Updating Nested Objects in Object Arrays

Hey there! In this blog post, we'll walk through the process of updating deeply nested objects within object lists in Xano. We'll be using a real-world example to illustrate the steps, so you can follow along and apply the same techniques to your own projects.

The Problem

Imagine you have a data structure that looks something like this:

json
 {
  "id": 1,
  "name": "Parent Object",
  "childObjects": [
  {
  "id": 1,
  "name": "Child Object 1",
  "grandchildObjects": [
  {
  "id": 1,
  "name": "Grandchild Object 1"
  },
  {
  "id": 2,
  "name": "Grandchild Object 2"
  }
  ]
  },
  {
  "id": 2,
  "name": "Child Object 2",
  "grandchildObjects": [
  {
  "id": 3,
  "name": "Grandchild Object 3"
  }
  ]
  }
  ]
 }
 

Now, let's say you want to update the `name` property of one of the grandchild objects, like "Grandchild Object 1". How would you go about doing that? Well, you could try to manually navigate through the nested objects, but that can quickly become cumbersome and error-prone, especially if you have a large and complex data structure.

Thankfully, Xano provides a neat solution to this problem!

The Solution

In Xano, you can use a combination of queries and loops to update deeply nested objects within object lists. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

1. Query the parent record(s): Start by querying the parent record(s) that contain the nested objects you want to update.

js
 const parentRecords = await xano.data.query('ParentTable');
 

1. Initialize an array to store updated objects: Create an empty array to store the updated parent objects after you've made the necessary changes.

js
 const updatedParentObjects = [];
 

1. Loop through the parent records: Iterate over the parent records you queried in step 1.

js
 for (const parentRecord of parentRecords) {
  // ...
 }
 

1. Initialize a loop counter: Inside the parent loop, initialize a counter variable that will keep track of the current iteration. This counter will be used later to identify the specific child object you want to update.

js
 let childLoopCounter = 1;
 

1. Loop through the child objects: Start a nested loop to iterate over the child objects within the current parent object.

js
 for (const childObject of parentRecord.childObjects) {
  // ...
 }
 

1. Loop through the grandchild objects: Inside the child loop, start another nested loop to iterate over the grandchild objects within the current child object.

js
 for (const grandchildObject of childObject.grandchildObjects) {
  // ...
 }
 

1. Check for the object you want to update: Within the grandchild loop, add a condition to check if the current grandchild object is the one you want to update. For example, you could check if the `id` or `name` property matches a specific value.

js
 if (grandchildObject.id === 1) {
  // Update the grandchild object
  grandchildObject.name = 'Updated Grandchild Object 1';
 }
 

1. Remove the old child object: After updating the grandchild object, remove the old child object from the parent object's `childObjects` array using the `childLoopCounter` and the child object's `id`.

js
 parentRecord.childObjects.splice(childLoopCounter - 1, 1);
 

1. Add the updated child object: Create a new child object with the updated grandchild object, and add it to the parent object's `childObjects` array.

js
 const updatedChildObject = {
  ...childObject,
  grandchildObjects: [
  ...childObject.grandchildObjects.slice(0, childLoopCounter - 1),
  updatedGrandchildObject,
  ...childObject.grandchildObjects.slice(childLoopCounter)
  ]
 };
 parentRecord.childObjects.push(updatedChildObject);
 

1. Increment the loop counter: Increment the `childLoopCounter` variable to prepare for the next iteration.

js
 childLoopCounter++;
 

1. Add the updated parent object to the array: After the child and grandchild loops have completed, add the updated parent object to the `updatedParentObjects` array.

js
 updatedParentObjects.push(parentRecord);
 

1. Update the parent records: Finally, update the parent records in your database with the updated objects from the `updatedParentObjects` array.

js
 for (const updatedParentObject of updatedParentObjects) {
  await xano.data.updateRecord('ParentTable', updatedParentObject);
 }
 

And that's it! By following these steps, you can successfully update deeply nested objects within object lists in Xano. Keep in mind that the specific implementation details may vary depending on your data structure and requirements, but the overall approach should remain the same.

Best Practices and Final Thoughts

While the solution presented above works for updating nested objects, it's important to note that dealing with deeply nested data structures can quickly become complex and difficult to maintain. As a best practice, consider restructuring your data model to avoid such nested structures.

One approach is to break down the data into separate tables and establish relationships between them using foreign keys. This way, you can leverage Xano's built-in functionality for updating records, maintaining data integrity, and ensuring better performance.

For example, instead of nesting child and grandchild objects within a parent object, you could create separate tables for each level and establish relationships using foreign keys:

• Parent Table
• Child Table (with a foreign key referencing the Parent Table)
• Grandchild Table (with a foreign key referencing the Child Table)

By following this approach, you can easily update individual records using Xano's `updateRecord` function, without the need for complex looping and object manipulation.

Remember, the key to building maintainable and scalable applications is to keep your data structures as simple and normalized as possible. Xano provides powerful tools to help you achieve this, so don't hesitate to explore and experiment with different data modeling techniques.

If you have any further questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to the Xano community or contact our support team. Happy coding!