Array in User Schema - mongoose - node.js

Question

After building an app using the MERN Stack and finished a simple CRUD API for the items of the users I wanted to add a 'categories' property to the user model which he then can add to his items...
To explain the app I planned to attach some default data i.e categories to each user while posting his data to MongoDB. Unfortunately, I am failing to 'post' those categories to the database.
Here are different request and schema combinations I have tried out
As its own schema
user route
const User = require("../models/User")
// #route POST api/users
// #desc Regiter a user
// #access Public
router.post(
"/",
[
check("name", "Please add name")
.not()
.isEmpty(),
check("email", "Please include a valid email").isEmail(),
check(
"password",
"Please enter a password with 6 or more characters"
).isLength({ min: 6 })
],
async (req, res) => {
const errors = validationResult(req)
if (!errors.isEmpty()) {
return res.status(400).json({ errors: errors.array() })
}
const { name, email, password } = req.body
console.log(categories)
try {
let user = await User.findOne({ email })
if (user) {
return res.status(400).json({ msg: "User already exists" })
}
user = new User({
name,
email,
password,
})
const salt = await bcrypt.genSalt(10)
user.password = await bcrypt.hash(password, salt)
await user.save()
const payload = {
user: {
id: user.id
}
}
jwt.sign(
payload,
config.get("jwtSecret"),
{
expiresIn: 360000
},
(err, token) => {
if (err) throw err
res.json({ token })
}
)
} catch (err) {
console.error(err.message)
res.status(500).send("Server Error")
}
}
)
module.exports = router
request in AuthState
// Register User
const register = async formData => {
console.log(formData)
const expandedFormData = {
...formData,
categories: [
{ name: "Testcategory1", test: 1 },
{ name: "Testcategory2", test: 2 }
]
}
const config = {
headers: {
"Content-Type": "application/json"
}
}
try {
const res = await axios.post("/api/users", expandedFormData, config)
console.log(expandedFormData)
dispatch({
type: REGISTER_SUCCESS,
payload: res.data
})
loadUser()
} catch (err) {
dispatch({
type: REGISTER_FAIL,
payload: err.response.data.msg
})
}
}
schema
const mongoose = require("mongoose")
const categorieSchema = mongoose.Schema({
label: String,
test: Number
})
const UserSchema = mongoose.Schema({
name: {
type: String,
required: true
},
email: {
type: String,
required: true,
unique: true
},
password: {
type: String,
required: true
},
date: {
type: Date,
default: Date.now
},
categories: [categorieSchema]
})
module.exports = mongoose.model("user", UserSchema)
2.
request in AuthState
....
const expandedFormData = {
...formData,
categories: [{ name: "Testcategory1" }, { name: "Testcategory2" }]
}
....
schema
....
categories: [
{
name: String
}
]
....
3.
request in AuthState
schema
same as 2.
....
categories: [
{
name: {
type: String
}
}
]
....
4.
request
schema
same as 2.
....
categories: [String]
....
I've also read these threads but they did not provide new information:
- Mongoose schema array of objects
- Save arrays in Mongoose schema
The full application can be viewed at https://github.com/mortizw/Repio-2.0
Next to some ideas on how to make this model work, I would be happy about some tips on how to iteratively test /approach such a 'schema-problem' as you can with console logging something.

Answer 1

When you are creating new User, you are not passing Categories that's why its not being saved.
First of all this Schema will work perfectly fine
categories: [
{
name: {
type: String
}
}
]
Then you need to update your user route to this
const { name, email, password,categories } = req.body
user = new User({
name,
email,
password,
categories
})
Also make sure you only pass name in categories from frontend because your schema only have name.
Your frontend should be like this
const expandedFormData = {
...formData,
categories: [
{ name: "Testcategory1"},
{ name: "Testcategory2"}
]
}