node.js - sending regex to server - regex

Question

I've created a client side mongodb interface to talk to server side mongodb.
it's very similar to the mini-mongo implemented in the meteor.
here is an example:
model.find({"field": /search/}).exec(function(err, model){
construct(model);
});
now normally everything works fine except when I use the regex.
and I know what's the problem but I cannot fix it.
the problem, as you have guessed it, is when the regex /regexParameter/ when sent by ajax to server, is converted to "/regexParameter/" and the single quotes(or double) make the regex a normal string.
in the server I have something like this:
var findObject = req.query.findObject // {"field": "/search/"} :(
req.models[config.table]
.find(findObject)
.exec(function(err, model){
return res.json({
error: err,
result: model,
});
});
is there anything I can do to make this work without writing like 100 of lines of code that iterates through each of the findObject and matches every string for a regex...?
Thanks everyone

Answer 1

You are right - you cannot pass RegExp objects between client and server because during serialization they are converted to strings.
Solution? (or perhaps - a workaround)
Use $regex operator in your queries, so you don't need to use RegExp objects.
So this:
{
field: /search/
}
Becomes this:
{
field: {
$regex: 'search'
}
}
Or, giving a case-insensitive search example:
{
field: {
$regex: 'search',
$options: 'i'
}
}
(instead of field: /search/i)
Read more about $regex syntax here (including about some of its restrictions).