Add field not in schema with mongoose

Question

I am trying to add a new field to a document, but this isn't working:

Creating my UserModel prototype:

model = require("../models/user")
UserModel.prototype.findOneAndUpdate = function(query, params, cb) {
    model.findOneAndUpdate(query, params, { returnNewDocument: true, new: true }, function(err, data) {
        if (!err) {
            cb(false, data);
        } else {
            cb(err, false);
        }
    });
};

Then calling it

userFunc = require("../../model_functions/user")

userFunc.findOneAndUpdate({
    "email.value": userEmail
}, {
    $set: {"wat":"tf"}
},
function (err, updatedUser) {
    //This logs the updated user just fine, but the new field is missing
        console.log(updatedUser);
                  ...
});

This successfully updates any field as long as it exists, but it won't add any new one.

Collinsia

that new field have been added in schema? – Jerrome

Is wat defined within the schema for users? Mongoose is designed to enforce the schema, including discarding properties that don't align to it. – Tool

No, but that shouldn't be necessary to add it, or at least that's what I thought. It is meant to be a temporary field. – Collinsia

Also, if I do it directly in the mongo console, it works, it adds the new field. – Collinsia

@Collinsia It does matter with Mongoose. The ODM is designed to enforce the schema you've defined, verifying that each property belongs and discarding those that don't. If you want documents to be a blend of schema and schema-less, you can define a property as Mixed type that can then contain any variety of information needed. Otherwise, if you don't want the schema enforced like this, then Mongoose probably isn't right for your use case. – Tool

Oh so it's not possible having a temporary field using mongoose.. my solution was adding it to the schema but since it's not going to always be used it seemed like unnecessary code. I'll just it to the schema then. Thanks @JonathanLonowski – Collinsia

Answer 1

You can add and remove fields in schema using option { strict: false }

option: strict

The strict option, (enabled by default), ensures that values passed to our model constructor that were not specified in our schema do not get saved to the db.

var thingSchema = new Schema({..}, { strict: false });

And also you can do this in update query as well

Model.findOneAndUpdate(
  query,  //filter
  update, //data to update
  { //options
    returnNewDocument: true,
    new: true,
    strict: false
  }
)

You can check the documentations here

Jerrome

Ok, but I'd like to add that the first did not work for me, just adding it to findOneAndUpdate() did. – Collinsia

It does work if you run the create or insert query... Here main motive is to aware people with option strict and the fact that people can add and remove field if the field does not exists in mongoose schema – Jerrome

For me, the option first i.e. setting the strict to false worked for insert and update both. – Antiworld

does the strict option also effect the read operation? – Wangle

Answer 2

You can add new fields in schema User using .add

require('mongoose').model('User').schema.add({fullName: String});

Thanks.-

Nothing

It worked for me. I don't need to compromise on Model strictness. – Verruca

In this case, how to check if the field exists or not in the schema and then add it if not exists? – Antiworld

Answer 3

use {strict:false} when you are creating schema

const testschema = mongoose.Schema({
    name: String,
    id: Number,
    isUsed: {
        type: Boolean,
        default: true
    },
},{strict:false})

Didache

Answer 4

Quoting JonathanLonowski

The ODM is designed to enforce the schema you've defined, verifying that each property belongs and discarding those that don't.

So in order to update fields using mongoose the field must exist in the model's schema.

Collinsia

It is possible... Use { strict: false } to set or unset the new field in mongoose... Read this github.com/Automattic/mongoose/issues/5378 – Jerrome

@AnthonyWinzlet Forgot about that. Good call. – Relevant documentation. – Tool