How to return a C++ Class to NODE.JS

Question

Setup:
I have a NODE.JS application that must perform some computation at low latency
I decided to use N-API and node-gyp to include a native C++ module to the NODE.JS application

Current Status:
I got to the point where the toolchain works, I can compile the C++ source code into binaries, include the binary module in the NODE.JS application, the NODE.JS application executes
I can call C++ methods with standard NODE.JS types from NODE.JS and the methods can return standard NODE.JS types back to NODE.JS when they are done with execution

Problem:
I can't figure out how to return a custom type/object from C++ to NODE.JS
Currently I want to return basically a structure with multiple types, in order to get the result of complex parsing back to NODE.JS in a single NODE.JS call

Minimal code output:
I made a minimal implementation to demonstrate whet I want to do. If you comment #define ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS the code only uses standard NODE.JS types and everything works. Below an image of the output, showing the toolchain and execution works as intended:

If you leave #define ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS the code fails to compile. It doesn't understand how to convert from a C++ object to a NODE.JS object as far as I understand. This is the error:

Minimal code:
Initialize NODE.JS application

npm init
npm install node-gyp --save-dev
npm install node-addon-api

Compile C++ binaries into a NODE.JS module

npm run build

Launch the NODE.JS application

node main.js

The code can be found in this reposiory:
https://github.com/OrsoEric/2020-01-18-Test-NODEJS-Return-Class
I plan to update it once a solution is found.

Code for the class I want to return to the NODE.JS application:

my_class.h

namespace User
{
    //Class I want to return to NODE.JS
    class My_class
    {
        public:
            //Constructor
            My_class( void );
            //Public references
            float &my_float( void );
            int &my_int( void );
        private:
            //Private class vars
            float g_my_float;
            int g_my_int;
    };
}   //End namestace: User

my_class.cpp

#include <iostream>
//Class header
#include "my_class.h"

namespace User
{
    //Constructor
    My_class::My_class( void )
    {
        this -> g_my_float = (float)1.001;
        this -> g_my_int = (int)42;
    }
    //Public Reference
    float &My_class::my_float( void )
    {
        return this -> g_my_float;
    }
    //Public Reference
    int &My_class::my_int( void )
    {
        return this -> g_my_int;
    }
}   //End namestace: User

Code for the bindings between C++ and NODE.JS. #define ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS enables the code that returns the class. The instance in this example is a global variable.

node_bindings.cpp

//NODE bindings
#include <napi.h>
//C++ Class I want to return to NODE.JS
#include "my_class.h"

//Comment to disable the code that return the class instance
//#define ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS

//Instance of My_class I want to return to NODE.JS
User::My_class g_instance;

//Prototype of function called by NODE.JS that initializes this module
extern Napi::Object init(Napi::Env env, Napi::Object exports);
//Prototype of function that returns a standard type: WORKS
extern Napi::Number get_my_float(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info);

#ifdef ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS
//Prototype of function that returns My_class to NODE.JS: DOES NOT WORK!!!
extern Napi::Object get_my_class(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info);
#endif // ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS

//Initialize instance
Napi::Object init(Napi::Env env, Napi::Object exports)
{
    //Construct the instance of My_class I want to return to NODE.JS
    g_instance = User::My_class();
        //Register methods accessible from the outside in the NODE.JS environment
    //Return a standard type
    exports.Set( "get_my_float", Napi::Function::New(env, get_my_float) );
    #ifdef ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS
    //Return the whole class
    exports.Set( "get_my_class", Napi::Function::New(env, get_my_class) );
    #endif

    return exports;
}   //End function: init | Napi::Env | Napi::Object

//Interface between function and NODE.JS
Napi::Number get_my_float(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info)
{
    Napi::Env env = info.Env();
    //Check arguments
    if (info.Length() != 0)
    {
        Napi::TypeError::New(env, "ERR: Expecting no arguments").ThrowAsJavaScriptException();
    }
    //Get the return value
    float tmp = g_instance.my_float();
    //Return a NODE.JS number
    return Napi::Number::New(env, (float)tmp);
} //End Function: get_my_float | Napi::CallbackInfo&

#ifdef ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS
//Interface between function and NODE.JS
Napi::Object get_my_class(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info)
{
    Napi::Env env = info.Env();
    //Check arguments
    if (info.Length() != 0)
    {
        Napi::TypeError::New(env, "ERR: Expecting no arguments").ThrowAsJavaScriptException();
    }
    //Get the return value
    User::My_class tmp = g_instance;
    //Return a NODE.JS number
    return Napi::Object::New(env, (User::My_class)tmp);
} //End Function: get_my_float | Napi::CallbackInfo&
#endif // ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS

NODE_API_MODULE( My_cpp_module, init )

The NODE.JS application main.js include and executes the C++ module:

//Include native C++ module
const my_custom_cpp_module = require('./build/Release/MyCustomCppModule.node');
console.log('My custom c++ module',my_custom_cpp_module);

//TEST:
tmp = my_custom_cpp_module.get_my_float();
console.log( tmp );

module.exports = my_custom_cpp_module;

The bindings are described in the file binding.gyp:

