Get Ember Data working with array of objects - rest

Question

I have a simple Ember Data app to list and show various objects.
My /servers.json API (for example) return this kind of format:
[
{
"hosted_domain" : "example.com",
"status" : 1,
"name" : "srv0443",
"id" : 443
},
{
"id" : 392,
"status" : 1,
"name" : "srv0392",
"hosted_domain" : "example.com"
},
{
"hosted_domain" : "example.com",
"id" : 419,
"name" : "srv0419",
"status" : 1
}
]
But I got the following error:
Assertion Failed: The response from a findAll must be an Array, not undefined
Ember Data expects this kind of format:
{
"servers" : [
{
"name" : "srv0443",
"status" : 1,
"id" : 443,
"hosted_domain" : "example.com"
},
{
"status" : 1,
"name" : "srv0392",
"id" : 392,
"hosted_domain" : "example.com"
},
{
"status" : 1,
"name" : "srv0419",
"hosted_domain" : "example.com",
"id" : 419
},
]
}
I know I can override the payload with the extractArray of the RESTSerializer.
It's works by doing payload = { servers: payload } but how get it working in a generic way?
How can I do to catch the needed key of an model type?
In a more general way, what is the good REST format, by convention?
Thanks.

Answer 1

Ember Data works by having the data follow a certain convention ({servers: payload}). So the data either needs to conform, or you have to extend the serializer as you mentioned (or some other customization like overriding the model's findAll() method). There isn't anyway around it, if you want to use Ember Data. Of course, you don't have to use Ember Data. Here is a good article about not using it: http://eviltrout.com/2013/03/23/ember-without-data.html
To customize the serializer you can extend it like this:
App.ServerSerializer = DS.RESTSerializer.extend({
extractArray: function(store, type, payload) {
this._super(store, type, {servers: payload});
},
});
Extract array is automatically called by ember after it gets a response from the server. This will put in the format ember data expects, then pass it on to continue processing as usual. But you will have to do that for each type of model. If you override App.ApplicationSerializer instead you might be able to use the type paramter to figure out which key should go in the modified payload, so it will work for any model, but I can't check it right now.

Answer 2

Finally found a solution by using primaryType.typeKey and ember-inflector tool on the RESTSerializer:
App.ApplicationSerializer = DS.RESTSerializer.extend
extractArray: (store, primaryType, payload) ->
# Payload reload with { type.pluralize: hash }
payloadKey = Ember.Inflector.inflector.pluralize primaryType.typeKey
payloadReloaded = []
payloadReloaded[payloadKey] = payload
#_super store, primaryType, payloadReloaded
In a nutshell:
Get the type key (e.g. server)
Pluralize it (e.g. servers)
Add it as payload master key (e.g. { servers: payload }
And that's it!
Please feel free to comment this solution if you have a better proposition.