JavaScript Build tree array from flat array in Typescript / JavaScript build tree array from flat array in javascript,build tree

I have a complex json file that I have to handle with TypeScript / Javascript to make it hierarchical, in order to later build a questionnaire. Every entry of the json has a Id (unique), ParentId (0 If root), Text, Description.

My Typescript Interface

export interface Question {
    Id: number;
    Text: string;
    Desc: string;
    ParentId: number;
    ChildAnswers?: Answer[];
}

export interface Answer {
    Id: number;
    Text: string;
    Desc: string;
    ParentId: number;
    ChildQuestion?: Question;
}

I can guarantee that when the object is an answer it will only have one child which we can assume to be a question.

Flat Data Example :

[
{
    Id: 1,
    Text: 'What kind of apple is it?',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 0
},
{
    Id: 2,
    Text: 'Green Apple',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 1
},
{
    Id: 3,
    Text: 'Red Apple',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 1
},
{
    Id: 4,
    Text: 'Purple GMO Apple',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 1
},
{
    Id: 5,
    Text: 'What is the issue with the apple?',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 2
},
{
    Id: 6,
    Text: 'Spoiled.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 7,
    Text: 'Taste Bad.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 8,
    Text: 'Too Ripe.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 9,
    Text: 'Is not an apple.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 10,
    Text: 'The apple was not green.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
... So on ...
]

My Goal

{
    Id: 1,
    Text: 'What kind of apple is it?',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 0,
    ChildAnswers: [
        {
            Id: 2,
            Text: 'Green Apple',
            Desc: '',
            ParentId: 1,
            ChildQuestion: {
                Id: 5,
                Text: 'What is the issue with the apple?',
                Desc: '',
                ParentId: 2,
                ChildAnswers: [
                    {
                        Id: 6,
                        Text: 'Spoiled.',
                        Desc: '',
                        ParentId: 5,
                        ... So on ...
                    },
                    {
                        Id: 7,
                        Text: 'Taste Bad.',
                        Desc: '',
                        ParentId: 5,
                        ... So on ...
                    },
                    {
                        Id: 8,
                        Text: 'Too Ripe.',
                        Desc: '',
                        ParentId: 5,
                        ... So on ...
                    },
                    {
                        Id: 9,
                        Text: 'Is not an apple.',
                        Desc: '',
                        ParentId: 5,
                        ... So on ...
                    },
                    {
                        Id: 10,
                        Text: 'The apple was not green.',
                        Desc: '',
                        ParentId: 5,
                        ... So on ...
                    },
                    ... So on ...
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            Id: 3,
            Text: 'Red Apple',
            Desc: '',
            ParentId: 1,
            ... So on ...
        },
        {
            Id: 4,
            Text: 'Red Apple',
            Desc: '',
            ParentId: 1,
            ... So on ...
        }
        ... So on ...
    ]
}

I'm currently using this list_to_tree function I found here on stackoverflow, I just don't know if how to tell a question and answer apart. Should I just check to see if the length is one for a question or at odd intervals mark it?:

function list_to_tree(list) {
    var map = {}, node, roots = [], i;
    for (i = 0; i < list.length; i += 1) {
        map[list[i].Id] = i; // initialize the map
        list[i].Children = []; // initialize the children
    }
    for (i = 0; i < list.length; i += 1) {
        node = list[i];
        if (node.ParentId !== 0) {
            // if you have dangling branches check that map[node.ParentId] exists
            list[map[node.ParentId]].Children.push(node);
        } else {
            roots.push(node);
        }
    }
    return roots;
}

Here is a brute force solution to the problem:

var flat = [
{
    Id: 1,
    Text: 'What kind of apple is it?',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 0
},
{
    Id: 2,
    Text: 'Green Apple',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 1
},
{
    Id: 3,
    Text: 'Red Apple',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 1
},
{
    Id: 4,
    Text: 'Purple GMO Apple',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 1
},
{
    Id: 5,
    Text: 'What is the issue with the apple?',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 2
},
{
    Id: 6,
    Text: 'Spoiled.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 7,
    Text: 'Taste Bad.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 8,
    Text: 'Too Ripe.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 9,
    Text: 'Is not an apple.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
{
    Id: 10,
    Text: 'The apple was not green.',
    Desc: '',
    ParentId: 5
},
]

// first get the roots
const tree = flat.filter((question) => question.ParentId === 0);

// Next we are going to call alternating methods recursively.
function populateQuestionChildren(node) {
  const { Id } = node;
  flat.forEach((answer) => {
    if (answer.ParentId === Id) {
      if (!node.ChildAnswers) {
        node.ChildAnswers = [];
      }
      node.ChildAnswers.push(answer);
      populateAnswerChildren(answer);
    }
  });
}

function populateAnswerChildren(node) {
  const { Id } = node;
  flat.forEach((question) => {
    if (question.ParentId === Id) {
      if (!node.ChildQuestions) {
        node.ChildQuestions = [];
      }
      node.ChildQuestions.push(question);
      populateQuestionChildren(question);
    }
  });
}

// Kick off the build for each question tree. 
tree.forEach((question) => {
  populateQuestionChildren(question);
});

It is likely that there are more elegant solutions - but given that this will be only few dozen or a few hundred question/answers - this should get you what you need.

[EDIT]

I used your interfaces and discovered a problem with my code. There is only one "ChildQuestion" on an Answer object. So here is my change to TypeScript to make it work properly. I hope it helps:

interface Question {
  Id: number;
  Text: string;
  Desc: string;
  ParentId: number;
  ChildAnswers ? : Answer[];
}

interface Answer {
  Id: number;
  Text: string;
  Desc: string;
  ParentId: number;
  ChildQuestion ? : Question;
}

// first get the roots
const tree = flat.filter((question) => question.ParentId === 0);

function populateQuestionChildren(node: Question) {
  const { Id } = node;
  flat.forEach((answer) => {
    if (answer.ParentId === Id) {
      if (!node.ChildAnswers) {
        node.ChildAnswers = [];
      }
      node.ChildAnswers.push(answer);
      populateAnswerChild(answer);
    }
  });
}

function populateAnswerChild(answer: Answer) {
  const { Id } = answer;
  // switch to every so we can break early once a question is found.
  flat.every((node) => {
    if (node.ParentId === Id) {
      answer.ChildQuestion = node;
      populateQuestionChildren(node);
      return false;
    }
    return true;
  });
}

tree.forEach((question) => {
  populateQuestionChildren(question);
});