Subscriptions now support multi-user-mode

Fixed bug where playlist subscription downloads would fail due to a mislabeled parameter

Components that are routes now make sure auth is finished before sending requests to the backend

backend/app.js

@@ -588,7 +588,18 @@ function calculateSubcriptionRetrievalDelay(amount) {
 }
 
 function watchSubscriptions() { 
-    let subscriptions = subscriptions_api.getAllSubscriptions();
+    let subscriptions = null;
+    
+    const multiUserMode = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_multi_user_mode');
+    if (multiUserMode) {
+        subscriptions = [];
+        let users = users_db.get('users').value();
+        for (let i = 0; i < users.length; i++) {
+            if (users[i]['subscriptions']) subscriptions = subscriptions.concat(users[i]['subscriptions']);
+        }
+    } else {
+        subscriptions = subscriptions_api.getAllSubscriptions();
+    }
 
     if (!subscriptions) return;
 
@@ -600,7 +611,7 @@ function watchSubscriptions() {
         let sub = subscriptions[i];
         logger.verbose('Watching ' + sub.name + ' with delay interval of ' + delay_interval);
         setTimeout(() => {
-            subscriptions_api.getVideosForSub(sub);
+            subscriptions_api.getVideosForSub(sub, sub.user_uid);
         }, current_delay);
         current_delay += delay_interval;
         if (current_delay >= subscriptionsCheckInterval * 1000) current_delay = 0;
@@ -2022,17 +2033,19 @@ app.post('/api/disableSharing', optionalJwt, function(req, res) {
     });
 });
 
-app.post('/api/subscribe', async (req, res) => {
+app.post('/api/subscribe', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
     let name = req.body.name;
     let url = req.body.url;
     let timerange = req.body.timerange;
     let streamingOnly = req.body.streamingOnly;
+    let user_uid = req.isAuthenticated() ? req.user.uid : null;
 
     const new_sub = {
                         name: name,
                         url: url,
                         id: uuid(),
-                        streamingOnly: streamingOnly
+                        streamingOnly: streamingOnly,
+                        user_uid: user_uid
                     };
 
     // adds timerange if it exists, otherwise all videos will be downloaded
@@ -2040,7 +2053,7 @@ app.post('/api/subscribe', async (req, res) => {
         new_sub.timerange = timerange;
     }
 
-    const result_obj = await subscriptions_api.subscribe(new_sub);
+    const result_obj = await subscriptions_api.subscribe(new_sub, user_uid);
 
     if (result_obj.success) {
         res.send({
@@ -2054,11 +2067,12 @@ app.post('/api/subscribe', async (req, res) => {
     }
 });
 
-app.post('/api/unsubscribe', async (req, res) => {
+app.post('/api/unsubscribe', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
     let deleteMode = req.body.deleteMode
     let sub = req.body.sub;
+    let user_uid = req.isAuthenticated() ? req.user.uid : null;
 
-    let result_obj = subscriptions_api.unsubscribe(sub, deleteMode);
+    let result_obj = subscriptions_api.unsubscribe(sub, deleteMode, user_uid);
     if (result_obj.success) {
         res.send({
             success: result_obj.success
@@ -2071,12 +2085,13 @@ app.post('/api/unsubscribe', async (req, res) => {
     }
 });
 
-app.post('/api/deleteSubscriptionFile', async (req, res) => {
+app.post('/api/deleteSubscriptionFile', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
     let deleteForever = req.body.deleteForever;
     let file = req.body.file;
     let sub = req.body.sub;
+    let user_uid = req.isAuthenticated() ? req.user.uid : null;
 
-    let success = await subscriptions_api.deleteSubscriptionFile(sub, file, deleteForever);
+    let success = await subscriptions_api.deleteSubscriptionFile(sub, file, deleteForever, user_uid);
 
     if (success) {
         res.send({
@@ -2088,11 +2103,12 @@ app.post('/api/deleteSubscriptionFile', async (req, res) => {
 
