Give dates to a Cloud Code functions is different on parse-server than Parse.com

[Kira2]

Hi,

The way that the date parameters are given to a Cloud Code function seems different on parse-server and Parse.com. This is how to reproduce it.

Create a Cloud Code function like this:

/**
 * @description Just displays the given date parameter
 */
Parse.Cloud.define("myFunction", function(request, response) {
  console.log(request.params.date);
  response.success();
});

When I call this function through the REST API on Parse.com, the date parameter must have this format {__type: "Date", iso: "2016-02-25T00:00:00.000Z"}. Then, the console displays 2016-02-25T00:00:00.000Z probably because there is a mechanism to deserialize it before calling the function.

The same call with the same parameter on parse-server will make the console display {__type: "Date", iso: "2016-02-25T00:00:00.000Z"}.

So, to be able to continue to use my Cloud Code functions with parse-server, it seems now that I have to directly use 2016-02-25T00:00:00.000Z as a date parameter, instead of {__type: "Date", iso: "2016-02-25T00:00:00.000Z"}. Is this difference normal?

Thanks.

[hramos]

IIRC Cloud Code in hosted Parse does not specify how dates must be passed to arbitrary Cloud Functions. You could use an iso date string, or use the REST API object format, whatever your Cloud function needs/expects.

It seems like the issue raised here is on how console.log(), in hosted Parse Cloud Code, handles the display of the REST API object variant (it prints the iso member, not the whole object). Any JavaScript code that works with request.params.date would still see the full object. This does not seem like a breaking change.

[Kira2]

Hi,

Thank you for your response but I don't understand. Do you mean that the date parameter must always be an iso string now, and that we must not use this format for parse-server: {__type: "Date", iso: "2016-02-25T00:00:00.000Z"}?

I put console.log here to understand why the same call gives a different result on Parse.com and on a local parse-server. And the output is different.

In the real code, I use moment to convert the parameter into a date. It works on Parse.com but not on a local parse-server although the given parameter is the same.

You can try by calling the function below with the REST API, and by passing the date into this format {__type: "Date", iso: "2016-01-10T00:00:00.000Z"}. You'll see that the outputs are good on Parse.com, but not on parse-server (today per default, whatever the given date is). It looks like that the format {__type: "Date", iso: "2016-01-10T00:00:00.000Z"} is automatically transformed into an iso string on Parse.com before being given as a request parameter to the Cloud Code function.

/**
 * @description Just displays the given date parameter
 */
Parse.Cloud.define("myFunction", function(request, response) {
  var date = moment(request.params.date);

  // Log the whole date infos. Should match the date given into the parameter
  console.log(date);
  console.log(date.toISOString());

  response.success();
});

The version of moment I use on Parse.com is the same on my local parse-server.

Thanks.

[joeyslack]

Also seeing this issue ^^

[hramos]

@Kira2 No, there is no restriction on how you pass a parameter to a Cloud function. As I said earlier you can pass dates as strings or as objects, whatever fits your needs.

What I am saying is that the difference you are reporting is a display issue limited to console.log(). The output, or display, differs between Parse.com and Parse Server. That does not change the fact that date is still a JSON object formatted like {__type: "Date", iso: "2016-01-10T00:00:00.000Z"} and your code should work the same in both environments.

[Kira2]

Ok. But none of Cloud Code functions I have on Parse.com, and that receive a date as object, work on parse-server.

[joeyslack]

Same. In mongo, I have items stored as ISODate, and are correctly identifying as "date" columns. When it gets loaded into the PFObject (in Obj-C), even though my property is marked as NSDate, it's getting assigned as an NSString. I'm having to manually convert it to a NSDate in Objective-C.

Something is very wrong here, and threads are getting closed on this issue.

[hramos]

@joeyslack that is not the issue that is being raised in this thread. Can you open a new issue with repro steps?

[Kira2]

Hi,

Why did you close my initial issue? I still have no answer to know what my Cloud Code function That work on Parse.com DO NOT WORK the same way on parse-server. Did you fix this?

[flovilmart]

@Kira2 can you log req.params.date.__type and req.params.date.iso ?

[Kira2]

Hi,

Yes, this is what I get when I try to log request.params.date._type and request.params.date.iso. My function is still this one:

/**
 * @description Just displays the given date parameter
 */
Parse.Cloud.define("myFunction", function(request, response) {
  console.log(request.params.date.__type);
  console.log(request.params.date.iso);

  response.success();
});

On Parse.com:

I2016-03-02T20:33:36.890Z]v850 Ran cloud function myFunction with:
Input: {"date":{"__type":"Date","iso":"2016-01-10T00:00:00.000Z"}}
Result: undefined

I2016-03-02T20:33:36.973Z]No Message provided => console.log(request.params.date.__type)
I2016-03-02T20:33:36.974Z]No Message provided => console.log(request.params.date.iso)

On parse-server:

Date => console.log(request.params.date.__type)
2016-01-10T00:00:00.000Z => console.log(request.params.date.iso)

As I said, even if the function is called with the same parameter with the same format, inside the function, request.params.date is not the same. On Parse.com it is handled like the iso string, and on parse-server, it keeps the object format.

Thanks.

[flovilmart]

How do you call that function? iOS, JS SDK, Android, direct CURL?

[Kira2]

I use the REST API, and I can reproduce it with this call:

curl -X POST \
-H "X-Parse-Application-Id: xxx" \
-H "X-Parse-REST-API-Key: xxx" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"date":{"__type":"Date","iso":"2016-01-10T00:00:00.000Z"}}' \
https://api.parse.com/1/functions/myFunction