alfresco-ng2-components/docs/nodes-api.service.md

---
Added: v2.0.0
Status: Active
---
# Nodes Api service

Accesses and manipulates ACS document nodes using their node IDs.

## Methods

-   `getNode(nodeId: string, options: any = {}): Observable<MinimalNodeEntryEntity>`  
    Gets the stored information about a node.  
    -   `nodeId` - ID of the target node
    -   `options` - Optional parameters supported by JSAPI
-   `getNodeChildren(nodeId: string, options: any = {}): Observable<NodePaging>`  
    Gets the items contained in a folder node.  
    -   `nodeId` - ID of the target node
    -   `options` - Optional parameters supported by JSAPI
-   `createNode(parentNodeId: string, nodeBody: any, options: any = {}): Observable<MinimalNodeEntryEntity>`  
    Creates a new document node inside a folder.  
    -   `parentNodeId` - ID of the parent folder node
    -   `nodeBody` - Data for the new node
    -   `options` - Optional parameters supported by JSAPI
-   `createFolder(parentNodeId: string, nodeBody: any, options: any = {}): Observable<MinimalNodeEntryEntity>`  
    Creates a new folder node inside a parent folder.  
    -   `parentNodeId` - ID of the parent folder node
    -   `nodeBody` - Data for the new folder
    -   `options` - Optional parameters supported by JSAPI
-   `updateNode(nodeId: string, nodeBody: any, options: any = {}): Observable<MinimalNodeEntryEntity>`  
    Updates the information about a node.  
    -   `nodeId` - ID of the target node
    -   `nodeBody` - New data for the node
    -   `options` - Optional parameters supported by JSAPI
-   `deleteNode(nodeId: string, options: any = {}): Observable<void>`  
    Moves a node to the trashcan.  
    -   `nodeId` - ID of the target node
    -   `options` - Optional parameters supported by JSAPI
-   `restoreNode(nodeId: string): Observable<MinimalNodeEntryEntity>`  
    Restores a node previously moved to the trashcan.  
    -   `nodeId` - ID of the node to restore
-   `handleError(error: any): Observable<any>`  
    Reports an error.  
    -   `error` - Object representing the error

## Details

Each node (ie, document or folder) in an ACS repository is identified by
its own unique node ID value. The ID is a long string of hex values separated
by dashes, eg:

`53ef6110-ed9c-4739-a520-e7b4336229c0`

The string is convenient for storage, for passing as an 
[Angular route parameter](https://angular.io/guide/router)
and other purposes but doesn't enable you to do very much with the node itself.
The Nodes Api Service has methods for getting information about nodes and
managing them within the repository (creating, deleting, etc).

Other lower level interfaces to the ACS nodes API are also available - see the
[Alfresco Api service](alfresco-api.service.md), the 
[Alfresco JS API docs](https://github.com/Alfresco/alfresco-js-api/tree/master/src/alfresco-core-rest-api)
and the
[REST API Explorer](https://api-explorer.alfresco.com/api-explorer/#/nodes)
for more information.

### Getting node information

The `getNode` method gives access to the MinimalNode object that represents the
details of a node:

```ts
interface MinimalNodeEntryEntity extends MinimalNode {
}
interface MinimalNode extends Node {
   id: string;
   parentId: string;
   name: string;
   nodeType: string;
   isFolder: boolean;
   isFile: boolean;
   modifiedAt: Date;
   modifiedByUser: UserInfo;
   createdAt: Date;
   createdByUser: UserInfo;
   content: ContentInfo;
   path: PathInfoEntity;
   properties: NodeProperties;
}
```

This provides useful information about the node, such as its name, creation and
modification dates, etc. Also, the `id` and `parentId` properties contain the node
ID strings for the current node and its enclosing folder.

Sometimes, a MinimalNode is provided directly, for example, the `folderNode` property
of a [Document List component](document-list.component.md) or the data context of a
[Document List row](document-list.component.md#underlying-node-object). In these cases,
you might pass the `id` or `parentId` as a [route parameter](https://angular.io/guide/router)
to a page describing the node in full detail. The component receiving the node ID can
use the Nodes Api service to "decode" the ID string into a MinimalNodeEntryEntity:

```ts
import { ActivatedRoute, Router } from '@angular/router';
import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
import { NodesApiService } from '@alfresco/adf-core';
import { MinimalNodeEntryEntity } from 'alfresco-js-api';
    ...

export class RepositoryDetailsPageComponent implements OnInit {
 nodeId: string;
 nodeName: string;
 isFile: boolean;
    ...

 constructor(private router: Router,
             private activatedRoute: ActivatedRoute,
             private nodeService: NodesApiService) {
 }

 ngOnInit() {
   this.nodeId = this.activatedRoute.snapshot.params['node-id'];
   this.nodeService.getNode(this.nodeId).subscribe((entry: MinimalNodeEntryEntity) => {
     const node: MinimalNodeEntryEntity = entry;
     this.nodeName = node.name;
     this.isFile = node.isFile;
        ...
   });
 }
```

You can supply a number of extra options using the `options` parameter. See the
[getNode](https://github.com/Alfresco/alfresco-js-api/blob/master/src/alfresco-core-rest-api/docs/NodesApi.md#getNode)
page in the Alfresco JS API docs for more information.

### Getting folder node contents

The `getNodeChildren` method returns the contents of a folder
as a list of items. See the [Paging section](document-library.model.md#paging)
of [Document Library model](document-library.model.md) for
more information about the structure of the list. Also, the
[getNodeChildren](https://github.com/Alfresco/alfresco-js-api/blob/master/src/alfresco-core-rest-api/docs/NodesApi.md#getNodeChildren)
page in the Alfresco JS API gives more information about the structure of the
`options` parameter.

### Creating and updating nodes

You can use the `createNode` and `createFolder` methods to add new nodes
within a parent folder node, and the `updateNode` method to update an
existing node. See the
[addNode](https://github.com/Alfresco/alfresco-js-api/blob/master/src/alfresco-core-rest-api/docs/NodesApi.md#addNode)
and
[updateNode](https://github.com/Alfresco/alfresco-js-api/blob/master/src/alfresco-core-rest-api/docs/NodesApi.md#updateNode)
entries in the Alfresco JS API for further information about the available options and 
the format of the new node data.

### Deleting and restoring nodes

The Content Services repository maintains a "trashcan" where items are
temporarily held after they have been deleted. This means you can
restore a deleted item if you remove it from the trashcan before it
gets deleted permanently.

By default, the `deleteNode` method moves an item into the trash, where it can
be retrieved using `restoreNode`. However, you can set an option for `deleteNode`
to delete the node immediately if you have the right permissions. See the
[deleteNode](https://github.com/Alfresco/alfresco-js-api/blob/master/src/alfresco-core-rest-api/docs/NodesApi.md#deleteNode)
and
[restoreNode](https://github.com/Alfresco/alfresco-js-api/blob/master/src/alfresco-core-rest-api/docs/NodesApi.md#restoreNode)
pages in the Alfresco JS API for further details and options. Note that you can also use the
[Deleted Nodes Api service](deleted-nodes-api.service.md) get a list of all items currently in the trashcan.

## See also

-   [Document library model](document-library.model.md)
-   [Deleted nodes api service](deleted-nodes-api.service.md)
-   [Document list component](document-list.component.md)
-   [Node service](node.service.md)