 });
 
-app.post('/api/getSubscription', async (req, res) => {
+app.post('/api/getSubscription', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
     let subID = req.body.id;
+    let user_uid = req.isAuthenticated() ? req.user.uid : null;
 
     // get sub from db
-    let subscription = subscriptions_api.getSubscription(subID);
+    let subscription = subscriptions_api.getSubscription(subID, user_uid);
 
     if (!subscription) {
         // failed to get subscription from db, send 400 error
@@ -2102,7 +2118,12 @@ app.post('/api/getSubscription', async (req, res) => {
 
     // get sub videos
     if (subscription.name && !subscription.streamingOnly) {
-        let base_path = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+        let base_path = null;
+        if (user_uid)
+            base_path = path.join(config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path'), user_uid, 'subscriptions');
+        else
+            base_path = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+        
         let appended_base_path = path.join(base_path, subscription.isPlaylist ? 'playlists' : 'channels', subscription.name, '/');
         let files;
         try {
@@ -2159,18 +2180,22 @@ app.post('/api/getSubscription', async (req, res) => {
     }
 });
 
-app.post('/api/downloadVideosForSubscription', async (req, res) => {
+app.post('/api/downloadVideosForSubscription', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
     let subID = req.body.subID;
-    let sub = subscriptions_api.getSubscription(subID);
-    subscriptions_api.getVideosForSub(sub);
+    let user_uid = req.isAuthenticated() ? req.user.uid : null;
+
+    let sub = subscriptions_api.getSubscription(subID, user_uid);
+    subscriptions_api.getVideosForSub(sub, user_uid);
     res.send({
         success: true
     });
 });
 
-app.post('/api/getAllSubscriptions', async (req, res) => {
+app.post('/api/getAllSubscriptions', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
+    let user_uid = req.isAuthenticated() ? req.user.uid : null;
+
     // get subs from api
-    let subscriptions = subscriptions_api.getAllSubscriptions();
+    let subscriptions = subscriptions_api.getAllSubscriptions(user_uid);
 
     res.send({
         subscriptions: subscriptions
@@ -2360,7 +2385,7 @@ app.post('/api/downloadFile', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
     let outputName = req.body.outputName;
     let fullPathProvided = req.body.fullPathProvided;
     let subscriptionName = req.body.subscriptionName;
-    let subscriptionPlaylist = req.body.subscriptionPlaylist;
+    let subscriptionPlaylist = req.body.subPlaylist;
     let file = null;
     if (!zip_mode) {
         fileNames = decodeURIComponent(fileNames);
@@ -2369,14 +2394,19 @@ app.post('/api/downloadFile', optionalJwt, async (req, res) => {
         const ext = is_audio ? '.mp3' : '.mp4';
 
         let base_path = fileFolderPath;
+        let usersFileFolder = null;
         if (req.isAuthenticated()) {
-            const usersFileFolder = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path');
+            usersFileFolder = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path');
             base_path = path.join(usersFileFolder, req.user.uid, type);
         }
         if (!subscriptionName) {
             file = path.join(__dirname, base_path, fileNames + ext);
         } else {
-            let basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+            let basePath = null;
+            if (usersFileFolder)
+                basePath = path.join(usersFileFolder, req.user.uid, 'subscriptions');
+            else
+                basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
             file = path.join(__dirname, basePath, (subscriptionPlaylist ? 'playlists' : 'channels'), subscriptionName, fileNames + '.mp4')
         }
     } else {
@@ -2509,7 +2539,7 @@ app.get('/api/video/:id', optionalJwt, function(req , res){
         let usersFileFolder = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path');
         if (optionalParams['subName']) {
             const isPlaylist = optionalParams['subPlaylist'];
-            file_path = path.join(usersFileFolder, req.user.uid, (isPlaylist === 'true' ? 'playlists/' : 'channels/'), id + '.mp4')
+            file_path = path.join(usersFileFolder, req.user.uid, 'subscriptions', (isPlaylist === 'true' ? 'playlists/' : 'channels/'),optionalParams['subName'], id + '.mp4')
         } else {
             file_path = path.join(usersFileFolder, req.user.uid, 'video', id + '.mp4');
         }

