accessing data

Once blocks are connected, you can access data from source blocks in destination blocks using connection tags and various data access techniques.

Basic Data Access

The simplest way to access data is through direct references using connection tags:

Example	Annotation
Simple Property	<block.content>
Nested Property	<block.tokens.total>
Array Element	<block.items[0].name>
Complex Path	<block.data.users[2].profile.email>

Advanced Data Access Techniques

Array Access

You can access array elements using square bracket notation:

// Access the first item in an array
<block.items[0]>

// Access a specific property of an array item
<block.items[2].name>

// Access the last item in an array (in Function blocks)
const items = input.block.items;
const lastItem = items[items.length - 1];

Object Property Access

Access object properties using dot notation:

// Access a simple property
<block.content>

// Access a nested property
<block.data.user.profile.name>

// Access a property with special characters (in Function blocks)
const data = input.block.data;
const specialProp = data['property-with-dashes'];

Dynamic References

Connection references are evaluated at runtime, allowing for dynamic data flow through your workflow:

// In a Function block, you can access connected data
const userName = input.userBlock.name;
const orderTotal = input.apiBlock.body.order.total;

// Process the data
const discount = orderTotal > 100 ? 0.1 : 0;
const finalPrice = orderTotal * (1 - discount);

// Return the result
return {
  userName,
  originalTotal: orderTotal,
  discount: discount * 100 + '%',
  finalPrice
};

Data Transformation

Using Function Blocks

Function blocks are the most powerful way to transform data between connections:

// Example: Transform API response data
const apiResponse = input.apiBlock.data;
const transformedData = {
  users: apiResponse.results.map(user => ({
    id: user.id,
    fullName: `${user.firstName} ${user.lastName}`,
    email: user.email.toLowerCase(),
    isActive: user.status === 'active'
  })),
  totalCount: apiResponse.count,
  timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
};

return transformedData;

String Interpolation

You can combine connection tags with static text:

Hello, <userBlock.name>! Your order #<orderBlock.id> has been processed.

Conditional Content

In Function blocks, you can create conditional content based on connected data:

const user = input.userBlock;
const orderTotal = input.orderBlock.total;

let message = `Thank you for your order, ${user.name}!`;

if (orderTotal > 100) {
  message += " You've qualified for free shipping!";
} else {
  message += ` Add $${(100 - orderTotal).toFixed(2)} more to qualify for free shipping.`;
}

return { message };

Handling Missing Data

It's important to handle cases where connected data might be missing or null:

Always validate connected data before using it, especially when accessing nested properties or array elements.

Default Values

In Function blocks, you can provide default values for missing data:

const userName = input.userBlock?.name || 'Guest'
const items = input.orderBlock?.items || []
const total = input.orderBlock?.total ?? 0

Conditional Checks

Check if data exists before accessing nested properties:

let userEmail = 'No email provided'
if (input.userBlock && input.userBlock.contact && input.userBlock.contact.email) {
  userEmail = input.userBlock.contact.email
}

Optional Chaining

In Function blocks, use optional chaining to safely access nested properties:

const userCity = input.userBlock?.address?.city
const firstItemName = input.orderBlock?.items?.[0]?.name

Debugging Connection Data

When troubleshooting connection issues, these techniques can help:

1. Log Data: In Function blocks, use console.log() to inspect connected data

2. Return Full Objects: Return the full input object to see all available data

3. Check Types: Verify the data types of connected values

4. Validate Paths: Ensure you're using the correct path to access nested data

// Example debugging function
function debugConnections() {
  console.log('All inputs:', input)
  console.log('User data type:', typeof input.userBlock)
  console.log('Order items:', input.orderBlock?.items)

  return {
    debug: true,
    allInputs: input,
    userExists: !!input.userBlock,
    orderItemCount: input.orderBlock?.items?.length || 0,
  }
}