If you're build a site in express.js that relies on variables being set on every single page you may be tempted to use middleware and for a long time I've done something like this. It works fine.
// app.js file
var middleware = require('./util/middleware')
app.use(middleware.setLocals)
// middleware.js file
exports.setLocals(req, res, next) {
res.local("currentPageName", applyFancyFormatting(req.url))
res.local("luckyNumber", Math.floor(Math.random() * 100))
next()
}
Express has something called dynamicHelpers that were built specifically with this in mind. It's a little bit simpler and in my opinion cleaner. It also doesn't make you next() after each one. You can put this anywhere you'd put an app.use statement. Check it out:
app.dynamicHelpers({
currentPageName: function(req, res) {
return applyFancyFormatting(req.url)
},
luckyNumber: function() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 100))
}
})
Or you can be like me and store them in different files like this:
See it's great isn't it? What do you think?
// app.js
var dynamicHelpers = require('./util/dynamicHelpers')
app.dynamicHelpers(dynamicHelpers)
// utils/dynamicHelpers.js file
exports.currentPageName = function(req, res) {
return applyFancyFormatting(req.url);
}
exports.luckyNumber = function() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 100);
}
See it's great isn't it? What do you think?
Thank you for this post. Now that ExressJS no longer supports helpers, I was looking for a solution to make everyauth work in my jade views. Your "before" case gave me a good idea.
ReplyDeleteSame here! Thank you Jamund.
DeleteSweet! Glad it helped.
ReplyDeleteLol was searching for the 2 to 3 migration doc and this popped up. Funny they went back to middleware and canned the dynamic helpers.
ReplyDeleteI have reviewed your blog and get knowledge about Business Intelligence.
ReplyDeleteThanks.