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How do I handle an error and then immediately break out of a promise chain?

So I have an Express app that uses middleware to parse JSON POST requests and then populate a req.body object. Then I have a promise chain that validates the data against a schema using Joi, and then stores it in a database.
What I would like to do is check if an error was thrown after one of these processes, handle it appropriately by sending a status code, then COMPLETELY ABORT the promise chain. I feel like there should be some EXTREMELY CLEAN AND SIMPLE way to do this, (perhaps some sort of break statement?) but I can't find it anywhere. Here is my code. I left comments showing where I hope to abort the promise chain.
const joi = require("joi");
const createUserSchema = joi.object().keys({
username: joi.string().alphanum().min(4).max(30).required(),
password: joi.string().alphanum().min(2).max(30).required(),
});
//Here begins my promise chain
app.post("/createUser", (req, res) => {
//validate javascript object against the createUserSchema before storing in database
createUserSchema.validate(req.body)
.catch(validationError => {
res.sendStatus(400);
//CLEANLY ABORT the promise chain here
})
.then(validatedUser => {
//accepts a hash of inputs and stores it in a database
return createUser({
username: validatedUser.username,
password: validatedUser.password
})
.catch(error => {
res.sendStatus(500);
//CLEANLY ABORT the promise chain here
})
//Only now, if both promises are resolved do I send status 200
.then(() => {
res.sendStatus(200);
}
)
});

You can't abort a promise chain in the middle. It's going to either call a .then() or a .catch() later in the chain (assuming there are both and assuming your promises resolve or reject).
Usually, the way you handle this is you put one .catch() at the end of the chain and it examines the type of error and takes appropriate action. You don't handle the error earlier in the chain. You let the last .catch() handle things.
Here's what I would suggest:
// helper function
function err(status, msg) {
let obj = new Error(msg);
obj.status = status;
return obj;
}
//Here begins my promise chain
app.post("/createUser", (req, res) => {
//validate javascript object against the createUserSchema before storing in database
createUserSchema.validate(req.body).catch(validationError => {
throw err("validateError", 400)
}).then(validatedUser => {
//accepts a hash of inputs and stores it in a database
return createUser({
username: validatedUser.username,
password: validatedUser.password
}).catch(err => {
throw err("createUserError", 500);
});
}).then(() => {
// success
res.sendStatus(200);
}).catch(error => {
console.log(error);
if (error && error.status) {
res.sendStatus(error.status);
} else {
// no specific error status specified
res.sendStatus(500);
}
});
});
This has several advantages:
Any error propagates to the last .catch() at the end of the chain where it is logged and an appropriate status is sent in just one place in the code.
Success is handled in just one place where that status is sent.
This is infinitely extensible to more links in the chain. If you have more operations that can have errors, they can "abort" the rest of the chain (except the last .catch() by just rejecting with an appropriate error object).
This is somewhat analogous to the design practice of not having lots of return value statements all over your function, but rather accumulating the result and then returning it at the end which some people consider a good practice for a complicated function.
When debugging you can set breakpoints in one .then() and one .catch() to see the final resolution of the promise chain since the whole chain goes through either the last .then() or the last .catch().

.catch returns a resolved Promise by default. You want a rejected Promsise. So, you should return a rejected promise from inside the .catch, so that future .thens won't execute:
.catch(validationError => {
res.sendStatus(400);
return Promise.reject();
})
But note that this will result in a console warning:
Uncaught (in promise) ...
So it would be nice to add another .catch to the end, to suppress the error (as well as catch any other errors that come along):
const resolveAfterMs = ms => new Promise(res => setTimeout(() => {
console.log('resolving');
res();
}), ms);
console.log('start');
resolveAfterMs(500)
.then(() => {
console.log('throwing');
throw new Error();
})
.catch(() => {
console.log('handling error');
return Promise.reject();
})
.then(() => {
console.log('This .then should never execute');
})
.catch(() => void 0);
If you want to avoid all future .thens and future .catches, I suppose you could return a Promise that never resolves, though that doesn't really sound like a sign of a well-designed codebase:
const resolveAfterMs = ms => new Promise(res => setTimeout(() => {
console.log('resolving');
res();
}), ms);
console.log('start');
resolveAfterMs(500)
.then(() => {
console.log('throwing');
throw new Error();
})
.catch(() => {
console.log('handling error');
return new Promise(() => void 0);
})
.then(() => {
console.log('This .then should never execute');
})
.catch(() => {
console.log('final catch');
});

A cleaner solution for what you are trying to accomplish might be to use express-validation, which is a simple wrapper around joi that provides you with express middleware for validation of the body, params, query, headers and cookies of an express request based on your Joi schema.
That way, you could simply handle any Joi validation errors thrown by the middleware within your "generic" express error handler, with something like:
const ev = require('express-validation');
app.use(function (err, req, res, next) {
// specific for validation errors
if (err instanceof ev.ValidationError)
return res.status(err.status).json(err);
...
...
...
}
If you don't want to use the express-validation package, you could write your own simple middleware that does more or less the same thing, as described here (see example here).

