fighting with GetListResponse

I have a perfectly reasonable server API that returns an object:

{
  items: Item[],
  pagination: PaginationMeta,
}

{
  items: Item[],
  pagination: PaginationMeta,
}

this would work fine with raw React Query - I'd just implement select - but useTable is frustrating the simple elegance of useQuery by assuming the data is returned as a bare list (the tutorial assumes that metadata goes in response headers, which is not especially standard). I will probably make this work by implementing a DataProvider, but I wanted to register that the types could be improved considerably here around useTable to support different shapes of APIs.

21 Replies

kapa.ai•4mo ago

Hi @David Golightly. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave: ---------------------- It seems like you're encountering a common issue when working with useTable in refine, where the expected data structure doesn't align with your API's response format. The useTable hook in refine is designed to work with a specific data structure, typically expecting an array of items and a total count, as defined by the GetListResponse interface:

export interface GetListResponse<TData = BaseRecord> {
    data: TData[];
    total: number;
}

export interface GetListResponse<TData = BaseRecord> {
    data: TData[];
    total: number;
}

To handle your API's response structure, you can use the select function within the queryOptions of useTable to transform the data into the expected format. Here's an example of how you might achieve this:

const table = useTable({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response) => {
            // Transform your API response to match the expected structure
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total, // Assuming pagination has a total field
            };
        },
    },
});

const table = useTable({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response) => {
            // Transform your API response to match the expected structure
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total, // Assuming pagination has a total field
            };
        },
    },
});

This approach allows you to manipulate the data returned by your API to fit the expected GetListResponse format used by useTable. By doing so, you can leverage the existing functionality of useTable without needing to implement a custom DataProvider. For more details on how to use queryOptions and the select function, you can refer to the useTable API documentation (https://refine.dev/docs/ui-integrations/ant-design/hooks/use-table/#properties-1). If you need further customization or if this approach doesn't fully meet your needs, implementing a custom DataProvider might indeed be a viable solution. However, using the select function is a good first step to try and align your API's response with refine's expectations. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•4mo ago

<@736823162695581727> kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let us know how it did by reacting below

correct-apricotOP•4mo ago

@kapa.ai that's not typesafe

kapa.ai•4mo ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you. One moment! :books: ---------------------- To achieve type safety while transforming your API response to fit the expected structure of useTable, you can define a custom type for your API response and use TypeScript's type assertions or type guards to ensure that the transformation is type-safe. Here's an example of how you can do this: 1. Define your API response type:

interface ApiResponse {
    items: Item[];
    pagination: {
        total: number;
    };
}

interface ApiResponse {
    items: Item[];
    pagination: {
        total: number;
    };
}

2. Use the select function with type assertions to transform the data:

const table = useTable<Item>({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response: ApiResponse) => {
            // Ensure the response is of type ApiResponse
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total,
            };
        },
    },
});

const table = useTable<Item>({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response: ApiResponse) => {
            // Ensure the response is of type ApiResponse
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total,
            };
        },
    },
});

By explicitly typing the response parameter in the select function as ApiResponse, you ensure that TypeScript checks the structure of the response object, providing type safety. For more information on using useTable and handling custom data structures, you can refer to the useTable API documentation (https://refine.dev/docs/ui-integrations/ant-design/hooks/use-table/#properties-1). If you need further customization, consider implementing a custom DataProvider that aligns with your API's response format. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•4mo ago

<@736823162695581727> kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let us know how it did by reacting below

correct-apricotOP•4mo ago

@kapa.ai when I do that I get the type error: Type GetListResponse<BaseRecord> has no properties in common with type <MyType>

kapa.ai•4mo ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you. One moment! :books: ---------------------- The error you're encountering suggests a type mismatch between the expected GetListResponse<BaseRecord> and your custom type. To resolve this, you need to ensure that the transformation in the select function aligns with the expected GetListResponse structure. Here's a step-by-step approach to address this: 1. Define the Custom Type: Ensure your custom type matches the structure of GetListResponse.

interface MyType {
    items: Item[];
    pagination: {
        total: number;
    };
}

interface MyType {
    items: Item[];
    pagination: {
        total: number;
    };
}