backend/authentication/auth.js

@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ exports.registerUser = function(req, res) {
           audio: [],
           video: []
         },
+        subscriptions: [],
         created: Date.now()
       };
       // check if user exists

backend/subscriptions.js

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function initialize(input_db, input_users_db, input_logger) {
     setLogger(input_logger);
 }
 
-async function subscribe(sub) {
+async function subscribe(sub, user_uid = null) {
     const result_obj = {
         success: false,
         error: ''
@@ -29,7 +29,14 @@ async function subscribe(sub) {
         // sub should just have url and name. here we will get isPlaylist and path
         sub.isPlaylist = sub.url.includes('playlist');
 
-        if (db.get('subscriptions').find({url: sub.url}).value()) {
+        let url_exists = false;
+
+        if (user_uid)
+            url_exists = !!users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').find({url: sub.url}).value()
+        else
+            url_exists = !!db.get('subscriptions').find({url: sub.url}).value();
+
+        if (url_exists) {
             logger.info('Sub already exists');
             result_obj.error = 'Subcription with URL ' + sub.url + ' already exists!';
             resolve(result_obj);
@@ -37,19 +44,27 @@ async function subscribe(sub) {
         }
 
         // add sub to db
-        db.get('subscriptions').push(sub).write();
+        if (user_uid)
+            users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').push(sub).write();
+        else
+            db.get('subscriptions').push(sub).write();
 
         let success = await getSubscriptionInfo(sub);
         result_obj.success = success;
         result_obj.sub = sub;
-        getVideosForSub(sub);
+        getVideosForSub(sub, user_uid);
         resolve(result_obj);
     });
     
 }
 
-async function getSubscriptionInfo(sub) {
-    const basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+async function getSubscriptionInfo(sub, user_uid = null) {
+    let basePath = null;
+    if (user_uid)
+        basePath = path.join(config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path'), user_uid, 'subscriptions');
+    else
+        basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+
     return new Promise(resolve => {
         // get videos 
         let downloadConfig = ['--dump-json', '--playlist-end', '1']
@@ -75,16 +90,19 @@ async function getSubscriptionInfo(sub) {
                     if (!output_json) {
                         continue;
                     }
-
                     if (!sub.name) {
                         sub.name = sub.isPlaylist ? output_json.playlist_title : output_json.uploader;
                         // if it's now valid, update
                         if (sub.name) {
-                            db.get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id}).assign({name: sub.name}).write();
+                            if (user_uid)
+                                users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id}).assign({name: sub.name}).write();
+                            else
+                                db.get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id}).assign({name: sub.name}).write();
                         }
                     }
 
-                    if (!sub.archive) {
+                    const useArchive = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_use_youtubedl_archive');
+                    if (useArchive && !sub.archive) {
                         // must create the archive
                         const archive_dir = path.join(__dirname, basePath, 'archives', sub.name);
                         const archive_path = path.join(archive_dir, 'archive.txt');
@@ -95,7 +113,10 @@ async function getSubscriptionInfo(sub) {
 
                         // updates subscription
                         sub.archive = archive_dir;
-                        db.get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id}).assign({archive: archive_dir}).write();
+                        if (user_uid)
+                            users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id}).assign({archive: archive_dir}).write();
+                        else
+                            db.get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id}).assign({archive: archive_dir}).write();
                     }
 
                     // TODO: get even more info
@@ -108,13 +129,20 @@ async function getSubscriptionInfo(sub) {
     });
 }
 
