One to many with MongoDB (Mongoose) with .populate() - node.js

Question

What I am doing
I am trying to return a player by playerId with all ref items from each object in it's schema. In this example, I am specifically talking about the players inventory.
How can I return all reference items and their properties?
In my service file, I am getting my player with:
/**
* Get a player by playerId
* #param playerId
* #returns {Promise<*>}
*/
module.exports.getPlayer = async (playerId) => {
return await Player.findOne({ playerId: playerId }).populate('inventory');
};
And this is my returned JSON
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"_id": "63bb1f3ec17d33f4d2a87194",
"playerId": 4183489039,
"name": "AlanGreyjoy",
"currency": {
"copper": 500,
"silver": 10,
"gold": 0
},
"online": false,
"inventory": [
{
"currentDurability": 0,
"item": "63ba0c54407456969ba38615",
"amount": 1,
"_id": "63bc4fa070eaa247288e3573",
"createdAt": "2023-01-09T17:32:16.643Z",
"updatedAt": "2023-01-09T17:32:16.643Z"
}
],
"bank": [],
"questTracker": [],
"friends": [],
"knownRecipes": [],
"jobs": [],
"createdAt": "2023-01-08T19:53:34.903Z",
"updatedAt": "2023-01-09T17:32:16.643Z",
"__v": 1
}
}
As you can see, the item in the inventory array is not populating with the ref item from the items collection.
I have googled and googled and tried so many different things, but nothing is working.\
The item does exist in the db
My Models
My Player.model.js
const mongoose = require('mongoose');
const toJSON = require('../plugins/mongoToJson');
const Schema = mongoose.Schema;
const questTracker = new Schema(
{
quest: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'Quest' },
complete: { type: Boolean, default: false },
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const friends = new Schema(
{
player: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'Player' },
isFavorite: { type: Boolean, default: false },
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const knownRecipes = new Schema(
{
recipe: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'Recipe' },
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const jobs = new Schema(
{
job: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'Job' },
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const inventoryItems = new Schema(
{
item: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'Item' },
amount: { type: Number, default: 0 },
currentDurability: { type: Number, default: 0 },
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const bank = new Schema(
{
item: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'Item' },
amount: { type: Number, default: 0 },
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const playerSchema = new Schema(
{
playerId: {
type: Number,
unique: true,
required: true,
},
name: {
type: String,
required: true,
unique: true,
},
currency: {
type: Object,
default: {
copper: 500,
silver: 10,
gold: 0,
},
},
inventory: [inventoryItems],
bank: [bank],
questTracker: [questTracker],
friends: [friends],
knownRecipes: [knownRecipes],
jobs: [jobs],
online: {
type: Boolean,
default: false,
},
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const PlayerModel = mongoose.model('player', playerSchema);
module.exports = PlayerModel;
My Item.model.js
const mongoose = require('mongoose');
const Schema = mongoose.Schema;
const toJSON = require('../plugins/mongoToJson');
const vendorPriceSchema = mongoose.Schema({
copper: {
type: Number,
default: 0,
},
silver: {
type: Number,
default: 0,
},
gold: {
type: Number,
default: 0,
},
});
const itemSchema = new Schema(
{
title: {
type: String,
required: true,
unique: true,
},
assetId: {
type: Number,
required: true,
},
description: {
type: String,
},
equipDescription: {
type: String,
},
additionalDescription: {
type: String,
},
consumableUseDescription: {
type: String,
},
itemLevel: {
type: Number,
},
requiredLevel: {
type: Number,
},
type: {
type: String,
required: true,
},
subtype: {
type: String,
required: true,
},
stamina: {
type: Number,
},
intellect: {
type: Number,
},
criticalStrike: {
type: Number,
},
agility: {
type: Number,
},
mastery: {
type: Number,
},
maxDurability: {
type: Number,
},
vendorPrice: { vendorPriceSchema },
minDamage: {
type: Number,
default: 0,
},
maxDamage: {
type: Number,
default: 0,
},
speed: {
type: Number,
},
maxStack: {
type: Number,
},
},
{ timestamps: true }
);
const ItemModel = mongoose.model('Item', itemSchema);
module.exports = ItemModel;

Answer 1

You can use something like this:
module.exports.getPlayer = async (playerId) => {
return await Player.findOne({ playerId: playerId }).populate({
path: "inventory",
populate: {
path: "item",
},
});
};