protractor promises - querying an API using "request" - protractor

Question

I am trying to use protractor to call an api - it will return some JSON to me and I want to assert against it. I thought I had this working, until I tried to take it further and realised I hadn't got it right, but having a bit of a time trying to work out why.
I have placed some console.logs in and expected the sequence to be 1,2,3 however it appears to be 3 (test finished) then 2 and 1. So I suspect a promise issue.
code below:
'use strict';
var request = require('request');
var path = require('path');
var info;
//var fname = null;
var fname = 'joe';
describe("Sample test", function() {
var request = require('request');
var options = {
method: 'GET',
url: 'URL here',
headers: {
'Accept': 'application/json',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: '{ "pay_load": [] }'
};
function callback(error, response, body) {
if (!error && response.statusCode == 200) {
info = JSON.parse(body);
console.log('in the callback now');
//console.log('body :' + body);
//var count = Object.keys(info).length;
//console.log('body len:' + count);
//console.log('info :' + info);
fname = info.firstname;
console.log('firstname1 : ' + info.firstname);
console.log('firstname2 : ' + fname);
} else {
console.log('there was some error');
}
}
it("proves the API is alive - firstname is null", function() {
request(options, callback);
//expect(fname).toBe(null);
console.log('firstname3 : ' + fname);
//expect(fname).toBe(null);
//var common = new Common();
//common.checkForAPI();
});
So in my head I thought I would see "in the callback", then "firstname1", "firstname2" and finally "firstname3"

Answer 1

No, firstname3 will always get printed first, the way you have it. The reason for it as that all http requests in nodejs are async, so while your request is processing (or in flight), firstname3 will be printed. Then console.logs in your request callback.
Edit1 - Addressing the comment
Simple example which would print firstname1,2,3 in sequence (tested)
var request = function(cb) {
//basically call your request stuff and then when you are done call cb
console.log('firstname 1');
console.log('firstname 2');
cb();
};
request(function() {
console.log('firstname 3');
});
This prints
firstname 1
firstname 2
firstname 3
Or you can use a third party library called async and use async.tryEach to run tasks in series.
async.tryEach([
function getDataFromFirstWebsite(callback) {
// Try getting the data from the first website
callback(err, data);
},
function getDataFromSecondWebsite(callback) {
// First website failed,
// Try getting the data from the backup website
callback(err, data);
}
],
// optional callback
function(err, results) {
Now do something with the data.
});