Mongoose and Postman: test a model with nested objects - node.js

Question

I created a model like this in nodeJS, using Mongoose:
'use strict';
var mongoose = require('mongoose');
var Schema = mongoose.Schema;
var plantSchema = new Schema({
plantData: [
{
family: { type: String, default: 'Liliaceae' },
genusObj: {
genus: { type: String, required: 'Please enter the genus plant name' },
tulipGroup: { type: String }, // e.g. Single Early
tulipGroupNumber: { type: Number } // e.g. 1
},
species: { type: String, required: 'Please enter the species plant name' },
commonName: { type: String },
description: { type: String },
mainImage: {},
otherImages: {},
images: {},
}
],
detailsData: [ .... ]
});
module.exports = mongoose.model('plants', plantSchema);
And this is my controller:
var mongoose = require('mongoose'),
Plant = mongoose.model('plants');
// READ ALL
exports.list_all_plants = function(req, res) {
Plant.find({}, function(err, plants) {
if (err) {
res.send(err);
}
res.json(plants);
});
};
// CREATE
exports.create_new_plant = function(req, res) {
var new_plant = new Plant(req.body);
new_plant.save(function(err, plant_inserted) {
if (err) {
res.send(err);
}
res.json(plant_inserted);
});
};
// READ (probably plantId comes from an _id previously retrieved)
exports.read_a_plant = function(req, res) {
Plant.findById(req.params.plantId, function(err, plant_searched) {
if (err) {
res.send(err);
}
res.json(plant_searched);
});
};
// UPDATE
exports.update_a_plant = function(req, res) {
Plant.findOneAndUpdate(
{
_id: req.params.plantId
},
req.body,
{new: true},
function(err, plant_to_update) {
if (err) {
res.send(err);
}
res.json(plant_to_update);
}
);
};
// DELETE
exports.delete_a_plant = function(req, res) {
Task.remove(
{
_id: req.params.plantId
},
function(err, task) {
if (err) {
res.send(err);
}
res.json({ message: 'Plant successfully deleted' });
}
);
};
And finally, i have this router:
'use strict';
module.exports = function(app) {
var plantList = require('../controllers/plantController');
// plant routes
app.route('/plants')
.get(plantList.list_all_plants)
.post(plantList.create_new_plant);
app.route('/plants/:plantId')
.get(plantList.read_a_plant)
.put(plantList.update_a_plant)
.delete(plantList.delete_a_plant);
What I'd like to do is testing all this with Postman.
If I try with the GET method, using simply
http://localhost:3000/plants
everything works fine: I mean, it returns an empty array (mongodb is up and running, and everything is set).
Now I wanted to try to insert a new element with Postman: I selected POST and x-www-form-urlencoded under body. Required properties are plantData{genusObj{genus}} and plantData{species} : since I'm quite new with both postman and mongodb, how can I enter a sub-element in postman, to create a new Plant ?
there are only KEY and VALUE options, and i don't know how to write a sub-key like plantData->genusObj->genus.
P.S.: Suggestions on data model are welcome, I tried to build a generic plant database but oriented on tulips (so usually i can enter tulips, but if i need to enter something else, i can).

Answer 1

Well, it seems that this answer fits to me: in fact, on Postman i selected under "body" the "raw" option, then I selected JSON instead of TEXT from the dropdown menu, and finally I used this object (meanwhile I slightly changed the
model) - don't forget the " symbols everywhere, like I did - ' is not accepted:
{
"plantData": [
{
"family": "Liliaceae",
"genusObj": {
"genus": "Tulipa",
"tulipGroup": "Single Late",
"tulipGroupNumber": 5
},
"species": "TEST",
"sellName": "Queen of night",
"description": "black tulip",
"mainImage": "",
"otherImages": "",
"images": ""
}
],
"sellingData": [
{
"price": 0.50,
"availableQuantity": 100
}
],
"detailsData": [
{
"heightInCm": "60-65",
"floweringTime": "late spring",
"plantDepthCm": "20",
"plantSpacingCm": "10",
"bulbSizeInCm": "12",
"flowerColor": "Black",
"lightRequirements": "full sun"
}
]
}