How to pass ajax post data to nodejs server?

Question

So I'm making an API call and one of the objects within that call is a unique ID. I'm trying to pass that ID object back server side using Ajax. It's not working. What am I doing wrong?

Here is my client side code, first I loop through a javascript object:

<% apiResultsdata['items'].forEach(function(items) { %>

    <% let ID = items['id'] %>
    <% let volumeInfo = items['volumeInfo'] %>
    <% let author = volumeInfo['authors'] %>
    <% let title = volumeInfo['title'] %>
    <% let image = null %>
    <% if(!(volumeInfo['imageLinks'] === undefined)) { %>
      <% image = volumeInfo['imageLinks']['smallThumbnail'] %>
 <% } %>

ID is what I need to pass back to nodejs after a link is clicked:

<div class="col">
                <div class="card-block px-2">
                  <a  href="/bookDetails"><h5 class="card-title"><%= title %></h5></a>


                  <script type="text/javascript">
                      $('a').click(function() {
                        $.ajax({
                          type: 'post',
                          data: {'ID':'<%= ID %>'},
                          url: 'localhost:3000/bookDetails',
                          success: function(data){
                            console.log('success');
                          }
                        });
                      });
                  </script>

In my data filed, I'm passing ID as a ejs object because that's the templating language I'm using. Not sure if that's right.

Here is the post route on the server:

router.post('/bookDetails', (req, res) => {
  let ID = req.query.ID;
  console.log('ID: ' + ID);
});

try adding `dataType: 'json'` to your ajax call, by default it treats it as form data. — Adam H, Aug 13 '18 at 21:23
`req.query.ID` is pulling from the query string, user `req.body.ID` that will pull from both, sorry I didn't see that the first time. — Adam H, Aug 13 '18 at 21:30
@AdamH still nothing. Do you think I'm padding my data the right way in ajax and do I need localhost for url? — Rocky Singh, Aug 13 '18 at 21:33
You should look at the answer below, that's is most likely your issue. You will need the body parser that is referenced too and then you would use req.body.ID — Adam H, Aug 13 '18 at 21:36

Shant Marouti · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-13T21:44:40.477

0

You need to set contentType and JSON.stringify the object before passing to the data field. (check this thread)

$.ajax({
    type: 'post',
    contentType: "application/json; charset=UTF-8",
    data: JSON.stringify({ ID: '<%= ID %>' }),
    url: 'localhost:3000/bookDetails',
    success: function(data) {
        console.log('success');
    }
});

And it's always a good idea to use a json-parser middleware on the server side

const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
app.use(bodyParser.json());

Then you can get the request body that contains the ID parameter as follows

router.post('/bookDetails', (req, res) => {
  let ID = req.body.ID;
  console.log('ID: ' + ID);
});

edited Aug 13 '18 at 21:44

answered Aug 13 '18 at 21:34

Shant Marouti

1,295
7
11

thanks. For some reason, it still doesn't work. After sitting up body-parser this is how I'm using it in my post route: 'let ID = req.body' you think this is right? – Rocky Singh Aug 13 '18 at 21:50
`req.body` is the object that contains the `ID` field. Try `req.body.ID` instead. `let ID = req.body.ID` – Shant Marouti Aug 13 '18 at 22:24

How to pass ajax post data to nodejs server?

1 Answers1