updating a JSON array in AWS dynamoDB

Question

My document looks like this:

{
  "data": {
      "eventId": "20161029125458-df-d",
      "name": "first",
      "purpose": "test",
      "location": "yokohama",
      "dateArray": [],
      "attendees": [
        {
          "attendeeId": "2016102973634-df",
          "attendeeName": "lakshman",
          "personalizedDateSelection": {}
        },
        {
          "attendeeId": "2016102973634-tyyu",
          "attendeeName": "diwaakar",
          "personalizedDateSelection": {}
        }
      ]
    }
}

Say, I need to update the attendee JSON array with attendeeId: 2016102973634-df. I tried many ways ways using update and condition expression, but no success.

Here is my try:

const params = {
  TableName: "event",
  Key: {
    "eventId": eventId 
  },
  UpdateExpression: "SET attendees[???] = ",
  ConditionExpression: attendees.attendeeId = "2016102973634-df", 
  ExpressionAttributeValues: {
    ":attendee" : attendeeList
  },
  ReturnValues: "ALL_NEW"
};


dynamo.update(params, (err, data) => {
  if (err) {
    return reject(err);
  }
  console.log(data.Attributes);
});

Could not find any resources for updating an Json in a array.

After @notionquest's comment: - Have not used any JsonMarshaller. Initially I added the empty array to attendees field like this:

{
  "eventId": "20161029125458-df-d",
  "name": "first",
  "purpose": "test",
  "location": "yokohama",
  "dateArray": [],
  "attendees": []
}

and then When a new attendee comes I add it to the attendees property like this:

const attendee = {
  "attendeeName": "user1",
  "personalizedDateSelection": {"today": "free"}
}
const attendeeList = [attendee];
const eventId = "20161029125458-df-d";


const params = {
  TableName: "event",
  Key: {
    "eventId": eventId
  },
  UpdateExpression: "SET attendees = list_append(attendees, :attendee)",
  ExpressionAttributeValues: {
    ":attendee" : attendeeList
  },
  ReturnValues: "ALL_NEW"
};


dynamo.update(params, (err, data) => {
  if (err) {
    return reject(err);
  }
  console.log("in update dynamo");
  console.log(data.Attributes);
});

As you have seen in the above snippets, initially I add empty [] array and add a new attendee using the above code. Now, How do I update a specific JSON in an array. If you say that is not possible, what else can I try?

Should I try this :

1. Get the Full JSON.
2. Manipulate the JSOn and change the things I want in my nodeJS.
3. And then update the new JSON to dynamoDB.
4. But this consumes two calls to dynamoDB which seems to be inefficient.

Would like to know If there is any round way ?

Answer 1

you can store the index of list. while updating the list we can use them. For example ,

{


"data": {
      "eventId": "20161029125458-df-d",
      "name": "first",
      "purpose": "test",
      "location": "yokohama",
      "dateArray": [],
      "attendees": [
        {  
          "index":0,  
          "attendeeId": "2016102973634-df",
          "attendeeName": "lakshman",
          "personalizedDateSelection": {}
        },
        {
           "index":1,
          "attendeeId": "2016102973634-tyyu",
          "attendeeName": "diwaakar",
          "personalizedDateSelection": {}
        }
      ]
    }
}
const params = {
  TableName: "event",
  Key: {
    "eventId": eventId 
  },
  UpdateExpression: "SET attendees[attendee.index].attendeeName = :value",
  ExpressionAttributeValues: {
    ":value" : {"S":"karthik"}
  },
  ReturnValues: "ALL_NEW"
};


dynamo.update(params, (err, data) => {
  if (err) {
    return reject(err);
  }
  console.log(data.Attributes);
});