Function inside function is not getting executed

Question

I need a function that returns an array of objects but currently, I'm getting an empty array as the return value.

I've got this code:

componentWillMount() {
 const data = {
 invoice: {
 documentID: '_e4564',
 displayName: '2019-02-03',
 url: 'https://www.urltoinvoice.com'
 },
 conditions: {
 documentID: '_e9365',
 displayName: 'Conditions company x',
 url: 'https://www.urltoconditions.com'
 },
 reminders: [
 {
 documentID: '_e4364',
 displayName: 'First reminder',
 url: 'https://www.urltofirstreminder.com'
 },
 {
 documentID: '_e0254',
 displayName: 'Second reminder',
 url: 'https://www.urltosecondreminder.com'
 },
 ]
 }
 this.setState({ 
 documents: this.getDocuments(data)
 })
}
getDocuments = documents => {
 const arr = [];
 function addDocument(documents, labelKey) {
 Object.entries(documents).forEach(([key, val]) => {
 if (Array.isArray(val)) {
 addDocument(val, key);
 } else {
 arr.push({ documentID: val.documentID, displayName: `${labelKey || key}: ${val.displayName}` });
 }
 });
 };
 return arr;
}

At this point, the code is not executing the addDocument function. Someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong?

• Carcigenicate: If this is all the code, you never call addDocument. When are you wanting it to run? I don't know what initial arguments you want it to have, but just addDocument(..., ...) before the return would suffice.
• Robin Zigmond: Defining a function is not the same as executing it. If you want it executed you have to call it explicitly, which you're not doing.
• Subhashi: You are not calling the function 'addDocument' inside the main function.
• Thore: Sorry. Added more code
• Thore: @Carcigenicate I want the addDocument function to be called when getDocuments is called and when addDocument is called inside addDocument. Just looking for a way to return an array without creating an empty array variable in componentWillMount and pass it down

Answer 1

Invocation of addDocument added before return statement:

getDocuments = documents => {
 const arr = [];
 function addDocument(documents, labelKey) {
 Object.entries(documents).forEach(([key, val]) => {
 if (Array.isArray(val)) {
 addDocument(val, key);
 } else {
 arr.push({ documentID: val.documentID, displayName: `${labelKey || key}: ${val.displayName}` });
 }
 });
 };
 addDocument(documents) ;
 return arr;
 }

addDocument is invoked with only documents parameter because of requirements in Keep original key when re-looping through nested object

• Robin Zigmond: schematically this is indeed what the OP should do - but `labelKey is not defined here, and it's not at all obvious from this small snippet what the OP wants this second parameter to be when calling the function.
• chriss: copy paste error, should actually be empty it is used for if(Array
• Dave S: This answer could probably be improved by explaining some things. It's not clear at a glance how the code differs from that in the OP, or indeed how/why it answers the question.
• Robin Zigmond: That's just an assumption that it "should be empty". I see that the function allows for it to be empty, but presumably the OP will sometimes want it over-ridden. Without knowing the OP's intent this is just guesswork.
• chriss: It isn't assumption because i answered it here stackoverflow.com/questions/54974417/…