Sequelize, store an object along with child (associated) object

Question

I have created my models fro sequelize. I've got a User model which attached as an Address object. The links are defined as such:

User.hasMany(Address);

Address.belongsTo(User);

The object I am trying to store has the right structure with the child attached:

{
      Username: "John",
      Email: "[email protected]",
      Address: [{
          street: "somestreet"
      }]
  };

When I try to create the object, the parent is inserted in my database, but the app exits with a [sequelize object] does not contain method .save()

I am creating as follows:

User.create(user).success(function(user){

});

I have got logging enabled on my sequelize instance and I can see the correct sql being generated for the parent object, but I am stuck on how to properly store the child (associated) object.

Answer 1

You can also use the include keyword like so:

const user = {
  Username: "John",
  Email: "[email protected]",
  Address: [
    {
      street: "somestreet"
    }
  ]
}

User.create(user, {
    include: [models.address]
})
.then((createdUser) => {
   // ...
})

Where models is an object that holds all your Sequelize models and their associations.

Answer 2

I don't think you can create an associated object like this.

Other things: You shouldn't use the success handler anymore. User .then, .catch and .finally instead.

I am assuming that you have a primary key userId for your User model. Else replace userId in the below example with your primary key, which might be Username.

You should do:

var user = {
    Username: "John",
    Email: "[email protected]"
};

User.create(user).then(function(user) {
    // sequelize passes the newly created object into the callback,
    // and we named the argument "user".
    // "user" is now a sequelize instance that has the association
    // methods of add[AS]. So we use it.

    var address = Address.build({
        street: "somestreet"
    };
    return user.addAddress(address);
}).then(function(address){
    //do something with address?
}).catch(function(err){
    //do something with your err?
});

Sometimes the association method may not be ideal, for many reasons which I shan't explain here. Its good to know this alternate way, which is simply to use the id of the newly created user instance to make the new address:

User.create(user).then(function(user) {
    var address = {
        street: "somestreet"
        userId: user.userId
    }
    return Address.create(address);
}).then(function(address){
    //do something with address?
}).catch(function(err){
    //do something with your err?
});

Answer 3

Turns out the original comment by Wrikken was correct, I was passing in a sole object rather then an array.

This fixed it:

 {
      Username: "John",
      Email: "[email protected]",
      Address: [{
          street: "somestreet"
      }]
  };