Why does this promise not go to the next "then"?

Question

So I have this code:

Parse.Cloud.define("apiCall", function(request, response) {

    return Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
        // API call 1
    }).catch(function(error) {
        /// Only perform this if the first call fails

        // Return valid json here, to mock the Parse.Cloud.httpRequest below
        return Parse.Promise.as({"data": "this is an expected JSON"});

        return Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
            // API call 2
        });
    }).then(
        function(httpResponse) {
            /// This should perform after call 1, or call 2 if call 1 failed

            return Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
                // API call 3
            });
        }
    ).catch(
        function(error) {
            console.log('FAIL');
            return response.error(error);
        }
    );
});

I expected call 3 to be performed even if Call 1 failed, but apparently it does not, it performs the first catch block, but then it performs the last catch block. I thought I caught the error properly when I return a new promise in the catch block?

Answer 1

Long story short, you should have only one catch block for each Promise chain.

You could refactor your code with async/await blocks like this:

Parse.Cloud.define("apiCall", async function(request, response) {

    let response = null;
    try {
        response = await Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
            // API call 1
        })
    } catch (error) {
        console.log({"data": "this is an expected JSON"});

        response = Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
            // API call 2
        });
    }
    try {
        // Use response variable here
        let response2 = Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
            // API call 3
        });
        return response2;
    } catch (error) {
        console.log('FAIL');
        return response.error(error);
    }
});

If you want to stick with Promise chain, you can also do this:

Parse.Cloud.define("apiCall", function(request, response) {

    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
            // API call 1
        })
        .then(function (data) {
            resolve(data);
        })
        .catch(function(error) {
            /// Only perform this if the first call fails

            // Return valid json here, to mock the Parse.Cloud.httpRequest below
            console.log({"data": "this is an expected JSON"});

            Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
                // API call 2
            })
            .then(function (data) {
                resolve(data);
            })
            .catch(function (error) {
                reject(error);
            })
        })
    }).then(
        function(httpResponse) {
            /// This should perform after call 1, or call 2 if call 1 failed

            return Parse.Cloud.httpRequest({
                // API call 3
            });
        }
    ).catch(
        function(error) {
            console.log('FAIL');
            return response.error(error);
        }
    );
});