Error when calling http method from client in meteor

Question

I am trying to consume a REST API in the meteor application. Inside the server.js file which is in the server folder, I have written this code:

 Meteor.methods({
        checkTwitter: function () {
            this.unblock();
            return Meteor.http.call("GET", "http://search.twitter.com/search.json?q=perkytweets");
        }
    });

Inside the client.js file, which is in the client folder, I have written down this code:

  Meteor.call("checkTwitter", function(error, results) {
        console.log(results.content); //results.data should be a JSON object
    });

I get this error message in console: "Exception while simulating the effect of invoking 'checkTwitter' Error: Can't make a blocking HTTP call from the client; callback required". I have the callback function defined in client due to which I don't understand this error. What is it that I am doing wrong?

Answer 1

Meteor.http has been deprecated, please see the HTTP package.

Answer 2

I think that since there's a stub, "checkTwitter" will actually also run on the client. Once the server returns, its result will overwrite the result from teh client run. In this case, since Meteor.http.call can't run on the client without a callback, you get the error.

Try changing:

Meteor.methods({
         checkTwitter: function () {
             this.unblock();
             return Meteor.http.call("GET", "http://search.twitter.com/search.json?q=perkytweets");
         }
     });

With

    Meteor.methods({
            checkTwitter: function () {
              if (Meteor.isServer) {
                this.unblock();
                return Meteor.http.call("GET", "http://search.twitter.com/search.json?q=perkytweets");
              }
            }
        });