One strategy is to separate your error handling in subpromises which have their individual error handling. If you throw an error from them, you'll bypass the main promise chain.
Something like:
return Promise.resolve().then(() => {
return createUserSchema.validate(req.body)
.catch(validationError => {
res.sendStatus(400);
throw 'abort';
});
}).then(validatedUser => {
// if an error was thrown before, this code won't be executed
// accepts a hash of inputs and stores it in a database
return createUser({
username: validatedUser.username,
password: validatedUser.password
}).catch(error => {
// if an error was previously thrown from `createUserSchema.validate`
// this code won't execute
res.sendStatus(500);
throw 'abort';
});
}).then(() => {
// can put in even more code here
}).then(() => {
// it was not aborted
res.sendStatus(200);
}).catch(() => {
// it was aborted
});
You can skip the Promise.resolve().then() wrapping, but it's included for illustrative purposes of the general pattern of subdividing each task and its error handling.

Async/Await error handling

I'm trying to handle a custom error that my async method throws, but the try catch block doesn't work appropriately.
I think the way I'm doing it should work but the error is not caught and the program terminates by displaying it in the terminal.
Here is where it throws the error:
async setupTap(tap) {
const model = this.connection.model('Tap', TapSchema);
await model.findOneAndUpdate({ id: tap.id }, tap, (err, result) => {
let error = null;
if (!result) {
throw new Error('Tap doesn\'t exists', 404);
}
return result;
});
}
Then, the error handling code:
async setupTapHandler(request, h) {
const tapData = {
id: request.params.id,
clientId: request.payload.clientId,
beerId: request.payload.beerId,
kegId: request.payload.kegId,
};
try {
await this.kegeratorApi.setupTap(tapData);
} catch (e) {
if (e.code === 404) return h.response().code(404);
}
return h.response().code(204);
}
Can someone help me?
I also looked at other topics:
Correct Try...Catch Syntax Using Async/Await
How to properly implement error handling in async/await case

You can only use await to successfully wait on an async operation if you are awaiting a promise. Assuming you are using mongoose, I don't know mongoose really well, but it appears that model.findOneAndUpdate() does not return a promise if you pass it a callback. Instead, it executes and puts the result in the callback.
In addition, doing a throw from a callback like this just throws into the database (the code that called the callback) and won't do you any good at all. To have a throw make a rejected promise, you need to either be throwing from the top level of an async function or be throwing from inside a .then() or .catch() handler or inside a promise executor function. That's where throw makes a promise rejected.
The key here is that you want to use the promise interface to your database, not the callback interface. If you don't pass a callback, then it returns a query which you can use .exec() on to get a promise which you can then use with await.
In addition, you weren't building an error object that would have a .code property set to 404. That isn't a property that is supported by the Error object constructor, so if you want that property, you have to set it manually.
I'd suggest this:
async setupTap(tap) {
const model = this.connection.model('Tap', TapSchema);
let result = await model.findOneAndUpdate({ id: tap.id }, tap).exec();
if (!result) {
let err = new Error('Tap doesn\'t exists');
err.code = 404;
throw err;
}
return result;
}
Or, with only one async operation here, there's really not much benefit to using await. You could just do this:
setupTap(tap) {
const model = this.connection.model('Tap', TapSchema);
return model.findOneAndUpdate({ id: tap.id }, tap).exec().then(result => {
if (!result) {
let err = new Error('Tap doesn\'t exists');
err.code = 404;
throw err;
}
return result;
});
}

The function findOneAndUpdate returns a promise so there should be no need for the callback. If a callback is needed and you can't update to a newer version then maybe wrap calls in a promise (under To use a callback api as promise you can do:)
Then you want to set code on error, you can't do that with the constructor.
async setupTap(tap) {
const model = this.connection.model('Tap', TapSchema);
const result = await model.findOneAndUpdate({ id: tap.id }, tap);
if (!result) {
const e = new Error('Tap doesn\'t exists');
e.code = 404;
throw(e);
}
return result;
}
async setupTapHandler(request, h) {
const tapData = {
id: request.params.id,
clientId: request.payload.clientId,
beerId: request.payload.beerId,
kegId: request.payload.kegId,
};
try {
await this.kegeratorApi.setupTap(tapData);
} catch (e) {
if (e.code === 404) return h.response().code(404);
}
return h.response().code(204);
}