-async function unsubscribe(sub, deleteMode) {
+async function unsubscribe(sub, deleteMode, user_uid = null) {
     return new Promise(async resolve => {
-        const basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+        let basePath = null;
+        if (user_uid)
+            basePath = path.join(config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path'), user_uid, 'subscriptions');
+        else
+            basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
         let result_obj = { success: false, error: '' };
 
         let id = sub.id;
-        db.get('subscriptions').remove({id: id}).write();
+        if (user_uid)
+            users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').remove({id: id}).write();
+        else
+            db.get('subscriptions').remove({id: id}).write();
 
         const appendedBasePath = getAppendedBasePath(sub, basePath);
         if (deleteMode && fs.existsSync(appendedBasePath)) {
@@ -132,8 +160,12 @@ async function unsubscribe(sub, deleteMode) {
 
 }
 
-async function deleteSubscriptionFile(sub, file, deleteForever) {
-    const basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+async function deleteSubscriptionFile(sub, file, deleteForever, user_uid = null) {
+    let basePath = null;
+    if (user_uid)
+        basePath = path.join(config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path'), user_uid, 'subscriptions');
+    else
+        basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
     const useArchive = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_use_youtubedl_archive');
     const appendedBasePath = getAppendedBasePath(sub, basePath);
     const name = file;
@@ -181,14 +213,27 @@ async function deleteSubscriptionFile(sub, file, deleteForever) {
     });
 }
 
-async function getVideosForSub(sub) {
+async function getVideosForSub(sub, user_uid = null) {
     return new Promise(resolve => {
-        if (!subExists(sub.id)) {
+        if (!subExists(sub.id, user_uid)) {
             resolve(false);
             return;
         }
-        const sub_db = db.get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id});
-        const basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+
+        // get sub_db
+        let sub_db = null;
+        if (user_uid)
+            sub_db = users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id});
+        else
+            sub_db = db.get('subscriptions').find({id: sub.id});
+
+        // get basePath
+        let basePath = null;
+        if (user_uid)
+            basePath = path.join(config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_users_base_path'), user_uid, 'subscriptions');
+        else
+            basePath = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_base_path');
+
         const useArchive = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_use_youtubedl_archive');
 
         let appendedBasePath = null
@@ -263,23 +308,32 @@ async function getVideosForSub(sub) {
     });
 }
 
-function getAllSubscriptions() {
-    const subscriptions = db.get('subscriptions').value();
-    return subscriptions;
+function getAllSubscriptions(user_uid = null) {
+    if (user_uid)
+        return users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').value();
+    else
+        return db.get('subscriptions').value();
 }
 
-function getSubscription(subID) {
-    return db.get('subscriptions').find({id: subID}).value();
+function getSubscription(subID, user_uid = null) {
+    if (user_uid)
+        return users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').find({id: subID}).value();
+    else 
+        return db.get('subscriptions').find({id: subID}).value();
 }
 
-function subExists(subID) {
-    return !!db.get('subscriptions').find({id: subID}).value();
+function subExists(subID, user_uid = null) {
+    if (user_uid)
+        return !!users_db.get('users').find({uid: user_uid}).get('subscriptions').find({id: subID}).value();
+    else
+        return !!db.get('subscriptions').find({id: subID}).value();
 }
 
 // helper functions
 
 function getAppendedBasePath(sub, base_path) {
-    return base_path + (sub.isPlaylist ? 'playlists/' : 'channels/') + sub.name;
+
+    return path.join(base_path, (sub.isPlaylist ? 'playlists/' : 'channels/'), sub.name);
 }
 
 // https://stackoverflow.com/a/32197381/8088021

src/app/main/main.component.ts

@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ export class MainComponent implements OnInit {
 
   selectedQuality = '';
   formats_loading = false;
+  config_loaded = false;
 
