Optionally set session data with a url parameter, and reference data with dot notation

lib/utils.js

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ const fs = require('fs')
 
 // NPM dependencies
 const getKeypath = require('keypather/get')
+const setKeypath = require('keypather/set')
+const delKeypath = require('keypather/del')
 const marked = require('marked')
 const path = require('path')
 const portScanner = require('portscanner')
@@ -231,7 +233,7 @@ var storeData = function (input, data) {
 
     // Delete values when users unselect checkboxes
     if (val === '_unchecked' || val === ['_unchecked']) {
-      delete data[i]
+      delKeypath(data, i) // should preserve the object structure but empty the contents of the value
       continue
     }
 
@@ -252,7 +254,17 @@ var storeData = function (input, data) {
       continue
     }
 
-    data[i] = val
+    // check it's a string - we're specifically looking for strings sent in the query parameters which are surrounded in squeare brackets denoting an array.
+    // console.log(val);
+    if (typeof val === 'string') {
+      if (val.match(/\[.+\]/g)) { // is the string surrounded in square brackets?
+        val = val.replace(/^\[/, '') // remove leading square bracket
+        val = val.replace(/\]+$/, '') // remove trailing square bracket
+        var arr = val.split(',') // Turn it into an array proper using a comma as the delimiter
+        val = arr // replace val with new array.
+      }
+    }
+    setKeypath(data, i, val)
   }
 }
 
@@ -276,7 +288,11 @@ exports.autoStoreData = function (req, res, next) {
   req.session.data = Object.assign({}, sessionDataDefaults, req.session.data)
 
   storeData(req.body, req.session.data)
-  storeData(req.query, req.session.data)
+
+  // merge query parameters into the session data unless specifically requested otherwise.
+  if (req.query.persist !== 'No') {
+    storeData(req.query, req.session.data)
+  }
 
   // Send session data to all views
 
@@ -286,6 +302,12 @@ exports.autoStoreData = function (req, res, next) {
     res.locals.data[j] = req.session.data[j]
   }
 
+  // Query parameters will usually be merged with the session data, but you may additionally want to use them independently.
+  res.locals.query = res.locals.query || {}
+  for (var item in req.query) {
+    res.locals.query[item] = req.query[item]
+  }
+
   next()
 }