Does Dynamoose support saving non attribute data?

[kcjl519]

I have defined some basic attributes of the model, for example.

var Cat = dynamoose.model('Cat', { id: Number, name: String });

But when I do something like

var oscar = new Cat({id: 1, name: 'oscar', info: {some: 1, other: 2, details: 3}});
oscar.save()

info, never gets saved. How can I save data that's not defined in the schema?

[brandongoode]

Dynamoose doesn't support saving data not defined in the schema.

It could be done but would required modifying Schema.prototype.toDynamo and Schema.prototype.parseDynamo to handled all properties and apply a default Object attribute to the properties that don't match.

Something like the changes below. If you have time to test and document, I would be happy to merge a PR.

Schema.prototype.toDynamo = function(model) {

  var dynamoObj = {};

  for(var name in model) {
    var attr = this.attributes[name];

    if(!attr & this.options.saveUnknown) {
      attr = Attribute.create(this, name, Object);
      this.attributes[name] = attr;
    }

    if(attr) {
      attr.setDefault(model);
      var dynamoAttr = attr.toDynamo(model[name], undefined, model);
      if(dynamoAttr) {
        dynamoObj[attr.name] = dynamoAttr;
      }
    }
  }

  debug('toDynamo: %s', JSON.stringify(dynamoObj) );
  return dynamoObj;
};

Schema.prototype.parseDynamo = function(model, dynamoObj) {

  for(var name in dynamoObj) {
    var attr = this.attributes[name];

    if(!attr & this.options.saveUnknown) {
      attr = Attribute.create(this, name, Object);
      this.attributes[name] = attr;
    }

    if(attr) {
      var attrVal = attr.parseDynamo(dynamoObj[name]);
      if(attrVal !== undefined && attrVal !== null){
        model[name] = attrVal;
      }
    }
  }

  debug('parseDynamo: %s',JSON.stringify(model));

  return dynamoObj;

};

[kcjl519]

Thanks! I'll have a look later next week.

[kcjl519]

I'm assuming I'd also have to modify Model.js Operations.getUpdateExpression ?

[kcjl519]

Upon some testing, it seems this involves a bigger change.

Hit problems where the data was not injected into the putSet, or were new attributes being created on the fly.

[brandongoode]

I don't think any changes are needed in the getUpdateExpression function, but changes are needed to the 3 loops that inject the changes in to the operations object.

The putAttr, deleteAttr, and addAttr all need to have the same check applied as in toDynamo above:

if(!attr & this.options.saveUnknown) {
  attr = Attribute.create(this, name, Object);
  this.attributes[name] = attr;
}

If you push your the changes to your fork, I would be happy to look them over and see if i can spot the issue.

[sdrioux]

Bump. Ran into this same issue. This would be an awesome addition.