Using mongoose promises with async/await

I'm trying to get the hang of using Mongoose promises with the async/await functionality of Node.js. When my function printEmployees is called I want to save the list of employees which are queried by the orderEmployees function. While, the console.log statement inside orderEmployees returns the expected query, the console.log inside of printEmployees returns undefined, suggesting that I'm not returning the promise correctly.
I'm new to promises so entirely possible that I'm not correctly understanding the paradigm... any help is much appreciated.
printEmployees: async(company) => {
var employees = await self.orderEmployees(company);
// SECOND CONSOLE.LOG
console.log(employees);
},
orderEmployees: (companyID) => {
User.find({company:companyID})
.exec()
.then((employees) => {
// FIRST CONSOLE.LOG
console.log(employees);
return employees;
})
.catch((err) => {
return 'error occured';
});
},

In order to make orderEmployees behave like async functions, you have to return the resulting promise. There are two rules to follow when using promises without async/await keywords:
A function is asynchronous if it returns a Promise
If you have a promise (for example returned by an async function) you must either call .then on it or return it.
When you are using async/await then you must await on promises you obtain.
This said you will notice that you do not return the promise generated inside orderEmployees. Easy to fix, but its also easy to rewrite that function to async too.
orderEmployees: (companyID) => {
return User.find({company:companyID}) // Notice the return here
.exec()
.then((employees) => {
// FIRST CONSOLE.LOG
console.log(employees);
return employees;
})
.catch((err) => {
return 'error occured';
});
},
or
orderEmployees: async(companyID) => {
try {
const employees = await User.find({company:companyID}).exec();
console.log(employees);
return employees;
} catch (err) {
return 'error occured';
}
},
PS: the error handling is somewhat flawed here. We usually do not handle errors by returning an error string from a function. It is better to have the error propagate in this case, and handle it from some top-level, UI code.

You need to return your Promise.
Currently, you are awaiting on a function that returns undefined.
await only actually "waits" for the value if it's used with a Promise.
Always keep in mind that you can only await Promises or async functions, which implicitly return a Promise1.
orderEmployees: (companyID) => {
return User.find({ company:companyID }).exec()
}
Also really important, you should throw instead of return in your .catch handler. Returning from within a .catch handler will cause the promise chain to trigger it's .then instead of it's .catch thus breaking the error handling chain.
Better yet, don't include .catch at all and let the the actual error bubble up the promise chain, instead of overriding it with your own non-descriptive 'error occured' message.
Error conditions should throw the error, not return it.
1 You can also await non-Promises, but only for values that are evaluated synchronously.

You are not returning a Promise from orderEmployees.
printEmployees: async(company) => {
var employees = await self.orderEmployees(company);
// SECOND CONSOLE.LOG
console.log(employees);
},
orderEmployees: (companyID) => {
return User.find({company:companyID})
.exec()
.then((employees) => {
// FIRST CONSOLE.LOG
console.log(employees);
return employees;
})
.catch((err) => {
return 'error occured';
});
},

You need to return a Promise from orderEmployees
orderEmployees: companyId => User.find({ companyId }).exec()
If you want to do some error handling or pre-processing before you return then you can keep your code as is but just remember to return the result (promises are chainable).

if you're going to use async/await then it works like this.
await in front of the function that returns a promise.
async in front of the wrapping function.
wrap the function body inside try/catch block.
Please have a look on this function, it is a middleware
before i execute a specific route in express.
const validateUserInDB = async (req, res, next) => {
try {
const user = await UserModel.findById(req.user._id);
if (!user) return res.status(401).json({ message: "Unauthorized." });
req.user = user;
return next();
} catch (error) {
return res.status(500).json({ message: "Internal server error." })
}
}
The code after await is waiting the promise to be resolved.
Catch block catches any error happened inside the try block even if the error that is triggered by catch method comes from awaiting promise.

Async function always return undefined

im using nodejs 8. I've replaced promise structure code to use async and await.
I have an issue when I need to return an object but await sentence resolve undefined.
This is my controller method:
request.create = async (id, params) => {
try {
let request = await new Request(Object.assign(params, { property : id })).save()
if ('_id' in request) {
Property.findById(id).then( async (property) => {
property.requests.push(request._id)
await property.save()
let response = {
status: 200,
message: lang.__('general.success.created','Request')
}
return Promise.resolve(response)
})
}
}
catch (err) {
let response = {
status: 400,
message: lang.__('general.error.fatalError')
}
return Promise.reject(response)
}
}
In http request function:
exports.create = async (req, res) => {
try {
let response = await Request.create(req.params.id, req.body)
console.log(response)
res.send(response)
}
catch (err) {
res.status(err.status).send(err)
}
}
I tried returning Promise.resolve(response) and Promise.reject(response) with then and catch in the middleware function and is occurring the same.
What's wrong?
Thanks a lot, cheers

