Node.js - Set default local variables to pass into layout/template - node.js

I'm using Node.js and Express, and I want to pass a local variable in to the layout on every page, is there any way to do this? I'm using Jade as my templating engine.
The reason I want this is because I want to display the user's username on every page (using session), any way to do this other than including it every time in the local object?

You can achieve this by defining a dynamic view helper, as pointed out in the official Express guide:
app.dynamicHelpers({
session: function(req, res){
return req.session;
}
});
Then in your views you can simply access the session variable, and for example session.user to display the user.

Related

node JS express framework sendFile("home.html",{context?})

I'm reading the Express framework docs, making my basic login/redirect page routes.
The following route accepts the submission:
app.post('/',function(req,res){
//console.log("USERNAME: "+req.body.username);
//console.log("PASSWORD: "+req.body.password);
res.redirect('/chat');
});
and this:
app.get('/chat', function(req, res){
res.sendFile(__dirname + '/templates/chat.html');
//console.log("request");
});
takes the user to a new page.
How do I send context? Should I be using res.render()? Neither function seems to contain an option for data like {username:req.body.username}. How should data be passed between routes?
Generally to handle logins with express you'd use something like passport's local strategy, which attaches a user object to the request object (req.user) for you for each route. I don't know that what you're trying will work in a larger context -- you'd need some kind of session-based middleware like express-session at the very least, so you can attach variables per session (I think it gives you req.session). By default, express has the capability to store information for one request/response cycle (res.locals) or for the entire instance of the app (i.e. for all users) (app.locals).
As far as getting data into views, you would use res.render with something like EJS, pug, or another view engine. For example, if in your route, you had something like:
route.get('/', (req, res) => {
res.render('template', { username: 'yourname' })
}
you can refer to that in your ejs template like so:
<h1>Hello, <%= username %>!</h1>
which will get sent back as this:
<h1>Hello, yourname!</h1>
So, to answer your question:
You would use res.render to get variables & data into your views
You don't share data across routes by default except app-level data that applies to all users, which can be set on app.locals
You can use authentication middleware like passport and session middleware like express-session to keep track of user information across routes per session.
Hope this helps! Good luck with express!

Looking for passportjs-local simple example using MEAN only

I am looking for a very simple example for using Passportjs (Local api) in my MEAN application. I took a reference from one example on github. There they have used jade to render the page after authentication. But I just want to use my home.html to show home page after authentication.
I have searched many example but in all they are using either jade or ejs. I don't want to use any engine to render the home page.
If anyone can provide a very simple example just using MEAN that would be a great help.
I don't want to use jade or ejs. Just simple html to render page.
Just setup a route similar to this:
app.route("/login")
.post(passport.authenticate("local"), function (req, res) {
res.json(req.user);
});
Then call that as an post call from the function you bind the form to in angular, you don't need to use jade/pug/ejs or any of it. You can simply use express as an API server. Just have angular redirect to the route you want after the successful return of the authentication (you should get a user object back)

KeyStone JS Account Controller

I understand MVC structure when coding in NodeJS. I started using Keystone JS recently, and I really like it. But, the way they set their controllers up, it seems that the controllers ONLY serve the purpose of rendering a view.
In an earlier project, I had an Account.js model and an Account.js controller. I'm trying to see how it would copy over to keystone.
So: How would I allow users to signup/signin/logout in a Keystone project (not into the Admin UI, but like a member of a regular site)? How would I make an Account controller (obviously with no view to render)?
There are lots of ways you can implement your own methods of authentication and account management in keystone since it is based on express.js.
You can then add an array of 'middleware' functions to routes which will run before passing the request to the controller.
e.g
Route before middleware added
app.get('/admin', routes.views.userAdmin);
Middleware Function
function isAuthenticated(req, res, next) {
// do any checks you want to in here
// CHECK THE USER STORED IN SESSION FOR A CUSTOM VARIABLE
// you can do this however you want with whatever variables you set up
if (req.user.authenticated)
return next();
// IF A USER ISN'T LOGGED IN, THEN REDIRECT THEM SOMEWHERE
res.redirect('/');
}
Route with middleware added
app.get('/admin', isAuthenticated, routes.views.userAdmin);
It's a very broad questions so I'd recommend you go and decide on the best way you'd like to do it yourself as everyone has their own personal preference. The search terms you want are 'express middleware authentication'. A lot of people use PassporJS http://passportjs.org/
Hope that helps :)

Accessing session variables in sailsjs view

I am quite new to sailsjs and nodejs. I am trying to create an authentication page, wherein once a user is authenticated, I want to set
req.session.user = user.id
req.session.authenticated = true
I then need to access these values within my main layout.ejs file. I have done so by using
res.locals.user = _.clone( req.session.user )
However, I noticed that this clone method has to be called in every function of every controller so as to allow me to be able to access the user from within the views. Is there a better way of accessing session variables in sailsjs globbaly, without having to clone the req.session in every controller. An example of what I am doing can be found here:
http://pastebin.com/HyE2H4Kq
As you can see, I have called the clone method at the beginning of various functions within the controller.
The req object is available in your views by default, unless you overwrite res.locals completely. So you can access a session variable in your view with <%=req.session.user%> (if you're using EJS). You don't have to copy it explicitly into your locals.
for anyone using passport.js, session of the user is saved inside req.session.passport.user and you also can access it directly from the view
I have finally decided to go with a solution provided here as I found this to be the neatest solution.
I have created a config file called userdata.config in which I have the following code:
module.exports.userdata = {
guest: true,
authenticated: false
};
I am then accessing this in the controller as follows:
sails.config.userdata.authenticated = true;
sails.config.userdata.guest = false;
sails.config.userdata.user = sessionUser;
This is then accessed in the view as follows:
sails.config.userdata.user.firstName

Node.js Express: passing parameters between client pages

I have a Node.js server. Lets say each client has his name saved on a variable. They switch page and I want each client to mantain their name on a variable.
This would be very easy with a php form, but I can't see how to do it with Node.js
If I do a form like I would do in php, I manage to send the name to the server:
app.post('/game.html', function(req, res){
var user = req.param('name');
console.log(user);
res.redirect('/game.html');
});
But it seems too complicated to then resend it again to each client it's own.
I just started with Node.js, I guess it's a concept error. Is there any easy way to pass a variable from one page in the client to another?
Thanks.
Instead of redirecting to a static file, you have to render the template ( using any engine that ExpressJS supports ):
app.post('/game.html', function(req, res){
var user = req.param('name');
console.log(user);
res.render( 'game.html', { user:user } );
});
( note that .render requires some additonal settings set on app )
Now user variable becomes available in game.html template.
You can use res.render and pass many variables, like that:
res.render('yourPage', {username:username, age:age, phone:phone});

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