Ember database new record event and observer - ember.js

Question

My web app is built using Ember.JS and Firebase for storing data. It also serves as a backend for a mobile app. Users can use mobile app to send a 'help-request' - the app manipulates directly with the Firebase records. When the change is made admin of the web app can see the notification on the screen. That works fine. Now I want to add a sound to this notification.
My general idea to solve it to add an observer that will be triggered when a new record of help-request type is added to the database.
I found a post sort of explaining how to do it but it's using deprecated methods like ArrayControler.
I added a simple observer to help-request model that is triggered when property/ies of the record are modified. That works fine but seems to be a hack rather than a real solution.
So the big question is:
1. Is there any callback, or event, or notification that I can subscribe to check if a new record is created in the Firebase? If so how would I subscribe to it?
import DS from 'ember-data';
export default DS.Model.extend({
device: DS.attr('string'),
userName: DS.attr('string'),
locationName: DS.attr('string'),
type: DS.attr('string'),
fullNameChanged: function() {
// deal with the change
console.log("FULL NAME");
}.observes('device').on('init')
});
My Second approach:
Did Create - never called when the changes are made to Firebase directly.
didCreate:function(){
console.log("Created");
var mySound = soundManager.createSound({
url: 'assets/beep22.mp3'
});
mySound.play();
},
Did update - called but the property is not persisted
didUpdate:function(){
console.log("Updated");
console.log((this.get('shouldPlay')));
}
Did Load - seemed to be the best approach but the changes are not persisted :(
didLoad:function(){
console.log("Did load");
if(this.get('shouldPlay')){
var mySound = soundManager.createSound({
url: 'assets/beep22.mp3'
});
mySound.play();
this.set('shouldPlay','false');
this.save().then(() => {
console.log("saved");
},(error)=>{
console.log(error);
});
}
}
Update:
this.set('shouldPlay','false');
should be
this.set('shouldPlay',false);
This is how it finally worked.

Answer 1

When firebase adds new record into the store it's actually loaded not created. So you can use didLoad hook on ember model.
I would also suggest creating service to play sounds. It will make things easier down the road.
// models/help-request.js
import DS from 'ember-data';
import Ember from 'ember';
const {inject: {service}} = Ember;
export default DS.Model.extend({
soundPlayer: service(),
didLoad() {
this._super(...arguments);
this.get('soundPlayer').newHelpRequest(this);
},
});
// services/sound-player.js
import Ember from 'ember';
export default Ember.Service.extend({
init() {
this._super(...arguments);
const beep = soundManager.createSound({
url: 'assets/beep22.mp3',
});
this.set('beep', beep);
}
play(sound) {
this.get(sound).play();
},
newHelpRequest(helpRequest) {
if (!helpRequest.get('_didNotify')) {
helpRequest.set('_didNotify', true);
this.play('beep');
}
},
});