{
    "targets": [{
        "target_name": "MyCustomCppModule",
        "cflags!": [ "-fno-exceptions" ],
        "cflags_cc!": [ "-fno-exceptions" ],
        "sources": [
            "node_bindings.cpp",
            "my_class.cpp"
        ],
        'include_dirs': [
            "<!@(node -p \"require('node-addon-api').include\")"
        ],
        'libraries': [],
        'dependencies': [
            "<!(node -p \"require('node-addon-api').gyp\")"
        ],
        'defines': [ 'NAPI_DISABLE_CPP_EXCEPTIONS' ]
    }]
}

While package.json is what NODE.JS needs to resolve dependencies, compile and run

{
  "name": "2020-01-18-test-return-object",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "main": "main.js",
  "scripts": {
    "build": "node-gyp rebuild",
    "clean": "node-gyp clean"
  },
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "gypfile": true,
  "devDependencies": {
    "node-gyp": "^6.1.0"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "node-addon-api": "^2.0.0"
  }
}

---

SOLUTION

I can't fit a custom class inside Napi::Object, but I can create an empty Napi::Object and create fields one by one. https://github.com/OrsoEric/2020-01-18-Test-NODEJS-Return-Class

Implement the correct construction of a Napi::Object inside node_bindings.cpp

//NODE bindings
#include <napi.h>
//C++ Class I want to return to NODE.JS
#include "my_class.h"

//Comment to disable the code that return the class instance
#define ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS

//Instance of My_class I want to return to NODE.JS
User::My_class g_instance;

//Prototype of function called by NODE.JS that initializes this module
extern Napi::Object init(Napi::Env env, Napi::Object exports);
//Prototype of function that returns a standard type: WORKS
extern Napi::Number get_my_float(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info);

#ifdef ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS
//Prototype of function that returns My_class to NODE.JS: DOES NOT WORK!!!
extern Napi::Object get_my_class(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info);
#endif // ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS

//Initialize instance
Napi::Object init(Napi::Env env, Napi::Object exports)
{
    //Construct the instance of My_class I want to return to NODE.JS
    g_instance = User::My_class();
        //Register methods accessible from the outside in the NODE.JS environment
    //Return a standard type
    exports.Set( "get_my_float", Napi::Function::New(env, get_my_float) );
    #ifdef ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS
    //Return the whole class
    exports.Set( "get_my_class", Napi::Function::New(env, get_my_class) );
    #endif

    return exports;
}   //End function: init | Napi::Env | Napi::Object

//Interface between function and NODE.JS
Napi::Number get_my_float(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info)
{
    Napi::Env env = info.Env();
    //Check arguments
    if (info.Length() != 0)
    {
        Napi::TypeError::New(env, "ERR: Expecting no arguments").ThrowAsJavaScriptException();
    }
    //Get the return value
    float tmp = g_instance.my_float();
    //Return a NODE.JS number
    return Napi::Number::New(env, (float)tmp);
} //End Function: get_my_float | Napi::CallbackInfo&

#ifdef ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS
//Interface between function and NODE.JS
Napi::Object get_my_class(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info)
{
    Napi::Env env = info.Env();
    //Check arguments
    if (info.Length() != 0)
    {
        Napi::TypeError::New(env, "ERR: Expecting no arguments").ThrowAsJavaScriptException();
    }
    //Get a copy of the instance of the class I want to return
    User::My_class tmp = g_instance;
    //Construct empty return object in the NODE.JS environment
    Napi::Object ret_tmp = Napi::Object::New( env );
    //Manually create and fill the fields of the return object
    ret_tmp.Set("my_float", Napi::Number::New( env, (float)tmp.my_float() ));
    ret_tmp.Set("my_int", Napi::Number::New( env, (int)tmp.my_int() ));
    //Return a NODE.JS Object
    return (Napi::Object)ret_tmp;
} //End Function: get_my_class | Napi::CallbackInfo&
#endif // ENABLE_RETURN_CLASS

NODE_API_MODULE( My_cpp_module, init )

Add the test instruction in main.js:

//Include native C++ module
const my_custom_cpp_module = require('./build/Release/MyCustomCppModule.node');
console.log('My custom c++ module',my_custom_cpp_module);

//TEST: Standard NODE.JS type
tmp = my_custom_cpp_module.get_my_float();
console.log( tmp );
//Custom NODE.JS type
class_tmp = my_custom_cpp_module.get_my_class();
console.log( class_tmp );

module.exports = my_custom_cpp_module;

Output:

Answer 1

I think, as described in Napi::Object docs, you cannot instantiate an object with a custom class. Only primitive values. Therefore I would suggest creating an empty Napi::Object and using its Set to map the values.

Napi::Object ret = Napi::Object::New(env);

ret.Set("my_float", Napi::Number::New(env, (float)tmp.my_float()));

Fill all the fields and return the object. Just like you did with the exports

Answer 2

You can fit a custom class inside Napi::Object, it is convenient for destruction:

class MyObject : public Napi::ObjectWrap<MyObject> {
  void * inner_obj_;
}

And use reinterpret_cast to call it:

reinterpret_cast<MyClass *>(inner_obj_)->my_float();