How to convert a _User object held in JavaScript variable back to format it can be saved into a parse.com pointer column

Question

Using parse.com and the JavaScipt SDK.

I've got a variable (friendName) that stores a _User record in it.

I know want to save this user back into parse under a new class and into a "pointer" column type. This is so the name can then be associated back to the _User class.

When I try and save the user using

  requestFriend.set("username", friendName);

I get the following error in Chrome dev tools.

{"code":111,"error":"invalidtypeforkeyusername,expected*_User,butgotstring"}

To me this indicates that "friendName" is not in the correct format to save back to parse.

But have do I convert it into a _User object to that it can save successfully?

I can post up all code if it helps, but I thought I'd try and keep the post shorter to start with.

Screen shots attached.

Answer 1

Sounds like your schema is expecting it to be a User object. If friendName has the objectId of the user, you can create the object and the SDK will convert it to a pointer

new Parse.User({objectId: friendName});

If friendName is the username, you'd have to first query for the User and then set it. Something like this:

new Parse.Query("_User").equalTo("username", friendName).first().then(function(user) {
    requestFriend.set("username", user);
    return requestFriend.save();
});