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Reflecting CDS Models ​

Find here information about reflecting parsed CDS models in CSN representation.

cds.reflect (csn) ⇢ LinkedCSN ​

cds.linked (csn) ⇢ LinkedCSN ​

Method cds.linked (or cds.reflect which is an alias to the same method) turn given parsed models, into instances of class LinkedCSN, thus adding the reflection methods documented in the following section.

In addition they turn all definitions, and all elements thereof, to linked definitions by prototype-chaining them to their base definitions up to one of cds.builtin.types. This in turn makes all definitions instances of the respective cds.builtin.classes, and allows to use the methods as documented below on them.

For example this usage of cds.linked:

js
const m = cds.linked (CDL`
  type Bar : String(22);
  entity Foo { bar: Bar }
  entity Woo as projection on Foo;
`)
const m = cds.linked (CDL`
  type Bar : String(22);
  entity Foo { bar: Bar }
  entity Woo as projection on Foo;
`)

... will result in the equivalent of this:

js
const { entity, 'cds.String':String } = cds.builtin.types
const Bar = {__proto__: String }
const Foo = {__proto__: entity, elements: { bar: {__proto__: Bar } }}
const Woo = {__proto__: Foo }
const m = new LinkedCSN ({ definitions: { Bar, Foo, Woo }})
const { entity, 'cds.String':String } = cds.builtin.types
const Bar = {__proto__: String }
const Foo = {__proto__: entity, elements: { bar: {__proto__: Bar } }}
const Woo = {__proto__: Foo }
const m = new LinkedCSN ({ definitions: { Bar, Foo, Woo }})

Returned instances are cached, so subsequent calls to cds.reflect with the same parsed model return the same cached instance.

js
let model = await cds.load ('some-cds-model')
let reflected = cds.linked (model)       //> result is cached
let reflected2 = cds.linked (model)      //> === reflected
let reflected3 = cds.linked (reflected)  //> === reflected
let model = await cds.load ('some-cds-model')
let reflected = cds.linked (model)       //> result is cached
let reflected2 = cds.linked (model)      //> === reflected
let reflected3 = cds.linked (reflected)  //> === reflected

Class LinkedCSN ​

Models passed through cds.linked become instances of this class, and hence inherit the following properties and methods:

. services ​

This is a getter property providing convenient and cached access to all service definitions in a model.

js
let csn = CDL`
  service CatalogService { ... }
  service AdminService { ... }
`
let m = cds.linked (csn)
let [ CatalogService, AdminService ] = m.services
let csn = CDL`
  service CatalogService { ... }
  service AdminService { ... }
`
let m = cds.linked (csn)
let [ CatalogService, AdminService ] = m.services

. entities() ​

. events() ​

. operations() ​

These properties / methods provide convenient and cached access to a model's definitions within a given namespace. If no namespace is specified, the model's declared namespace is used, if any.

For example:

js
let csn = CDL`
  namespace my.bookshop;
  entity Books {...}
  entity Authors {...}
  service CatalogService {
    entity ListOfBooks as projection on Books {...}
  }
`
let m = cds.linked (csn)
let { Books, Authors } = m.entities
let { ListOfBooks } = m.entities ('my.bookshop.CatalogService')
let csn = CDL`
  namespace my.bookshop;
  entity Books {...}
  entity Authors {...}
  service CatalogService {
    entity ListOfBooks as projection on Books {...}
  }
`
let m = cds.linked (csn)
let { Books, Authors } = m.entities
let { ListOfBooks } = m.entities ('my.bookshop.CatalogService')

The methods each return an object of respective definitions. Object destructuring operators allow to easily access single definitions by name as shown above.

m. each* (x, defs?) ​

Fetches definitions matching the given filter, returning an iterator on them.

js
let m = cds.reflect (csn)
for (let d of m.each('entity')) {
  console.log (d.kind, d.name)
}
let m = cds.reflect (csn)
for (let d of m.each('entity')) {
  console.log (d.kind, d.name)
}

The first argument x specifies a filter to match definitions, which can be one of:

  • a function returning true or false
  • a string referring to a kind of definition

Derived kinds are supported, for example, m.each('struct') matches structs as well as entities; kind 'any' matches all.

