Step 4: Fetch the articles from the database

Next, we need to retrieve a list of articles from the Articles Data Table. We’ll use a Server Module to do this.

In the App Browser, select the Sever Module and add the following function:

# In your Server Module
@anvil.server.callable
def get_articles():
  # Get a list of articles from the Data Table, sorted by 'created' column, in descending order
  return app_tables.articles.search(
    tables.order_by("created", ascending=False)
  )

We want to add this list to our Repeating Panel in order to display the articles on the Homepage.

We’ll define a function called refresh_articles() to do this. We can use this function after we update or delete an article and to refresh the content on the Homepage (You can read more about suggested Anvil naming conventions here.

Go back to your Homepage Form, and add this function:

  def refresh_articles(self):
    # Load existing articles from the Data Table, 
    # and display them in the RepeatingPanel
    self.articles_panel.items = anvil.server.call('get_articles')

We want to load our news articles from the Data Table when the Homepage is opened, so let’s call our refresh_articles function when the Homepage loads.

Add this line to the bottom of the __init__ method of your Homepage Form:

  # Any code you write here will run before the form opens.
  self.refresh_articles()

We also want to call refresh_articles() after we Create a new article so that the new article shows up on our Homepage. Modify your add_article_button_click to call refresh_articles if we save a new article

  def add_article_button_click(self, **event_args):
    # Initialise an empty dictionary to store the user inputs
    new_article = {}
    # Open an alert displaying the 'ArticleEdit' Form
    save_clicked = alert(
      content=ArticleEdit(item=new_article),
      title="Add Article",
      large=True,
      buttons=[("Save", True), ("Cancel", False)]
    )
    # If the alert returned 'True', the save button was clicked.
    if save_clicked:
      anvil.server.call('add_article', new_article)
      self.refresh_articles()

Run your app. You should now see any articles you’ve added listed on the homepage!