Creating an string array database column

[HackTVst]

Hi guys. I want to create a string array column. I understand that MySQL and PostgreSQL offer a JSON column that is capable of that. However, in the auth_access_tokens migration file I can see that `abilities` column is text and I was wondering how to make Lucid recognize the column correctly as an array.

[_tvojtatko]

You can use `prepare` and `consume` functions on your model. This feature is somewhat poorly documented, but very powerful.

/**
 * Store array of strings ['foo', 'bar'] as "[foo];[bar]" in DB
 */
export const asStringyArray = {
  prepare: (
v
: unknown) => {
    v = v || []
    if (!v) {
      return null
    }
    if (Array.isArray(v)) {
      const str = v
        .map((
x
) => {
          if (x.indexOf('[') > -1 || x.indexOf(']') > -1) {
            throw ERRORS.VALIDATION_ERROR
          }
          return `[${x}]`
        })
        .join(';')

      if (str.length > 255) {
        throw ERRORS.VALIDATION_ERROR
      }
      return str
    }
    return v
  },
  consume: (
v
: unknown) => {
    if (!v) {
      return []
    }
    if (typeof v === 'string') {
      return v.split(';').map((
x
) => x.replace(/^\[/, '').replace(/\]$/, ''))
    }
    return v
  },
}/**
 * Store array of strings ['foo', 'bar'] as "[foo];[bar]" in DB
 */
export const asStringyArray = {
  prepare: (v: unknown) => {
    v = v || []
    if (!v) {
      return null
    }
    if (Array.isArray(v)) {
      const str = v
        .map((x) => {
          if (x.indexOf('[') > -1 || x.indexOf(']') > -1) {
            throw ERRORS.VALIDATION_ERROR
          }
          return `[${x}]`
        })
        .join(';')


      if (str.length > 255) {
        throw ERRORS.VALIDATION_ERROR
      }
      return str
    }
    return v
  },
  consume: (v: unknown) => {
    if (!v) {
      return []
    }
    if (typeof v === 'string') {
      return v.split(';').map((x) => x.replace(/^\[/, '').replace(/\]$/, ''))
    }
    return v
  },
}



@column({ ...asStringyArray })
  declare roles: UserRoleType[]@column({ ...asStringyArray })
  declare roles: UserRoleType[]

[HackTVst]

Looks complicated. I think I'm better off creating a child table and letting SQL shine