Using id as an alias for _id

[corydeppen]

Prior to using graphql-compose, my schema included types with an id field courtesy of the Mongoose models. However, the types now have _id fields instead and I'm faced with having to tweak my entire application to use the new field name.

I was wondering if it's possible to configure graphql-compose to possibly alias the _id field so the types would have an id field instead.

[nodkz]

For example, you generate UserTC:

const UserTC = composeWithMongoose(UserModel);

After that, you may modify generated type with adding a new field:

UserTC.addField('id', { // set `id` name for new field
  type: 'MongoID', // set type MongoID
  resolve: (source) => source._id, // write resolve method, which returns _id value for the current field
  projection: { _id: true }, // add information, that need to reques _id field from database, when you request `id` field
});

And also you may remove unneeded field:

UserTC.removeField('_id');

The same trick may do with any output fields. Resolve methods may do any calculations or be async when you retrieve information from some data sources.

[corydeppen]

Thanks for the quick reply - it works as I had hoped.

Are there any things I should consider before making this change across all my types?

I really appreciate all your work on the graphql-compose libraries.

[corydeppen]

One thing I just noticed is that all of the related input types (e.g. FilterFindManyBreedInput, SortFindManyBreedInput) still have the _id field and not the new id field. Is it possible to modify the config so that the input types reflect the new id field?

[hrgui]

I noticed at

https://github.com/graphql-compose/graphql-compose-mongoose/blob/master/src/resolvers/helpers/filter.js#L75-L79

That _ids and _id can't be modified, if I am not mistaken.

However, looking around the code, there's something that we can do with the opts argument but I am not sure what that entails.

[nodkz]

Moreover, then _id and _ids fields are used in resolve methods

_ids: https://github.com/graphql-compose/graphql-compose-mongoose/blob/master/src/resolvers/helpers/filter.js#L106-L110

And implicit using of _id in: https://github.com/graphql-compose/graphql-compose-mongoose/blob/master/src/resolvers/helpers/filter.js#L112-L121

So resolvers should be properly changed too.

---

That _ids and _id can't be modified, if I am not mistaken.

You may change what you want. Current resolvers just initial basic resolvers, then you may delete any argument. Also, you may write your own resolvers.

From graphql-compose-mongoose you may take only type generation from mongoose models. And write all resolvers from scratch.

PS. Anyway, if somebody wants to make PR with adding a config option which provides the ability to change the name for _id fields - welcome ;) Only one restriction, you should not check this option in resolve methods at runtime; you need to generate resolve function only once (at startup).

[geiszla]

I'm also interested in a solution for this. Hope this wasn't abandoned.

[ajaybhatia]

The solution is:

// 'id' field
UserTC.addFields({
  id: "MongoID",
});

// remove 'id' field
UserTC.removeField("_id");

[mattmannion]

I can confirm that @ajaybhatia solution works perfectly

[dannydi12]

@ajaybhatia's solution worked perfectly for me when I wanted to allow the client to set an ID for a create resolver!