[Tutorial] How to add custom data to a post > serverside > in a nutshell

[dogs]

This is just a little snippet.

This is about the question How can I add custom data to a post? a small tutorial

---

How to add custom data permanently to a post

• It will be saved into the object:

You need the following hook:

{
   "hook": "filter:post.create", "method": "postCreate"
}

This hook is fired, when a Post is created. So it contains RAW Data.

A filter:hook like "hook": "filter:post.create" can be edited before beeing proceeded.

plugin.postCreate = function(data, callback){
	// Edit data here
	callback(null, data);
}

You can access all Data you can work with via the data object.

All those filter-hooks needs callbacks. The callback contains the modified / added / removed data.

---

Whats inside the data object?

The data object contains two main objects.

1. this.post
2. this.data

  post: {
    pid: 259,
    uid: 2,
    tid: 111,
    content: '### This is just a little snippet.',
    timestamp: 1617150411838
  },
  data: {
    uuid: '7277s31-6d23-43sa-1284-ad27e42yx879',
    title: 'How to add custom data to post serverside - in a nutshell',
    content: '### This is just a little snippet.',
    thumb: '',
    cid: '2',
    tags: [],
    uid: 2,
    req: {
      [...]
    },
    timestamp: 1617150411838,
    fromQueue: false,
    tid: 111,
    ip: '111.123.2123.21',
    isMain: true
  }
}

With all the data you can work with. But only this.post is directly effected (lol) to the post Object.
If you add data here. It will be attached to the post forever and you can access it any time. Even after plugin disable.

So now add custom data:

plugin.postCreate = function(data, callback){
	// adds data **PERMANENT** to post 
	// before any other procession -> RAW DATA (markdown)

	//data.post.myData = "directly effected to post you can work with it in next step";
	//data.data.myData = "other data for other things I don't know";

	var myData = {};
        myData.name = "Schmock";
	myData.signature = "raz0rn";

	// Stick myData to post object
	data.post.myData = myData;

	// Debug?
        // console.log("POST CREATE", data);


	// finish the process() - passes on modified data
	callback(null, data);
}

So myData has added to post:

post: {
    pid: 259,
    uid: 2,
    tid: 111,
    content: '### This is just a little snippet.',
    timestamp: 1617150411838,
    myData: {
         name = "Schmock",
         signature = "raz0rn",
    }
  }

The data is stored. Everybody is happy.

---

How to add dynamic data before render a post in template

• It wont be saved to the object. You can use this for dynamic things or logic before rendering the page.:

You need the following hook:

{
   "hook": "filter:topics.addPostData", "method": "addPostData"
}

This hook is fired before engine renders the template.
It also needs a callback because its a filter-hook.

plugin.addPostData = function(data, callback){
	// modify data temporarily before it gets passed on to next step
	callback(null, data);
}

Same thing as above. Only the hook is different. And the data we are changing is temporarily.
Data contains all data we can use for the dynamicness lol: .

plugin.addPostData = function(data, callback){
	// You can work with pre-parsed and already saved data ....
	// or put in something very flexible without saving to db like jquery-like dynamic etc etc

        // Debug?
	// console.log("addPostData?", data)
	
	var _posts = data.posts;

	_posts.forEach(function(post){

		if(post.myData){
			// add data to post if "myData" is there
			post.content = "THIS POST HAS MY OWN DATA -> CONTENT IS OVERWRITTEN";
		}

		// this here affects all posts
		post.user.signature = "Ihr seid alle Schmocks!";

	});

        // Overwrite data and pass modified data on to the template engine
        data.posts = _posts;
	callback(null, data);
}

Now you can work with posts like a boss.

Thanks and bye

---

Important Note:

Remind, that myData is available via API.

https://nodebb.development.fail/api/topic/114/new-post

returns your added data

"content": "THIS POST AS MY OWN DATA -> CONTENT IS OVERWRITTEN",
   "myData": {
      "name": "Schmock",
      "signature": "raz0rn"
}