Mongoose set default as empty object

Question

I am trying to set the star_info attribute as an object type(Mixed Schema) and setting it's default value as an empty object using

star_info: { type : Schema.Types.Mixed, default : { }}

In the database, there is no field star_info when saving the documents. How do I get mongoose to set the default value?

score 127 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 05 '18 at 16:07

127

By default (in an effort to minimize data stored in MongoDB), Mongoose will not save empty objects to your database. You can override this behavior by setting the minimize flag to false when you create your schema. For example:

const schema = new Schema({
  star_info: { type: Schema.Types.Mixed, default: {} }
}, { minimize: false })

Now star_info will default to an empty object and save to the database.

Read more at http://mongoosejs.com/docs/guide.html#minimize

edited Sep 05 '18 at 16:07

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answered Aug 03 '15 at 18:51

iamthegreenfairy

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I tried this but got: `Can't customize discriminator option minimize (can only modify toJSON, toObject, _id, id)` – estani Dec 07 '19 at 20:20
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I want the last 30 minutes of my life back – csum Jan 28 '20 at 07:21
I wish it only had been 30 minutes – InsOp Jan 09 '23 at 21:27
I want my last 4 hours back. Answered in 2015, still very useful. – Raj006 Jun 02 '23 at 06:43

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 11 '20 at 00:34

4

If you don't mind empty objects being omitted from the database, but you want them in your JSON, just use obj.toJSON({minimize: false})

answered Jan 11 '20 at 00:34

Adam Reis

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Mongoose set default as empty object

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