Reuse Absinthe.Relay connection

Questions / Help
, ,
1

Hi guys,

I have a GraphQL API via Absinthe where the relay/pagination part was implemented manually. Want to switch now to Absinthe.Relay and can’t figure out how to reuse a connection.

In a direct approach I define a connection into a file, the file is imported in the schema via import_types/1. Further I import the connection into every object it’s needed via import_fields/1 and everything works fine. If I switch to Absinthe.Relay and use the same steps, the connection is not available under the field, but I don’t get any compile warnings/errors.
I did put the connection inside an object so I have a name to import in import_fields/1, but without the object what name/atom should I use in the import_fields/1 to import the connection directly, if that’s even possible ?

Here’s what I think are the relevant parts in the current implementation (stripped to the bare minimum):

defmodule Api.Users.Types do
  use Absinthe.Schema.Notation

  object :group do
    interface(:node)
    ...
  end


  object :user_edge do
    interface(:edge)

    field(:cursor, non_null(:string))
    field(:node, :user)
  end


  object :user_connection do
    interface(:connection)

    field(:edges, list_of(:user_edge))
    field(:nodes, list_of(:user))

  end


  object :user_edge_connection do
    field(:users, non_null(:user_connection)) do

      ... arg(...) & resolve(...)

    end
  end
end



defmodule Api.Schema do
  use Absinthe.Schema
  
  import_types(Api.Users.Types)
  import_types(Api.Groups.Types)
  import_types(Api.Organization.Types)
  
  query(...)
end



defmodule Api.Groups.Types do
  use Absinthe.Schema.Notation

  object :group do
    ...
    import_fields(:user_edge_connection)
  end
end


defmodule Api.Organization.Types do
  use Absinthe.Schema.Notation

  object :organization do
    ...
    import_fields(:user_edge_connection)
  end
end

And here is the Absinthe.Relay way:

defmodule Api.Users.Types do
    use Absinthe.Schema.Notation                                                                                                                      
    use Absinthe.Relay.Schema.Notation, :modern 
    
    node object :group do 
      ...
    end
    
    
    connection node_type: :group
   
    object :user_edge_connection do
      connection field :user_connection, node_type: :user do     
        ... arg(...) & resolve(...)
      end
    end
end


defmodule Api.Schema do
  use Absinthe.Schema
  
  import_types(Api.Users.Types)
  import_types(Api.Groups.Types)
  import_types(Api.Organization.Types)
  
  query(...)
end


defmodule Api.Groups.Types do
  use Absinthe.Schema.Notation

  object :group do
    ...
    import_fields(:user_edge_connection)
  end
end


defmodule Api.Organization.Types do
  use Absinthe.Schema.Notation

  object :organization do
    ...
    import_fields(:user_edge_connection)
  end
end

We have connections that are reused in many parts, and if we need to define the connection and it’s arguments over and over again, in the long run it’s a high change they will be inconsistent.

Unfortunately did not found anything in the docs or any other resources online pointing me in the right direction here.

Thanks

2 Likes