Setting autoPopulate to false on relations does not return ids.

[loongmxbt]

Describe the bug
I need to add autoPopulate: false to relational fields (one-to-many), and later get the data.
E.g. Project has many Reports, when I add "autoPopulate": false to reports, then the whole reports field won't return. I hope to know the ids for further use.

"reports": {
      "collection": "report",
      "via": "project",
      "autoPopulate": false
    },

In N-1 relation, if set autoPopulate: false, it will return the id, e.g. project: 1.
This problem occurs when the field is 1-N and N-N relations. The field won't return.

Steps to reproduce the behavior

1. Go to a one-to-many relational fields, e.g. Project has many reports
2. Add autoPopulation: false to reports field
3. GET /projects/1
4. The report field doesn't return.

Expected behavior
I think it should behave the same, return reports: [1, 2, 3] or reports: [{id: 1}, {id: 2}, {id: 3}]

Screenshots
If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

Code snippets

{
  "connection": "default",
  "collectionName": "projects",
  "info": {
    "name": "project",
    "description": ""
  },
  "options": {
    "increments": true,
    "timestamps": [
      "created_at",
      "updated_at"
    ],
    "comment": ""
  },
  "attributes": {
    "name": {
      "unique": true,
      "required": true,
      "type": "string"
    },
    "reports": {
      "collection": "report",
      "via": "project"
    },
    "comments": {
      "collection": "comment",
      "via": "project"
    }
  }
}

System

• Node.js version: 10.16.1
• NPM version: 6.9.0
• Strapi version: 3.0.0-beta.17.6
• Database: SQLite
• Operating system: Windows

Additional context
Add any other context about the problem here.

[jonpalmisc]

Any update or workaround on this? I'm having the same issue.

[jonpalmisc]

I'm not familiar with the Strapi code base, but I would be more than happy to try to fix this myself if you could point me in the right direction! @derrickmehaffy

[balmacefa]

Any progress on this? Does anybody have a workaround?

[derrickmehaffy]

@balmacefa this is something we are planning to look at in the Strapi v4 version along with the major database changes coming in Q3

[alightgoesout]

My workaround was to let autopopulate as true but to replace the items by their ids using the afterFind lifecycle hook. It's not ideal since the whole item is still retrieved from the database, but the json response only contains the ids.

[derrickmehaffy]

This issue has been mentioned on Strapi Community Forum. There might be relevant details there:

https://forum.strapi.io/t/rest-api-retrieve-id-only-ids-of-relations/3399/5

[dasw3]

This issue has been mentioned on Strapi Community Forum. There might be relevant details there:

https://forum.strapi.io/t/rest-api-retrieve-id-only-ids-of-relations/3399/5

Derrick, I linked the Strapi community to this issue, there is no solution there. Now it is just circular references to the same issue in multiple areas.

[Convly]

This issue has been mentioned on Strapi Community Forum. There might be relevant details there:
https://forum.strapi.io/t/rest-api-retrieve-id-only-ids-of-relations/3399/5

Derrick, I linked the Strapi community to this issue, there is no solution there. Now it is just circular references to the same issue in multiple areas.

This is an automated reply when an issue is mentioned on the forum 😉

[Convly]

I'll also link Alex's answer posted in a duplicate of this issue:
#7361 (comment)

[derrickmehaffy]

autopopulate doesn't exist anymore, closing