Suggestion: `$count` special query param? Where it literally just returns the number in place of `hook.result`.

What do you guys think about a $count special query param? Where it literally just returns the number in place of hook.result. The reason I ask is knowing to set $limit: 0 is a bit esoteric and feels like a hack. Plus with the new populate hook if you wanted to just get a count of the related items you can do

function(hook) {
  if(hook.params.query.$count) {
    hook.params.query.$limit = 0;
    delete hook.params.query.$count;
  }
}

[hubgit]

@eddyystop I’m actually trying to get the count of nested objects within a populate hook, like this:

hooks.populate({
  schema: {
    include: [
      {
        service: 'comments',
        nameAs: 'comments_count',
        parentField: 'id',
        childField: 'post_id',
        query: {
          $count: true, // this would be nice
        },
      }
    ]
  }
})

[oussamaABID]

what about total of find

app.service().find({// query to count})
//count  == result.total