Alexa API skill - nodejs get request not executing - node.js

Question

I'm working on my first Alexa skill and, as a starting point, would like Alexa to state data retrieved from a simple GET request (see lambda function below). For some reason, however, the request does not actually seem to be executing - nothing from inside request.get() is printing to the console and speechOutput is 'Outside Request' after the handler executes. I'm also new to looking through CloudWatch logs and have not been able to find any information about the network requests to even know if this is being attempted. Any help here would be welcome!
'use strict';
//Required node packages
const alexa = require('./node_modules/alexa-sdk');
const request = require('request');
// var https = require('https')
//this is the handler, when the lambda is invoked, this is whats called
exports.handler = function (event, context, callback) {
const skill = alexa.handler(event, context);
skill.appId = '<app_id>';
skill.registerHandlers(handlers);
skill.execute();
};
//Alexa handlers
const handlers = {
'LaunchRequest': function () {
console.log("inside of LaunchRequest");
const speechOutput = "Hello from NASA!";
this.response.speak(speechOutput).listen(speechOutput);
this.emit(':responseReady');
},
//Entering our main, part finding function
'GetAPOD': function () {
const intent_context= this
const speechOutput = getData()
intent_context.response.speak(speechOutput).listen(speechOutput);
intent_context.emit(':responseReady');
},
'Unhandled': function (){
console.log("inside of unhandled");
const speechOutput = "I didn't understand that. Please try again";
this.response.speak(speechOutput).listen(speechOutput);
this.emit(':responseReady');
}
};
const getData = function() {
const url = "https://api.nasa.gov/planetary/apod?api_key=<key>"
console.log("inside get data")
request.get(url, function (error, response, body) {
console.log("inside request")
console.log('error', error) //Print the error if one occurred
console.log('statusCode:', response && response.statusCode); // Print the response status code if a response was received
console.log('body:', body); // Print the HTML for the Google homepage.
return "complete request"
return body
});
return "outside request"
}

Answer 1

I have found in the past that such API requests will get clobbered because they are not synchronous, like David stated. To resolve this, I have had to tuck the request in a promise to get it to resolve, something similar to this in your case:
Change your function to contain the promise:
function getData = function() {
const url = "https://api.nasa.gov/planetary/apod?api_key=<key>"
console.log("inside get data")
return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
request.get(url, function (error, response, body) {
if (err) {
reject(err);
}
if (body) {
resolve(JSON.parse(body));
}
});
});
}
Then change your intent handler to use the promise:
//Entering our main, part finding function
'GetAPOD': function () {
getData()
.then(function(body) {
let speechOutput = body;
intent_context.response.speak(speechOutput).listen(speechOutput);
intent_context.emit(':responseReady');
}
Something along these lines. You would need to play with it a bit to make sure the results are produced as you intend. Hope this helps.
D