   @ViewChild('urlinput', { read: ElementRef }) urlInput: ElementRef;
   @ViewChildren('audiofilecard') audioFileCards: QueryList<FileCardComponent>;
@@ -294,7 +295,16 @@ export class MainComponent implements OnInit {
 
   // app initialization.
   ngOnInit() {
-    this.configLoad();
+    if (this.postsService.config) {
+      this.configLoad();
+    } else {
+      this.postsService.config_reloaded.subscribe(changed => {
+        if (changed && !this.config_loaded) {
+          this.config_loaded = true;
+          this.configLoad();
+        }
+      });
+    }
 
     this.postsService.config_reloaded.subscribe(changed => {
       if (changed) {

src/app/player/player.component.ts

@@ -79,45 +79,15 @@ export class PlayerComponent implements OnInit {
     this.uuid = this.route.snapshot.paramMap.get('uuid');
 
     // loading config
-    this.postsService.loadNavItems().subscribe(res => { // loads settings
-      const result = !this.postsService.debugMode ? res['config_file'] : res;
-      this.baseStreamPath = this.postsService.path;
-      this.audioFolderPath = result['YoutubeDLMaterial']['Downloader']['path-audio'];
-      this.videoFolderPath = result['YoutubeDLMaterial']['Downloader']['path-video'];
-      this.subscriptionFolderPath = result['YoutubeDLMaterial']['Subscriptions']['subscriptions_base_path'];
-      this.fileNames = this.route.snapshot.paramMap.get('fileNames') ? this.route.snapshot.paramMap.get('fileNames').split('|nvr|') : null;
-
-      if (!this.fileNames) {
-        this.is_shared = true;
-      }
-
-      if (this.uid && !this.id) {
-        this.getFile();
-      } else if (this.id) {
-        this.getPlaylistFiles();
-      }
-
-      if (this.url) {
-        // if a url is given, just stream the URL
-        this.playlist = [];
-        const imedia: IMedia = {
-          title: this.name,
-          label: this.name,
-          src: this.url,
-          type: 'video/mp4'
+    if (this.postsService.config) {
+      this.processConfig();
+    } else {
+      this.postsService.config_reloaded.subscribe(changed => { // loads settings
+        if (changed) {
+          this.processConfig();
         }
-        this.playlist.push(imedia);
-        this.currentItem = this.playlist[0];
-        this.currentIndex = 0;
-        this.show_player = true;
-      } else if (this.type === 'subscription' || this.fileNames) {
-        this.show_player = true;
-        this.parseFileNames();
-      }
-    });
-
-    // this.getFileInfos();
-
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   constructor(private postsService: PostsService, private route: ActivatedRoute, private dialog: MatDialog, private router: Router,
@@ -125,6 +95,42 @@ export class PlayerComponent implements OnInit {
 
   }
 
+  processConfig() {
+    this.baseStreamPath = this.postsService.path;
+    this.audioFolderPath = this.postsService.config['Downloader']['path-audio'];
+    this.videoFolderPath = this.postsService.config['Downloader']['path-video'];
+    this.subscriptionFolderPath = this.postsService.config['Subscriptions']['subscriptions_base_path'];
+    this.fileNames = this.route.snapshot.paramMap.get('fileNames') ? this.route.snapshot.paramMap.get('fileNames').split('|nvr|') : null;
+
+    if (!this.fileNames) {
+      this.is_shared = true;
+    }
+
+    if (this.uid && !this.id) {
+      this.getFile();
+    } else if (this.id) {
+      this.getPlaylistFiles();
+    }
+
+    if (this.url) {
+      // if a url is given, just stream the URL
+      this.playlist = [];
+      const imedia: IMedia = {
+        title: this.name,
+        label: this.name,
+        src: this.url,
+        type: 'video/mp4'
+      }
+      this.playlist.push(imedia);
+      this.currentItem = this.playlist[0];
+      this.currentIndex = 0;
+      this.show_player = true;
+    } else if (this.type === 'subscription' || this.fileNames) {
+      this.show_player = true;
+      this.parseFileNames();
+    }
+  }
+
   getFile() {
     const already_has_filenames = !!this.fileNames;
     this.postsService.getFile(this.uid, null, this.uuid).subscribe(res => {
@@ -191,10 +197,10 @@ export class PlayerComponent implements OnInit {
 
