage('The status could not be updated because of the following errors:', '', 'red', 'warning');
		});
	},

When the error callback is called the “response” parameter contains the JSON “errors” key from the server but when I try to console log the “errors” key of the “application” model I get an empty Ember object. I cannot get the “errors” key of te model to populate at all and so I am currently having to get the error response using “response.responseJSON.errors” which is not really the “Ember way” as far as I can see.

Also, from what I have read Ember Data is compatible with the JSON API standard (created by Ember’s Yehuda Katz) so I’d like to return errors in the following format if possible:

http://jsonapi.org/format/#errors

This would allow me to return a “title”, “code” etc. However, all of the examples that I can find of Ember Data handling errors do not demonstrate this format being used and they seem to limit the error format to a field name key and one or more message strings. Am I mistaken in thinking that the ActiveModelAdapter can handle this type of response?

If anyone could help me with this I’d be grateful.

Thanks.

2

Ember Data and the ActiveModelAdapter are not compatible with the current version of the JSON API spec.

There is an adapter being developed https://github.com/kurko/ember-json-api to match the spec though currently it is also a couple versions behind, with pending pull requests to bring it closer to the latest RC of JSON API.

If you’re not already using it you should take a look at GitHub - cerebris/jsonapi-resources: A resource-focused Rails library for developing JSON:API compliant servers. which combines with Rails 4+ to simplify the creation of servers that conform to the standard.

If you’re still stuck I’d suggest taking a look at those projects, I can only assume the model’s errors are not populated as the standard serializer doesn’t know where to find them. I’m only 1 week into the ember journey myself so others may have more insight.

3

Hi.

Thanks for your advice. However, I’m using a Laravel PHP back end rather than Rails & as you pointed out the jsonapi-resources project is out of date now.

It’s one of those things in Ember that you think will be easy & then find your self slogging away trying to get it working! Oh well, I’ll keep at it.

Thanks again.

4

You said you’re returning the errors inside the “errors” key, but looking at the way you’re getting the error, you’re probably storing it under a “responseJSON” key?

If you’re using Laravel or something else and your error messages are not in the same format as ActiveModelSerializers, you can always implement your own ember-data error handler.

Here’s the doc: RESTAdapter - 4.6 - Ember API Documentation

That’s actually what ActiveModelAdapter implements.

Maybe your error is because you returned the status code 500 instead of 422?

5

Thanks for your reply.

The responseJSON key is an Ember “thing” because I am not returning it as part if the JSON from my API & Laravel does not wrap its JSON responses in that key either.

I have tried using error 422 but with no luck. I appreciate I must be doing something wrong but I’m not sure what!

Thanks again.