Save an array of sub-documents using Mongoose schema - node.js

Question

I need to save an array of sub-documents (Categories) on each Item, however. The problem relates to processing an array passed in a request.
The main issue I have is how to successfully save the array of categories in the item.
I have two models in MongoDB, namely:
Item
Category
The Item schema:
const Item = mongoose.model(
'Items',
new mongoose.Schema({
name: {
type: String,
required: true,
trim: true,
minlength: 2,
maxlength: 255
},
category: [categorySchema],
numInStock: {
type: Number,
required: true,
min: 0,
max: 255
},
unitPrice: {
type: Number,
required: true,
min: 0,
max: 255
}
})
);
The Category schema:
const categorySchema = new mongoose.Schema({
name: {
type: String,
required: true,
minlength: 2,
maxlength: 50
},
user_id: {
type: ObjectId,
required: false
}
});
What I have so far for the Express route for POST to Items:
router.post('/', [auth], async (req, res) => {
const { error } = validate(req.body);
if (error) return res.status(400).send({ data: error.details[0].message });
const category = await Category.findById(req.body.categoryId);
if (!category) return res.status(400).send({ data: 'Invalid category.' });
console.log('LOG: categoryIds: ', req.body.categoryId[0]);
const item = new Item({
name: req.body.name,
category: [
{
_id: req.body.categoryId._id,
name: req.body.categoryId.name
}
],
numInStock: req.body.numInStock,
unitPrice: req.body.unitPrice,
publishDate: moment().toJSON()
});
await item.save();
res.send({ data: item });
});
The body of the POST looks like:
{
"name": "AnotherNew item",
"categoryId": [{"name": "Vegetables", "_id": "5de43de8805f4fac35f691c0"},{"name": "Seafood", "_id": "5de43de8805f4fac35f691c4"}],
"numInStock": 0,
"unitPrice": 0
}
The error I receive:
error: Items validation failed: category.0.name: Path `name` is required. message=Items validation failed: category.0.name: Path `name` is required., message=Path `name` is required., name=ValidatorError, validator=function(v) {
const cachedRequired = get(this, '$__.cachedRequired');
// no validation when this path wasn't selected in the query.
if (cachedRequired != null && !this.isSelected(_this.path) && !this.isModified(_this.path)) {
return true;
}
// `$cachedRequired` gets set in `_evaluateRequiredFunctions()` so we
// don't call required functions multiple times in one validate call
// See gh-6801
if (cachedRequired != null && _this.path in cachedRequired) {
const res = cachedRequired[_this.path] ?
_this.checkRequired(v, this) :
true;
delete cachedRequired[_this.path];
return res;
} else if (typeof required === 'function') {
return required.apply(this) ? _this.checkRequired(v, this) : true;
}
return _this.checkRequired(v, this);
}, message=Path `name` is required., type=required, path=name, value=undefined, kind=required, path=name, value=undefined, reason=undefined, _message=Items validation failed, stack=ValidationError: Items validation failed: category.0.name: Path `name` is required

Answer 1

I solved this by passing the array req.body.categoryId from the request to category on the new instance of Item.
I appreciate any feedback on my changes.
My changes to Item POST route are as follows:
router.post('/', [auth], async (req, res) => {
const { error } = validate(req.body);
if (error) return res.status(400).send({ data: error.details[0].message });
const category = await Category.findById(req.body.categoryId);
if (!category) return res.status(400).send({ data: 'Invalid category.' });
console.log('LOG: categoryIds: ', req.body.categoryId);
const item = new Item({
name: req.body.name,
category: req.body.categoryId,
numInStock: req.body.numInStock,
unitPrice: req.body.unitPrice,
publishDate: moment().toJSON()
});
await item.save();
res.send({ data: item });
});