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JavaScript Build a Simple Dynamic Site with Node.js HTTP Methods and Headers Dealing with the POST Body

Jonathan Grieve
MOD
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

Help! Server logs successfully to the console but no response on localhost.

I've gone through the video but im having trouble getting the home page to load. However if I type a username into the browser it'll load this along with the points and other information. I haven't a clue what I've done wrong.

I think the problem is somewhere in router.js

var Profile = require("./profile.js");
var renderer = require("./renderer.js");
var querystring = require("querystring");

//file header
var commonHeader = {'content-type': 'text/html'};

//Handle HTTP route GET / and POST / i.e. Home
function home(request, response) {
  //if url == "/" && GET
  if(request.url === "/") {

      if(request.method.toLowerCase === "get") {
        //show search
        response.writeHead(200, commonHeader);  
        renderer.view("header", {}, response);
        renderer.view("search", {}, response);
        renderer.view("footer", {}, response);
        response.end();
    } else {

        //if url == "/" && POST

        //get the post data from the body
        request.on("data", function(postBody) {
              //extract the username
        var query = querystring.parse(postBody.toString());
            response.write(query.username);
            response.end();
            //redirect to /:username
        });  

    }
  }
}


//Handle HTTP route GET /:username i.e. /chalkers
function user(request, response) {
  //if url == "/...."
  var username = request.url.replace("/", "");
  if(username.length > 0) {
    response.writeHead(200, commonHeader);  
    renderer.view("header", {}, response);    

    //get json from Treehouse
    var studentProfile = new Profile(username);
    //on "end"
    studentProfile.on("end", function(profileJSON){
      //show profile

      //Store the values which we need
      var values = {
        avatarURL: profileJSON.gravatar_url, 
        username: profileJSON.profile_name,
        badges: profileJSON.badges.length,
        javascriptPoints: profileJSON.points.JavaScript
      }
      //Simple response
      renderer.view("profile", values, response);
      renderer.view("footer", {}, response);
      response.end();
    });

    //on "error"
    studentProfile.on("error", function(error){
      //show error
      renderer.view("error", {errorMessage: error.message}, response);
      renderer.view("search", {}, response);
      renderer.view("footer", {}, response);
      response.end();
    });

  }
}

//export routes to app.js]
module.exports.home = home;
module.exports.user = user;

2 Answers

Jennifer Nordell
seal-mask
STAFF
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse Teacher

I'm not even going to call this an answer... but this line I think needs some parentheses. Note: I just got done with this particular "module" on Treehouse and it's still a bit fuzzy for me :P

 if(request.method.toLowerCase === "get") {

I think that should be...

 if(request.method.toLowerCase() === "get") {
Jonathan Grieve
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

You were right! You're a star thank you! I changed this to an answer for you because your solution worked perfectly.

I'm in the same boat as you. Most of this has gone completely over my head, I've got some of the fundamentals down but the documentation scares me :) and I wish I could understand some of what is being taught but I'm definitely keeping this to study and go through piece by piece. It's been fun learning about Node but I need more work at it :)

Jennifer Nordell
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse Teacher

Jonathan Grieve Oh goody! It's not just me then! By the end of it I felt like a complete moron and was wondering if I could even do simple things like:

var name = "Jennifer";
alert(name);

There's a reason the project files are downloaded locally to my system for this course :P

Jonathan Grieve
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

When that happens it's probably time to take a break, but the knowledge is in there somewhere, it just needs to be coaxed out :)

It's a balance between those "A-ha" moments and the "What on earth is going on" moments ;)

Nikhil Khandelwal
Nikhil Khandelwal
9,371 Points

I think you should kill the node and again run it. Worked for me, hope it does for you.