You don't necessarily need to interact with the promises at all inside an async function. Inside an async function, the regular throw syntax is the same as return Promise.reject() because an async function always returns a Promise. Another thing I noticed with your code is that you're rejecting promises inside a HTTP handler, which will definitely lead to unexpected behavior later on. You should instead handle all errors directly in the handler and act on them accordingly, instead of returning/throwing them.
Your code could be rewritten like so:
request.create = async (id, params) => {
let request = await new Request(Object.assign(params, { property : id })).save()
if ('_id' in request) {
let property = await Property.findById(id)
property.requests.push(request._id)
await property.save()
}
}
And your http handler:
exports.create = async (req, res) => {
try {
await Request.create(req.params.id, req.body)
res.send({
status: 200,
message: lang.__('general.success.created','Request')
})
} catch (err) {
switch (err.constructor) {
case DatabaseConnectionError: // Not connected to database
return res.sendStatus(500) // Internal server error
case UnauthorizedError:
return res.sendStatus(401) // Unauthorized
case default:
return res.status(400).send(err) // Generic error
}
}
}
Error classes:
class DatabaseConnectionError extends Error {}
class UnauthorizedError extends Error {}
Because you have that try/catch block inside your http handler method, anything that throws or rejects inside the Request.create method will be caught there. See https://repl.it/LtLo/3 for a more concise example of how errors thrown from async function or Promises doesn't need to be caught directly where they are first called from.

then Promise doesn't work

i have this code for a statistic report over a db.
exports.calculate = function(req, res, next) {
models.Quiz.count()
.then(function(questions) {
statistics.questions = questions;
models.Comment.count().then(function(comments) {
statistics.comments = comments;
statistics.average_comments = (statistics.comments / statistics.questions).toFixed(2);
models.Quiz.findAll({
include: [{model: models.Comment}]})
.then(function(quizes) {
for (index in quizes) {
if (quizes[index].Comment.length) {
statistics.commented_questions++;
} else {statistics.no_commented++;}
};
})
})
})
.catch(function(error) {next(error)})
.finally(function() {next()});
};
It works properly until the SQL statement, but never makes the loop for, so i never can get
statistics.commented_questions
or
statistics.no_commented
Thank's in advanced!

When chaining promises together they need to know when the previous promise is either rejected or fulfilled. In your current code, the initial promise never returns a value/promise but instead calls an async function. The code essentially looks like this to the JS engine:
exports.calculate = function(req, res, next) {
models.Quiz.count()
.then(function(questions) {
statistics.questions = questions;
// ASYNC FUNCS THAT ARE NEVER RETURNED
// ...
// functions in JS without an explicit return statement return nothing (essentially `undefined`)
})
.catch(function(error) {
next(error)
})
.finally(function() {
next()
});
};
So, after the engine waits for the initial promise to be fulfilled/rejected it fires off another promise for an async operation that returns a promise but doesn't return it to the original promise chain. By default the original promise chain receives undefined which is then passed on to the next method in the chain. In this case it would be the finally method.
You might wonder why the second promise is still updating the information if it's not waiting for it. This is a race condition and essentially that promise is winning.
To properly chain the promises together you need to return the new promise to the old promise chain like so:
exports.calculate = function(req, res, next) {
models.Quiz.count().then(function(questions) {
statistics.questions = questions;
return models.Comment.count();
}).then(function(comments) {
statistics.comments = comments;
statistics.average_comments = (statistics.comments / statistics.questions).toFixed(2);
return models.Quiz.findAll({
include: [{
model: models.Comment
}]
});
}).then(function(quizes) {
for (index in quizes) {
if (quizes[index].Comment.length) {
statistics.commented_questions++;
} else {
statistics.no_commented++;
}
}
}).catch(next).finally(next);
};
If you are using a version of Node/IO that has support for the native Promise object you can leverage that a bit to issue concurrent requests since none of them are dependent on each other. Note: the Promise API does not have a finally() method but we can use the second argument for then() to pass an error along.
exports.calculate = function(req, res, next) {
Promise.all([
models.Quiz.count(),
models.Comment.count(),
models.Quiz.findAll({
include: [{
model: models.Comment
}]
})
]).then(function(results)
// `results` is an array of [questions, comments, quizes]
statistics.questions = results[0];
statistics.comments = results[1];
statistics.average_comments = (statistics.comments / statistics.questions).toFixed(2);
for (index in results[2]) {
if (results[2][index].Comment.length) {
statistics.commented_questions++;
} else {
statistics.no_commented++;
}
}
}).then(next, next);
};