Send response after email send node express

Question

I have the following method for /signup route:

const {sendEmail} = require("../lib/email");

exports.signup = async (req, res, next) => {
  try {
       //validate request and save user in DB
    
        let content = {
          activateLink: "link to activate email",
        };

      await sendEmail(email, "Verification OTP", "otp", content, next);

      res.status(201).json({
       message: "User created successfully !",
       userData: {
       _id: result._id.toString(),
        email: result.email,
       },
      });
  }
    catch (err) {
        if (!err.statusCode) {
          err.statusCode = 500;
        }
        next(err);
  }
};

Method for sending email:

const path = require("path");
const nodemailer = require("nodemailer");
const hbs = require("nodemailer-express-handlebars");
const viewPath = path.resolve(__dirname, "../templates/views");
const partialsPath = path.resolve(__dirname, "../templates/partials");
const config = require("../config");

exports.sendEmail = async (to, subject, viewName, content, next) => {
    try {
      const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport(config.mailConfig);
      const handlebarsOptions = {
        viewEngine: {
          extName: ".handlebars",
          layoutsDir: viewPath,
          defaultLayout: false,
          partialsDir: partialsPath,
        },
        viewPath: viewPath,
        extName: ".handlebars",
      };
  
      transporter.use("compile", hbs(handlebarsOptions));
  
      const mailOptions = {
        from: "noreply@admin.com", // Update from email
        to: to,
        subject: subject,
        template: viewName,
        context: content,
      };
  
      let info = await transporter.sendMail(mailOptions);
      console.log("Message sent: %s", info.messageId);
    } catch (e) {
      next(e);
    }
  };

With the above code blocks. I'm able to send email to newly registered user when I send post request. But postman keeps sending request and doesn't get any response status and message after email is sent.

I think code execution is not getting out of sendEmail method. Adding return true; after console.log("Message sent: %s", info.response); is also not helping at all.

I would be thankful if anyone could help me to figure out the solution.

Answer 1

LATEST EDIT In the comments you mention it is middleware, which would be correct with the function signature of (req, res, next).

But when I look at the line you posted in the comments router.post("/user/signup",UserController.signup); it is a normal route where the signature should be (req, res).

So could you try:

const {sendEmail} = require("../lib/email");

exports.signup = async (req, res) => {
  try {
       //validate request and save user in DB

        let content = {
          activateLink: "link to activate email",
        };

      const result = await sendEmail(email, "Verification OTP", "otp", content);

      res.status(201).json({
       message: "User created successfully !",
       userData: {
       _id: result._id.toString(),
        email: result.email,
       },
      });
  } 
  catch (err) {
    console.log(`Something went wrong sending activation mail`, err);
    throw new Error(err);
  }
};

import { rejects } from "assert";

exports.sendEmail = async (to, subject, viewName, content) => {

    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport(config.mailConfig);
      const handlebarsOptions = {
        viewEngine: {
          extName: ".handlebars",
          layoutsDir: viewPath,
          defaultLayout: false,
          partialsDir: partialsPath,
        },
        viewPath: viewPath,
        extName: ".handlebars",
      };

      transporter.use("compile", hbs(handlebarsOptions));

      const mailOptions = {
        from: "noreply@admin.com", // Update from email
        to: to,
        subject: subject,
        template: viewName,
        context: content,
      };

      let info = transporter.sendMail(mailOptions, (err, result) => {
            if (err) {
                reject(err);
                return;
            }
            console.log("Message sent: %s", result.messageId);
            resolve(result);
       });
    });
};

---

Which version of nodemailer are you using? Pre 6.4.1 does not return a Promise so you need to use a callback then.

With callback the code will look something like this:

const {sendEmail} = require("../lib/email");

exports.signup = async (req, res, next) => {
  try {
       //validate request and save user in DB
    
        let content = {
          activateLink: "link to activate email",
        };

      const result = await sendEmail(email, "Verification OTP", "otp", content, next);

      res.status(201).json({
       message: "User created successfully !",
       userData: {
       _id: result._id.toString(),
        email: result.email,
       },
      });
  }
    catch (err) {
        if (!err.statusCode) {
          err.statusCode = 500;
        }
        next(err);
  }
};

import { rejects } from "assert";

exports.sendEmail = async (to, subject, viewName, content) => {

    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport(config.mailConfig);
      const handlebarsOptions = {
        viewEngine: {
          extName: ".handlebars",
          layoutsDir: viewPath,
          defaultLayout: false,
          partialsDir: partialsPath,
        },
        viewPath: viewPath,
        extName: ".handlebars",
      };
  
      transporter.use("compile", hbs(handlebarsOptions));
  
      const mailOptions = {
        from: "noreply@admin.com", // Update from email
        to: to,
        subject: subject,
        template: viewName,
        context: content,
      };
  
      let info = transporter.sendMail(mailOptions, (err, result) => {
            if (err) {
                reject(err);
                return;
            }
            console.log("Message sent: %s", result.messageId);
            resolve(result);
       });
    });
};

And you need to return the result (info) from let info = await transporter.sendMail(mailOptions); to the signup method.

        _id: result._id.toString(), <-- result will be undefined here
        email: result.email,        <-- result will be undefined here