Manually create passport session for already logged in User

Question

I am using passport js for login registration process. Once a new person logs in a cookie is created (custom by me) on browser that includes DB unique key.

So how the program works is:

If a newly person logins a cookie is created by this function

function setCookie(cname,cvalue,exdays) {
    //alert("Cookie set on tedJavascript");
    var d = new Date();
    d.setTime(d.getTime() + (exdays*24*60*60*1000));
    var expires = "expires="+d.toUTCString();
    document.cookie = cname + "=" + cvalue + "; " + expires;
}

then the details entered on login page is send to post function on server (passport js). Local strategy authentication code is given below(same follows for guest,fb etc)

passport.use('guest',new LocalStrategy(
function(username,password,done){
       User.getUserBycookie(password, function(err, user){
       if(err) throw err;

        //if cookie present (checked in terms of password)
       if(user){
                    //Some code
                    user.save()
                        }
                        else{
                            console.log("some problem with updating guest   user by db id!");
                        }
                    });

                    return done(null, user);
        }

//if cookie not present
else {              
                    // some part of code for new user

                    var newUser = new User();
                    newUser.guest.cookie = newUser._id;
                    trophytable_id = newUser._id;
                    newUser.guest.name = username;
                    newUser.save(function(err){
                        if(err) throw err;
                        return done(null, newUser);
                    });

     }});}));

The passport js automatically authenticates the information using strategies local,guest ,facebook,twitter etc, if correct it creates session.

But if a already logged in person enters site it first checks if a cookie is present on browser if its present it picks out the DB key.

After the key is known it finds the details of user from database(mongodb) and directly skips the login page and redirects to main menu.

But the problem is it redirects to main menu but unable to create session that could create problem further So want to create session again which passport created automatically for a new user.

This is ensure authenticated function

function ensureAuthenticated(req, res, next){
console.log("Inside ensureAuthenticated...............");
if(req.isAuthenticated()){
    console.log("Inside if part of ensureAuthenticated-------");
    console.log(req.cookies);
    return next();
} else {
            console.log("Inside else part of ensureAuthenticated----------");
            console.log(req.cookies.user_id);
            if(isEmpty(req.cookies.user_id)){
                console.log("user_id == undefined");
                res.redirect('/users/login');
            }
            else{
                 console.log("user_id defined");
                 return next();
            }
        }

}

next() leads to:

router.get('/',ensureAuthenticated, function(req,res){
console.log("Inside router get ensure authenticated--------------------");
if(isEmpty(req.session.passport)){
    //**have to create new session**

    //**getting user details from database**
    User.getUserBydbid(req.cookies.user_id, function(err, user){
        if(err) throw err;
        if(user){
            if(!isEmpty(user.local)){

               //**here i want to create session**

           }else if(!isEmpty(user.guest)){

                    //**here i want to create session**

                }
                 //skipped fb,twitter code
        }                   
        else console.log("*********some problem in finding     getUserBydbid");
    });

     //after creating session want to redirect to main menu 
     //it works but session not created
    //res.render('index',{userid:req.cookies.user_id});
}
else{
    //for newly logged in user
    res.render('index',{userid:req.session.passport.user});
}});

How can i manually create passport session for already logged in user?

Answer 1

I think you have to implement the serializeUser and deserializeUser functions for it to work, as stated in the Sessions subsection of the Configure section of the documentation. Link.