       // adds user token if in multi-user-mode
       if (this.postsService.isLoggedIn) {
-        fullLocation += `?jwt=${this.postsService.token}`;
+        fullLocation += (this.subscriptionName ? '&' : '?') + `jwt=${this.postsService.token}`;
         if (this.is_shared) { fullLocation += `&uuid=${this.uuid}&uid=${this.db_file.uid}&type=${this.db_file.type}`; }
       } else if (this.is_shared) {
-        fullLocation += `?uuid=${this.uuid}&uid=${this.db_file.uid}&type=${this.db_file.type}`;
+        fullLocation += (this.subscriptionName ? '&' : '?') + `uuid=${this.uuid}&uid=${this.db_file.uid}&type=${this.db_file.type}`;
       }
       // if it has a slash (meaning it's in a directory), only get the file name for the label
       let label = null;

src/app/posts.services.ts

@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ export class PostsService implements CanActivate {
                         };
                         this.jwtAuth();
                     }
+                } else {
+                    this.config_reloaded.next(true);
                 }
             }
         });
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ export class PostsService implements CanActivate {
             const result = !this.debugMode ? res['config_file'] : res;
             if (result) {
                 this.config = result['YoutubeDLMaterial'];
-                this.config_reloaded = true;
+                this.config_reloaded.next(true);
             }
         });
     }
@@ -348,6 +350,7 @@ export class PostsService implements CanActivate {
         call.subscribe(res => {
             if (res['token']) {
                 this.afterLogin(res['user'], res['token']);
+                this.config_reloaded.next(true);
             }
         }, err => {
             if (err.status === 401) {

src/app/subscription/subscription/subscription.component.ts

@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ export class SubscriptionComponent implements OnInit {
     if (this.route.snapshot.paramMap.get('id')) {
       this.id = this.route.snapshot.paramMap.get('id');
 
-      this.getSubscription();
       this.postsService.config_reloaded.subscribe(changed => {
         if (changed) {
           this.getConfig();
+          this.getSubscription();
         }
       });
     }
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export class SubscriptionComponent implements OnInit {
       this.router.navigate(['/player', {name: name, url: url}]);
     } else {
       this.router.navigate(['/player', {fileNames: name, type: 'subscription', subscriptionName: this.subscription.name,
-                                        subPlaylist: this.subscription.isPlaylist}]);
+                                        subPlaylist: this.subscription.isPlaylist, uuid: this.postsService.user ? this.postsService.user.uid : null}]);
     }
   }
 

src/app/subscriptions/subscriptions.component.ts

@@ -22,16 +22,23 @@ export class SubscriptionsComponent implements OnInit {
   constructor(private dialog: MatDialog, public postsService: PostsService, private router: Router, private snackBar: MatSnackBar) { }
 
   ngOnInit() {
-    this.getSubscriptions();
+    if (this.postsService.config) {
+      this.getSubscriptions();
+    }
+    this.postsService.config_reloaded.subscribe(changed => {
+      if (changed) {
+        this.getSubscriptions();
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   getSubscriptions() {
     this.subscriptions_loading = true;
     this.subscriptions = null;
-    this.channel_subscriptions = [];
-    this.playlist_subscriptions = [];
     this.postsService.getAllSubscriptions().subscribe(res => {
-    this.subscriptions_loading = false;
+      this.channel_subscriptions = [];
+      this.playlist_subscriptions = [];
+      this.subscriptions_loading = false;
       this.subscriptions = res['subscriptions'];
       if (!this.subscriptions) {
         // set it to an empty array so it can notify the user there are no subscriptions