The second optional argument defs allows to specify the definitions to fetch in, defaults to this.definitions.

m. all (x, defs?) ​

Convenience shortcut to [... model.each()], for example, the following are equivalent:

js
m.all('entity')        //> using shortcut
[...m.each('entity')]  //> using spread operator
m.all('entity')        //> using shortcut
[...m.each('entity')]  //> using spread operator

m. find (x, defs?) ​

Convenience shortcut to fetch definitions matching the given filter, returning the first match, if any. For example:

js
let service = m.find('service')
let service = m.find('service')

The implementation uses to .each() as follows:

js
for (let any of m.each('service'))  return any
for (let any of m.each('service'))  return any

m. foreach / forall (x, visitor, defs) ​

Calls the visitor for each definition matching the given filter. foreach iterates through the passed in defs only, forall in addition walks through all nested element definitions hierarchically.

  • x — the filter to match definitions → see .each(x)
  • visitor — the callback function
  • defs — the definitions to fetch in, default: this.definitions

Examples:

js
// print the names of all services
let m = cds.reflect(csn)
m.foreach ('service', s => console.log(s.name))
// print the names of all services
let m = cds.reflect(csn)
m.foreach ('service', s => console.log(s.name))
js
// print the names of all Associations in Books element
let { Books } = m.entities()
m.foreach ('Association', a => console.log(a.name), Books.elements)
// print the names of all Associations in Books element
let { Books } = m.entities()
m.foreach ('Association', a => console.log(a.name), Books.elements)
js
// print the names of all Associations in the model
m.forall ('Association', a => console.log(a.name))
// print the names of all Associations in the model
m.forall ('Association', a => console.log(a.name))
js
// print hierarchy of all definitions recursively
let m = cds.linked(csn)
m.forall (d => {
  let s=''; for (let p=d.parent; p; p=p.parent)  s += '  - '
  console.log (s, d.kind, d.name)
})
// print hierarchy of all definitions recursively
let m = cds.linked(csn)
m.forall (d => {
  let s=''; for (let p=d.parent; p; p=p.parent)  s += '  - '
  console.log (s, d.kind, d.name)
})

cds. builtin .classes ​

This property gives you access to the very roots of cds's type system. When a model is passed through cds.linked all definitions effectively become instances of one of these classes. In essence they are defined as follows:

js
class any {...}
class context extends any {...}
cds.service = class service extends context {...}
cds.type = class type extends any {...}
              class scalar extends type {...}
                class boolean extends scalar {...}
                class number extends scalar {...}
                class date extends scalar {...}
                class string extends scalar {...}
cds.array  = class array extends type {...}
cds.struct = class struct extends type {...}
cds.entity = class entity extends struct {...}
cds.event = class event extends struct {...}
cds.Association = class Association extends type {...}
cds.Composition = class Composition extends Association {...}
class any {...}
class context extends any {...}
cds.service = class service extends context {...}
cds.type = class type extends any {...}
              class scalar extends type {...}
                class boolean extends scalar {...}
                class number extends scalar {...}
                class date extends scalar {...}
                class string extends scalar {...}
cds.array  = class array extends type {...}
cds.struct = class struct extends type {...}
cds.entity = class entity extends struct {...}
cds.event = class event extends struct {...}
cds.Association = class Association extends type {...}
cds.Composition = class Composition extends Association {...}

A few prominent ones of the above classes are available through top-level shortcuts as indicated by the cds.<classname> = prefixes in the above pseudo code, find more details on these in the following sections.

For example, you can use these classes as follows:

js
let model = CDL`
   entity Books { author: Association to Authors; }
   entity Authors { key ID: UUID; }
`)
let m = cds.linked(model)
let { Books, Authors } = m.entities
let isEntity = Books instanceof cds.entity
let keys = Books.keys
let { author } = Books.elements
if (author.is2many) ...
let model = CDL`
   entity Books { author: Association to Authors; }
   entity Authors { key ID: UUID; }
`)
let m = cds.linked(model)
let { Books, Authors } = m.entities
let isEntity = Books instanceof cds.entity
let keys = Books.keys
let { author } = Books.elements
if (author.is2many) ...