2. Transform the Data: Use the select function to transform your API response into the expected GetListResponse format.

const table = useTable<Item>({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response: MyType) => {
            // Transform the response to match GetListResponse
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total,
            } as GetListResponse<Item>;
        },
    },
});

const table = useTable<Item>({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response: MyType) => {
            // Transform the response to match GetListResponse
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total,
            } as GetListResponse<Item>;
        },
    },
});

3. Ensure Type Compatibility: Use type assertions to explicitly tell TypeScript that the transformed data matches GetListResponse<Item>. By following these steps, you should be able to transform your API response into a type-safe format that useTable can work with. If you continue to face issues, consider reviewing the useTable API documentation (https://refine.dev/docs/ui-integrations/ant-design/hooks/use-table/#properties-1) for additional guidance on handling custom data structures. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•4mo ago

<@736823162695581727> kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let us know how it did by reacting below

correct-apricotOP•4mo ago

@kapa.ai the return of select is compatible, the problem is the type of useTable assumes the initial payload conforms to GetListResponse and it doesn't need to

kapa.ai•4mo ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you. One moment! :books: ---------------------- It seems like the core issue is that useTable expects the initial payload to conform to the GetListResponse type, which might not align with your API's response structure. Unfortunately, the current implementation of useTable in refine assumes this structure, and there isn't a built-in way to change this expectation directly. However, you can work around this limitation by transforming your API response to fit the expected structure using the select function, as previously discussed. This transformation occurs after the data is fetched, so it doesn't change the initial type expectation but allows you to work with the data in a compatible format. If this approach doesn't fully meet your needs, you might consider implementing a custom DataProvider that handles the transformation at the data fetching level, ensuring that the data returned to useTable already conforms to the expected structure. For more information on using useTable and handling custom data structures, you can refer to the useTable API documentation (https://refine.dev/docs/ui-integrations/ant-design/hooks/use-table/#properties-1). If you have specific requirements or further questions, feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to assist you with the information available. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•4mo ago

<@736823162695581727> kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let us know how it did by reacting below

correct-apricotOP•4mo ago

@kapa.ai yeah I'm not changing my API structure to get around an artificial framework limitation, thanks though

kapa.ai•4mo ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you. One moment! :books: ---------------------- Hmm, I don't know enough to give you a confident answer yet. It seems like the current implementation of useTable in refine expects a specific data structure, which might not align with your API's response. You might want to explore implementing a custom DataProvider to handle your specific API structure. For more details, you can refer to the refine documentation (https://refine.dev/docs/). ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•4mo ago

<@736823162695581727> kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let us know how it did by reacting below

correct-apricotOP•4mo ago

@kapa.ai I don't want to implement DataProvider, I want to implement select like I do in React Query

kapa.ai•4mo ago

Let me check the knowledge base for you. One moment! :books: ---------------------- To implement a select function similar to how you would in React Query, you can use the queryOptions parameter in useTable to transform the data after it is fetched. This allows you to reshape the data to fit the expected structure without altering your API or implementing a custom DataProvider. Here's how you can do it:

const table = useTable<Item>({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response: MyType) => {
            // Transform your API response to match the expected structure
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total,
            };
        },
    },
});

const table = useTable<Item>({
    queryOptions: {
        select: (response: MyType) => {
            // Transform your API response to match the expected structure
            return {
                data: response.items,
                total: response.pagination.total,
            };
        },
    },
});

In this example, MyType is your custom type that matches the structure of your API response. The select function transforms this response into the format expected by useTable, which is a GetListResponse with data and total properties. This approach allows you to leverage the select function to handle the transformation, similar to how you would in React Query, without needing to change your API or implement a DataProvider. For more information on using useTable and handling custom data structures, you can refer to the useTable API documentation (https://refine.dev/docs/ui-integrations/ant-design/hooks/use-table/#properties-1). ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•4mo ago

<@736823162695581727> kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let us know how it did by reacting below

correct-apricotOP•4mo ago

@kapa.ai we're going in circles, thanks though!

kapa.ai•4mo ago

<@736823162695581727> kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let us know how it did by reacting below

correct-apricotOP•4mo ago

For future reference, the thing to do here is skip the DataProvider layer/select combo and just implement queryFn to return the shape of GetListResponse

fighting with GetListResponse

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