mongodb + node connection string - node.js

Question

I'm having trouble connecting mongodb to my local machine. I'm new at this and can't seem to figure it out from the docs or other stackoverflow posts.
I have a database.js file, and I think my connection string is wrong:
var mongoose = require('mongoose');
mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost');
// I've tried this too:
// mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost/test');
// mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost:8080/test');
module.exports = {
'url' : 'mongodb://localhost:27017/test'
}
I've got mongod running in one tab and shows 4 connections open - I don't know if it's this or the connection string.
Then in a 2nd tab, I've connected to a db called "test".
Lastly there's a very simple view. When I navigate to localhost:8080 (where process.env.PORT || 8080 is pointing to in server.js), it doesn't connect.

Answer 1

Try this
var mongoose = require('mongoose');
mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost/test');//Here test is my database
var Cat = mongoose.model('Cat', { name: String });
var kitty = new Cat({ name: 'Zildjian' });
kitty.save(function (err) {
if (err) {
console.log(err);
} else {
console.log('meow');
}
});

Answer 2

Here is configuration file
{
"db": {
"connection": "mongodb://localhost",
"name": "testdb"
}
}
Here is usage in code:
var dbUrl = config.get('db:connection') + '/' + config.get('db:name');
var db = mongoose.connection;
mongoose.connect(dbUrl, function(err) {
//your stuff here
});
Hope, it helps.
P.S. Could you please provide how you catch no connection to db?