instanceof ​

You can use JavaScript's standard instanceof in combination with the built-in classes to check a linked definition's type:

js
let m = cds.linked(csn)
let { Foo } = m.entities
if (Foo instanceof cds.entity)  console.log ("it's an entity")
let m = cds.linked(csn)
let { Foo } = m.entities
if (Foo instanceof cds.entity)  console.log ("it's an entity")

mixin() ​

Provided a convenient way to enhance one or more of the builtin classes with additional methods. Use it like that:

js
const cds = require ('@sap/cds')

// simplistic csn2cdl enablement
cds.builtin.classes .mixin (
  class type {
    toCDL(){ return `${this.kind} ${this.name} : ${this.typeAsCDL()};\n` }
    typeAsCDL(){ return `${this.type.replace(/^cds\./,'')}` }
  },
  class struct {
    typeAsCDL() { return `{\n${ Object.values(this.elements).map (
      e => `  ${e.toCDL()}`
    ).join('')}}`}
  },
  class entity extends cds.struct {
    typeAsCDL() { return (
      this.includes ? this.includes+' ' : ''
    ) + super.typeAsCDL() }
  },
  class Association {
    typeAsCDL(){ return `Association to ${this.target}` }
  },
)

// test drive
let csn = CDL`
entity Books : cuid { title:String; author: Association to Authors }
entity Authors : cuid { name:String; }
aspect cuid : { key ID:UUID; }
`
cds.linked(csn).foreach (d => console.log(d.toCDL()))
const cds = require ('@sap/cds')

// simplistic csn2cdl enablement
cds.builtin.classes .mixin (
  class type {
    toCDL(){ return `${this.kind} ${this.name} : ${this.typeAsCDL()};\n` }
    typeAsCDL(){ return `${this.type.replace(/^cds\./,'')}` }
  },
  class struct {
    typeAsCDL() { return `{\n${ Object.values(this.elements).map (
      e => `  ${e.toCDL()}`
    ).join('')}}`}
  },
  class entity extends cds.struct {
    typeAsCDL() { return (
      this.includes ? this.includes+' ' : ''
    ) + super.typeAsCDL() }
  },
  class Association {
    typeAsCDL(){ return `Association to ${this.target}` }
  },
)

// test drive
let csn = CDL`
entity Books : cuid { title:String; author: Association to Authors }
entity Authors : cuid { name:String; }
aspect cuid : { key ID:UUID; }
`
cds.linked(csn).foreach (d => console.log(d.toCDL()))

any ​

All cds.linked definitions are instances of this class, or subclasses thereof, and hence support the following properties and methods:

. name ​

The linked definition's fully qualified name as a non-enumerable property.

. kind ​

The linked definition's resolved kind as a non-enumerable property. One of context, service, entity, type, aspect, event, element, or annotation as documented in the CSN specification.

any. is (kind) ​

Checks if a linked definition is of certain kind. Besides the specified kinds, the argument may also be struct, array, or view.

cds. Association ​

All linked definitions of type Association or Composition, including elements, are instances of this class, which primarily provides convenience getters access the target definition, or to check its type or cardinality.

. _target ​

Refers to the association's resolved target definition.

. isAssociation ​

Convenient shortcut to check whether a definition is an Association. Returns true for all Associations, including Compositions.

. isComposition ​

Convenient shortcut to check whether a definition is a Composition. Returns true for all Compositions.

. is2one ​

Convenient shortcut to check whether an association definition is to-one or to-many. See also the specification of CSN Associations

cds. Composition ​

cds. entity ​

tsx
class cds.entity extends cds.struct {...}
class cds.entity extends cds.struct {...}

All linked entity definitions are instances of this class, which primarily provides convenience getters to quickly access all keys, Associations, or Compositions within the entity's elements.

. keys ​

A getter returning a cached object with an entity definition's declared primary keys by name. The returned object adheres to the specification of CSN Definitions.

. associations ​

A getter returning a cached object of all Associations from an entity definition's elements. The returned object adheres to the specification of CSN Definitions.

. compositions ​

A getter returning a cached object of all Compositions from an entity definition's elements. The returned object adheres to the specification of CSN Definitions.

