Express.js create URLs from MongoDB ID

Question

I'm new to node.js and express.js. I'm trying to create a todo app that works like this: I have a mongodb of Todos containing individual todo lists. These lists have tasks classified as unfinished or finished. For example:

{
Todos: {
    Todo: {
        "_id" : ObjectId("5202b481d2184d390cbf6eca"),
        finished: ['walk dog', 'do dishes'],
        unfinished: ['clean room']
    }
    Todo: {
        "_id" : ObjectId("5202b49ad2184d390cbf6ecb"),
        finished: ['clean car', 'make dinner'],
        unfinished: ['write this damn web app ']
    }
}
}

I want to create new pages for each to do list, so that the lists are located as follows: http://website.com/5202b49ad2184d390cbf6ecb

So my question is, how can I create URLs on the fly like that?

Thanks!

Edit:

I added this code to routes/index.js:

/* POST to New todo list service */
router.post('/:id', function(req, res) {
    var db = req.db;
    var tasks = db.get('taskscollection');
    tasks.insert({
        "id":req.params.id,
        "finished":[""],
        "unfinished":[""]
        }, function(err, doc) {
            if (err) {
                res.send("there was a problem with adding a new tasklist");
                }
            else {
                res.location("/:id");
                res.redirect("/:id");
                }
            });
    });

and this code to index.jade:

   form#formNewTask(name='newtask', method='post', action='/:id')
     button#btnSubmit(type="submit") New Task List

But when I click the button, I get redirected to localhost:3000/:id and I get a 404 not found. What am I missing here?

Also how do I create a jade template for the new page?

Edit 2:

I changed my index.js to look like this:

/* POST to New todo list service */
router.post('/tasks/:_id', function(req, res) {
    var db = req.db;
    var tasks = db.get('taskscollection');
    tasks.insert({                                        
        "finished":[""],
        "unfinished":[""]
        }, function(err, doc) {
            if (err) {
                res.send("there was a problem with adding a new task\
list");
                }
            else {
                res.location("/tasks/"+req.params.id);
                res.redirect("/tasks/"+req.params.id);
                }
            });
    });

And my index.jade now has this:

   form#formNewTask(name='newtask', method='post', action='/tasks/'+_id)
     button#btnSubmit(type="submit") New Task List

Now when I click new task, it takes me to localhost:3000/tasks/undefined. Does this suggest that it's not creating a new entry in the DB? I think my front end jade file is wrong but I'm not sure.

ma08 · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-31 19:31:02Z

5

app.get('/task/:id',
      function(req,res){
         //access the id by req.params.id
         //and use it to obtain data from mongodb

      });

Check req.params

As you are posting the data, the object is not yet created. Thus there is no _id. My advice is to not use a parameter when posting new objects into databasa just use '/posttask/' something like

app.post('/postnewtask/',...

And you are not writing a get call for '/task/:id'. You are only writing a post call. Your get shall should be

app.get('/task/:id'...
//use req.params.id and get data from database and render

edited Jul 31, 2014 at 19:31

answered Jul 31, 2014 at 6:36

ma08

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6 Comments

ohblahitsme Over a year ago

Thanks! I tried to incorporate this but I'm still a little lost. I updated my question, could you help?

ma08 Over a year ago

Instead of using /:id use something like /<something>/:id. And from front end you should use /<something>/232332332. You will ofcourse generate that number dynamically. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about jade.

ohblahitsme Over a year ago

So is that number from Math.random (or something) or does Mongo create it and give it back to me?

ma08 Over a year ago

No!! That string is what you asked. Something like website.com/<something>/5202b49ad2184d390cbf6ecb as you said. So to generate it dynamically do a string addition like '/<something>/'+data._id. I assume it is the _id of the document

ohblahitsme Over a year ago

Yes it's the _id of the document. Okay, I'll make those changes and see. Thanks again!

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