Ash is not running `before_action` hook callback function when updates are atomic

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1

Ash is not triggering before_action hook’s callback function if the update action is atomic, but when I set require_atomic? false in the action, Ash calls thecallback function (request_approval/3) as expected.

The create action works well. I am not sure why the update action is not working as expected on the atomic updates. What could I be getting wrong?

Below is my change:

defmodule MyApp.Changes.SubmitForApproval do
  use Ash.Resource.Change

  @impl Ash.Resource.Change
  def change(%{context: %{changes_approved?: true}} = changeset, _opts, _context) do
    # Changes have been approved, proceed to persist in the datalayer as expected.
    changeset
  end

  def change(changeset, opts, context) do
    # Changes are yet to be approved, seek approval before persisting them in the database

    # !!! ========================================!!!
    # Atomic updates are not firing request_approval/3 function.
    # !!! ========================================!!!
    Ash.Changeset.before_action(changeset, &request_approval(&1, opts, context))
  end

  @impl Ash.Resource.Change
  def atomic(changeset, opts, context) do
    {:ok, change(changeset, opts, context)}
  end

  defp request_approval(changeset, opts, context) do
    # ================================================
    # !!! THIS IS NOT REACHED WHEN UPDATES ARE ATOMIC !!!
    # ================================================
    # 1. Serialize the changeset
    # 2. Store the change request for approval 
    # 2. Prevent submitting to underlying datalayer until approved
   changeset
  end
end
2

Atomic update actions do not support before action hooks. We should be adding an error there instead of skipping them though.

3

Thanks @zachdaniel. Is there a way to set require_atomic? false globally on specific resources?

What I want is that if ash_approval extension is added to a resource, the atomic updates should be disabled conditionally based on whether changes have been approved or not.

4

I’m pretty sure you can’t do that at all. The whole concept of atomicity in Ash is about “not reading the record before updating it”. Could you describe more of what you’re trying to accomplish? How is approval stored and how is it checked?

5

The goal is to implement a maker-checker mechanism to changes.

Here is how I do it. It works for create but not for updates.

  1. Intercept database changes(create, update and delete).
  2. Serialize changeset to binary and store it in the change_requests table.
  3. Notify the approver to review the newly submitted changes in change request.
  4. If approved, convert stored changes from binary to term and make changes in the DB.
  5. Otherwise, ignore changes.