. texts ​

Returns the linked definition's fully qualified name + '.texts' to easily refer to the texts entity containing translations for localized elements, if any.

Learn more about Localized Data

. drafts ​

If draft is enabled, a definition to easily refer to draft data for the current entity is returned.

Learn more about Draft Data

cds. event ​

tsx
class cds.entity extends cds.struct {...}
class cds.entity extends cds.struct {...}

cds. type ​

tsx
class cds.type extends any {...}
class cds.type extends any {...}

cds. struct ​

tsx
class cds.entity extends cds.type {...}
class cds.entity extends cds.type {...}

This is the base class of a struct elements, types, aspects, and entities.

. elements ​

The entity's declared elements as documented in the CSN Specification.

cds. service ​

tsx
class cds.type extends any {...}
class cds.type extends any {...}

cds. builtin. types ​

This property gives you access to all prototypes of the builtin classes as well as to all linked definitions of the builtin pre-defined types. The resulting object is in turn like the definitions in a LinkedCSN.

Actually, at runtime CDS is in fact bootstrapped out of this using core CSN object structures and cds.linked techniques. Think of it to be constructed as follows:

cds
cds.builtin.types = cds.linked (CDL`
  using from './roots';
  context cds {
    type UUID         : String(36);
    type Boolean      : boolean;
    type Integer      : number;
    type UInt8        : Integer;
    type Int16        : Integer;
    type Int32        : Integer;
    type Int64        : Integer;
    type Integer64    : Integer;
    type Decimal      : number;
    type Double       : number;
    type Date         : date;
    type Time         : date;
    type DateTime     : date;
    type Timestamp    : date;
    type String       : string;
    type Binary       : string;
    type LargeString  : string;
    type LargeBinary  : string;
  }
`) .definitions
cds.builtin.types = cds.linked (CDL`
  using from './roots';
  context cds {
    type UUID         : String(36);
    type Boolean      : boolean;
    type Integer      : number;
    type UInt8        : Integer;
    type Int16        : Integer;
    type Int32        : Integer;
    type Int64        : Integer;
    type Integer64    : Integer;
    type Decimal      : number;
    type Double       : number;
    type Date         : date;
    type Time         : date;
    type DateTime     : date;
    type Timestamp    : date;
    type String       : string;
    type Binary       : string;
    type LargeString  : string;
    type LargeBinary  : string;
  }
`) .definitions

With ./roots being this in-memory CSN:

js
const { any, context, service ,
  type, scalar, string, number, boolean, date,
  array, struct, entity, event, aspect
  Association, Composition
} = cds.builtin.classes

const roots = module.exports = {definitions:{
  any: new any,
  context: new context ({type:'any'}),
  type: new type ({type:'any'}),
    scalar: new scalar ({type:'type'}),
      string: new string ({type:'scalar'}),
      number: new number ({type:'scalar'}),
      boolean: new boolean ({type:'scalar'}),
      date: new date ({type:'scalar'}),
    array: new array ({type:'type'}),
    struct: new struct ({type:'type'}),
      entity: new entity ({type:'struct'}),
      event: new event ({type:'struct'}),
      aspect: new aspect ({type:'struct'}),
    Association: new Association ({type:'type'}),
      Composition: new Composition ({type:'Association'}),
  service: new service ({type:'context'}),
}}
const { any, context, service ,
  type, scalar, string, number, boolean, date,
  array, struct, entity, event, aspect
  Association, Composition
} = cds.builtin.classes

const roots = module.exports = {definitions:{
  any: new any,
  context: new context ({type:'any'}),
  type: new type ({type:'any'}),
    scalar: new scalar ({type:'type'}),
      string: new string ({type:'scalar'}),
      number: new number ({type:'scalar'}),
      boolean: new boolean ({type:'scalar'}),
      date: new date ({type:'scalar'}),
    array: new array ({type:'type'}),
    struct: new struct ({type:'type'}),
      entity: new entity ({type:'struct'}),
      event: new event ({type:'struct'}),
      aspect: new aspect ({type:'struct'}),
    Association: new Association ({type:'type'}),
      Composition: new Composition ({type:'Association'}),
  service: new service ({type:'context'}),
}}

Indentation indicates inheritance.