ganomede-tagizer

The mighty tagizer of ganomede usernames.

Tag function

var tagizer = require('ganomede-tagizer').tag;
tag('p0lO') === tag('pO10');
typeof tag('abcdef') === 'string';

The goal of the tag function is to generate a non-visually ambiguous version of a username. You know, sometimes people confuse a 0 and a O, these sort of things.

This module exposes a single function that, given a username, returns a string: a "tag". Compare 2 tags generated from 2 usernames: if they are equal, it means the usernames look similar on screen.

In my use case, I make sure username's "tags" are globally unique in our users database, preventing confusingly similar-looking usernames to co-exist. A database search by username will search by tag: which should always return a single or no result.

Tag-mode Middleware

Signature: tagizer.middlerware(field, subfield, options = {})

Return value: a middleware for restify

The created middleware will extend req.params with the following:

• req.params.username = account.id
• req.params.user.username = account.id
• req.params.user.tag = account.aliases.tag
• req.params.user.name = account.aliases.name
• req.params.user.email = account.aliases.email

It also sets req[field].username = account.id

Example

var tagizer = require('ganomede-tagizer');
 
var tagParam = tagizer.middleware('params', 'tag');
router.get('/blah/:tag', tagParam, getBlah);
 
var tagBody  = tagizer.middleware('body', 'username');
router.post('/login', tagBody, login);

Connection with ganomede-directory

The default behavior is to read environment variables:

• DIRECTORY_PORT_8000_TCP_[ADDR|PORT|PROTOCOL] - for setting up a connection with a directory client.
• TAG_MODE - only enable if it's a non-empty string

This behavior can be overridden by filling options, the third argument of the tagizer.middleware function, with fields:

• host, port, protocol - for ganomede-directory connection
• force - to enable tag-mode regardless of TAG_MODE environment variable

Example

var tagBody  = tagizer.middleware('body', 'username', {
 host: 'localhost',
 port: 8000,
 protocol: 'http',
 force: true
});

Notes

When tag-mode is disabled or fetching the account isn't possible, the middleware sets:

• req.params.username = tag
• req.params.user.username = tag
• req[field].username = tag

Tag-mode Account Loader

Signature: tagizer.loader(options)

Return value: an account loader function

The account loader function takes a tag, name or id and return an object with fields: username, tag and name.

Arguments:

tagizer.loader also accepts an option object with the host, port, protocol and force fields, with similar meaning as the middleware. When not specified, the same environment variables will be used.

Example

var tagizer = require('ganomede-tagizer');
var loader = tagizer.loader();
loader(req, 'ada12', (account) => {
  console.log(`user ada12 should be displayed as #{account.name}`);
});

Notes

If tag-mode isn't enabled or retrieving the user failed, account will be set to:

• account.username = tag
• account.tag = tag
• account.name= tag

Copyright

(c)2017, Fovea