For each results in v-for loop how can I nest another v-for loop using a parameter from the results of the first loop - vue.js

Question

Using a v-for loop in Vue js. I am looping through the readingTasks data object which correctly produces two results from the data below.
readingTasks:Array[2]
0:Object
enabled:true
newunit:-1
task:"The part 3 guide"
unit:-1
unit_task_id:27
url:"#"
1:Object
enabled:true
newunit:-1
task:"The part 3 training units"
unit:-1
unit_task_id:28
url:"#"
The bit I am unsure about is how for each result, how do I run another Axios database call that shows if the reading Task is complete or not. For example for the first record, the complete status should be true (unit_task_id:27) and the second record should be false.
userTasks:Array[1]
0:Object
complete:true
enabled:true
newunit:-1
task:"The part 3 guide"
unit:-1
unit_task_id:27
unit_task_user_id:21
<ul>
<li v-for="task in readingTasks">
{{task.task}}
//trying to call a function that does an Axios call passing in parameters from readingTasks
{{getUserTaskByUnit(task.unit, task.unit_task_id)}}
<template v-for="usertask in userTasks">
{{usertask.complete}}
</template>
</li>
</ul>
//javascript if its useful
data: {
readingTasks: [],
userTasks: []
},
mounted() {
this.lastUnit();
},
methods: {
//functons
lastUnit: function() {
this.tasks();
},
tasks: function() {
var self = this;
var unit = this.unit;
axios.get("/WebService/units.asmx/GetTasks?unit=" + unit).then(function(response) {
self.readingTasks = response.data;
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.log(error);
})
.then(function() {
});
},
getUserTaskByUnit: function(unit, unitTaskId) {
var self = this;
axios.get("/WebService/units.asmx/GetUserTasks?unit=" + unit + "&unitTaskId=" + unitTaskId).then(function(response) {
self.userTasks = response.data;
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.log(error);
})
.then(function() {});
}
This code seems close to doing the correct thing, however {{usertask.complete}} flickers between true and false for both sets of results. Like it is stuck in a loop.
I would expect the first result to show True here and the second result to show False.
The part 3 guide - true
The part 3 training units - false

Answer 1

There are a few problems here.
The template has a dependency on userTasks, so every time userTasks changes it will cause the component to re-render, running the template again.
Every time the template runs it calls getUserTaskByUnit for both tasks. That will, asynchronously, update userTasks. When userTasks is updated it will trigger a re-render, which will call getUserTaskByUnit again, going round and round in an infinite loop.
Worse than just being an infinite loop, each time it renders it will trigger two requests, each of which will trigger another re-rendering. The number of requests will balloon exponentially.
When those requests do return you're then storing them in userTasks. But both responses are being stored in exactly the same place, so you'll only ever see the results of one request in the UI.
The first thing you'll need is a better data structure for storing the responses in getUserTaskByUnit. The simplest place to store them would be on the tasks in readingTask. That might look something like this:
// Note the whole task is now being passed to getUserTaskByUnit
getUserTaskByUnit: function(task) {
var self = this;
axios.get("/WebService/units.asmx/GetUserTasks?unit=" + task.unit + "&unitTaskId=" + task.unit_task_id).then(function(response) {
task.userTasks = response.data;
})
...
}
The call to getUserTaskByUnit needs moving out of the template. Moving it into the tasks method seems as good a place as any. There are also a few changes required to get it to work with the new version of getUserTaskByUnit:
tasks: function() {
var self = this;
var unit = this.unit;
axios.get("/WebService/units.asmx/GetTasks?unit=" + unit).then(function(response) {
var readingTasks = response.data;
// Pre-populate userTasks so it will be reactive
readingTasks.forEach(function(task) {
task.userTasks = [];
});
// This must come after userTasks is pre-populated
self.readingTasks = readingTasks;
readingTasks.forEach(function(task) {
// Passing task to getUserTaskByUnit, not unit and unit_task_id
self.getUserTaskByUnit(task);
});
})
...
Then within the template we'd need to loop over task.userTasks:
<ul>
<li v-for="task in readingTasks">
{{task.task}}
<template v-for="usertask in task.userTasks">
{{usertask.complete}}
</template>
</li>
</ul>
There are alternative data structures we could use depending on what other requirements you have. For example, you could retain a separate userTasks object to hold the userTasks but for that to work it would need to be a nested data structure rather than just an array. You'd need to key it by unit and then unitTaskId. The result in the template would be something like this:
<ul>
<li v-for="task in readingTasks">
{{task.task}}
<template v-for="usertask in userTasks[task.unit][task.unit_task_id]">
{{usertask.complete}}
</template>
</li>
</ul>
Much like with the earlier solution you would need to pre-populate the userTasks with empty values when readingTasks first loads to ensure the values are reactive and also to avoid the template blowing up at the undefined entries. Alternatively you could use $set and suitable v-if checks respectively.
This is all quite fiddly. It may be that you can simplify it a little based on your knowledge of the system. For example, it may be possible to form compound string keys for userTasks rather than using two levels of nesting. Or it might be that unit is a prop that can be considered constant and doesn't need including in that data structure.

Answer 2

Your userTasks is a view property and gets overwritten upon every call to getUserTaskByUnit (i.e. for each item in readingTasks). What you instead want is a nested structure. You should call getUserTaskByUnit in a loop as soon as readingTasks got loaded, i.e. after the line self.readingTasks = response.data;, and store the response as a property for every readingTask object.