Mongoose reference overwritten - node.js

Question

I am in a bit of a pickle. Whenever I create a new resume as a logged in user it doesn't add the resume id as an array. I.e, ["20293", "2932392", "32903239"]
Instead, it overwrites the current resume id in the users schema. Here is the code
UserSchema
const UserSchema = new Schema({
_vId: {
type: String,
default: id.generate()
},
firstName: {
type: String,
required: true
},
lastName: {
type: String,
required: true
},
accountType: {
type: String,
enum: ['Alphaneer', 'Administrator', 'Support', 'PRO'],
default: 'Alphaneer'
},
email: {
type: String,
required: true,
trim: true
},
username: {
type: String,
required: true,
trim: true,
unique: true
},
bio: {
type: String,
default: "No bio provided."
},
// TODO: Hash the password before inserting as a document :)
password: {
type: String,
required: true
},
createdAt: {
type: String,
default: moment(new Date()).format("MMM DD, YYYY") // "Sun, 3PM 17"
},
resume: [ { type: mongoose.Schema.ObjectId, ref: "Resume" } ]
});
Where I post my resume
// POST /dashboard/resume/create
router.post('/resume/create', (req, res, next) => {
Resume.create(req.body, (err, resume) => {
if (err) {
var err = new Error("Error:" + err);
err.status = 404;
next(err);
} else {
req.user = jwtDecode.decode(req.session.tokenID, 'secret');
//I am assuming that you have saved your resume and getting the saved object in `resume`, now update the logged in user in req.user
var user = req.user.sessionId;
var updateData = {
resume: resume._id
}
//save the updated user
User.findByIdAndUpdate(user, updateData, function(err, user) {
console.log(user);
if (err) {
res.json(err);
} else {
res.json(user);
}
})
}
})
});
gif of submitting new resumes
UPDATE:
error picture
UPDATED CODE:
// POST /dashboard/resume/create
router.post('/resume/create', (req, res, next) => {
Resume.create(req.body, (err, resume) => {
if (err) {
var err = new Error("Error:" + err);
err.status = 404;
next(err);
} else {
req.user = jwtDecode.decode(req.session.tokenID, 'secret');
//I am assuming that you have saved your resume and getting the saved object in `resume`, now update the logged in user in req.user
var user = req.user.sessionId;
var updateData = {
resume: resume._id
}
//save the updated user
User.findById(user, function(err, user) {
console.log(user);
if (err) {
res.json(err);
} else {
user.resume.push(resume.id)
user.save(function(user) {
return res.json(user);
});
}
})
}
})
});

Answer 1

This is wrong:
var user = req.user.sessionId;
var updateData = {
resume: resume._id
}
//save the updated user
User.findByIdAndUpdate(user, updateData, function(err, user) {
console.log(user);
if (err) {
res.json(err);
} else {
res.json(user);
}
});
The resume field is an array and you are manipulating it as a string field. The method findOneAndUpdate do two things:
Find the document by it's id
Update it with the new data
The second argument is the new data to set. So, the second step is translated to:
User.upate({ _id: user }, { resume: resume._id });
Can you see what's wrong? resume must store an array of resume's id and your are setting a id as value. Obviously this will throw an MongooseError.
Your second shot is correct but has a typo error:
User.findById(user, function(err, user) {
console.log(user);
if (err) {
res.json(err);
} else {
user.resume.push(resume.id)
user.save(function(user) {
return res.json(user);
});
}
});
You must add the _id field since this is the ObjectID of the new created document (resume). So, you need to do user.resume.push(resume._id) instead.
Update
According with your last comment, you want to populate your User model, that is, through association id's retrieve all model data. In this case, is recommended that the resumes array change like this:
...
resumes: [
{
resume: {
type: Schema.Types.ObjectId,
ref: 'Resume'
}
}
]
To populate the User document with all Resume data you just need to reference the resume key in resumes field array.
User.findById(user, function(err, user) {
if (err) {
return res.json({ success: false, message: err.message });
}
user.resume.push(resume.id)
user.save(function(err, user) {
if (err) {
return res.json({ success: false, message: err.message });
}
// save was fine, finally return the user document populated
User.findById(user).populate('resumes.resume').exec(function(err, u) {
return res.json(u);
});
});
}
});
The populate method accepts a string with the fields that we want fill with it model data. In your case is an only field (resume). After run the query, you will get something like this:
{
_id: a939v0240mf0205jf48ut84sdfdjg4,
...,
resumes: [
resume: {
_id: f940tndfq4ut84jofgh03ut85dg9454g,
title: 'Some title'
},
...
]
}

Answer 2

Just to follow up on my comment regarding how I suggest you solve the issue:
router.post('/resume/create', (req, res, next) => {
Resume.create(req.body, (err, resume) => {
if (err) {
var err = new Error("Error:" + err);
err.status = 404;
next(err);
} else {
req.user = jwtDecode.decode(req.session.tokenID, 'secret');
//Here, instead of creating a new key entry for resume, you rather push new resume-id into the resume property of the "found user".
//find, update and save the user
User.findOne({_id: req.user.sessionId}, function (err, userToUpdate) {
userToUpdate.toJSON().resume.push(resume.id);
userToUpdate.save(function (err) {
if(err) {
console.error('ERROR!');
}
});
});
}
})
});
I left the rest of your code (saving new resume) untouched - I assume that part works. Give this a try and let me know if you encounter some problems.