How to validate if input in input field has float number only using express-validator ?

In HTML forms, we often required validation of different types. Validate existing email, validate password length, validate confirm password, validate to allow only integer inputs, these are some examples of validation. In a certain input field, only float numbers are allowed i.e. there not allowed any strings, special characters or anything other than float or a number which capable of convert to float by itself(ex- int). We can also validate these input fields to accept only float numbers using express-validator middleware.

Command to install express-validator:

npm install express-validator

Steps to use express-validator to implement the logic:

• Install express-validator middleware.
• Create a validator.js file to code all the validation logic.
• Validate input by validateInputField: check(input field name) and chain on validation isFloat() with ‘ . ‘
• Sanitize input to convert from string to float by chain on the sanitization toFloat() with  ‘ . ‘
• Use the validation name(validateInputField) in the routes as a middleware as an array of validations.
• Destructure ‘validationResult’ function from express-validator to use it to find any errors.
• If error occurs redirect to the same page passing the error information.
• If error list is empty, give access to the user for the subsequent request.

Note: Here we use local or custom database to implement the logic, the same steps can be followed to implement the logic in a regular database like MongoDB or MySql.

Example: This example illustrates how to validate a input field to only allow float numbers.

Filename – index.js

javascript

const express = require('express')
const bodyParser = require('body-parser')
const {validationResult} = require('express-validator')
const repo = require('./repository')
const { validateInterestRate } = require('./validator')
const formTemplet = require('./form')

const app = express()
const port = process.env.PORT || 3000

// The body-parser middleware to parse form data
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({extended : true}))

// Get route to display HTML form
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send(formTemplet({}))
})

// Post route to handle form submission logic and
app.post(
  '/loanrequest',
  [validateInterestRate],
  async (req, res) => {
    const errors = validationResult(req)

    if(!errors.isEmpty()) {
      return res.send(formTemplet({errors}))
    }

    const {name, amount, irate} = req.body

    // New record
    await repo.create({
      'Borrower name':name,
      'Loan amount':amount,
      'Interest rate':irate
    })
    res.send(
'<strong>Loan request is send successfully</strong>')
})

// Server setup
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server start on port ${port}`)
})

Filename – repository.js: This file contains all the logic to create a local database and interact with it.

javascript

// Importing node.js file system module
const fs = require('fs')

class Repository {

  constructor(filename) {

    // Filename where datas are going to store
    if(!filename) {
      throw new Error(
'Filename is required to create a datastore!')
    }

    this.filename = filename

    try {
      fs.accessSync(this.filename)
    } catch(err) {

      // If file not exist it is created
      // with empty array
      fs.writeFileSync(this.filename, '[]')
    }
  }

  // Get all existing records
  async getAll(){
    return JSON.parse(
      await fs.promises.readFile(this.filename, {
        encoding : 'utf8'
      })
    )
  }

  // Create new record
  async create(attrs){
    // Fetch all existing records
    const records = await this.getAll()

    // All the existing records with new
    // record push back to database
    records.push(attrs)
    await fs.promises.writeFile(
      this.filename,
      JSON.stringify(records, null, 2)
    )
    return attrs
  }
}

// The 'datastore.json' file created at
// runtime and all the information
// provided via signup form store
// in this file in JSON format.
module.exports = new Repository('datastore.json')

Filename – form.js: This file contains logic to show the form to submit the data.

javascript

const getError = (errors, prop) => {
  try {
    return errors.mapped()[prop].msg
  } catch (error) {
    return ''
  }
}

module.exports = ({errors}) => {
return `
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
  <link rel='stylesheet' href=
'https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/bulma/0.9.0/css/bulma.min.css'>
  <style>
    div.columns {
      margin-top: 100px;
    }

    .button {
      margin-top: 10px
    }
  </style>
</head>

<body>
  <div class='container'>
    <div class='columns is-centered'>
      <div class='column is-5'>
        <form action='/loanrequest' method='POST'>
          <div>
            <div>
              <label class='label' id='name'>
                Borrower Name
              </label>
            </div>
            <input class='input' type='text'
              name='name' placeholder='Vinit singh'
              for='name'>
          </div>
          <div>
            <div>
              <label class='label' id='amount'>
                Loan Amount
              </label>
            </div>
            <input class='input' type='text'
              name='amount' placeholder='Amount'
              for='amount'>
          </div>
          <div>
            <div>
              <label class='label' id='irate'>
                Interest Rate
              </label>
            </div>
            <input class='input' type='text'
              name='irate' placeholder=
              'In Float(Ex-6.5)' for='irate'>
            <p class="help is-danger">
              ${getError(errors, 'irate')}
            </p>

          </div>
          <div>
            <button class='button is-primary'>
              Submit
            </button>
          </div>
        </form>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</body>
</html>
`
}

Filename – validator.js: This file contain all the validation logic (Logic to validate a input field to only allow the float numbers).

javascript

const {check} = require('express-validator')
const repo = require('./repository')
module.exports = {

  validateInterestRate : check('irate')

    // To delete leading and trailing space
    .trim()

    // Converting to float
    .toFloat()

    // Validate interest rate to accept
    // only float number
    .isFloat()

    // Custom message
    .withMessage('Must be a float number')
}

Filename – package.json

Package.json file

Database:

Database

Output:

Attempt to submit form data when interest rate input field is not a valid float number

Response when attempt to submit form data where interest rate input field is not a valid float number

Attempt to submit form data when interest rate input field is  a valid float number

Response when attempt to submit form data where interest rate input field is a valid float number

Database after successful form submission:

Database after successful submission of form

Note: We have used some Bulma classes(CSS framework) in the form.js file to design the content.