dynamic query object for iron-router route - meteor

Question

I have a current route as follows:
Router.route('/:arg', function(){
this.render('tmpResults', {
data: function(){
return hcDrefs.find({name: {$regex: this.params.query.q}})
}
});
}, {name: 'showSome'});
As you can see, the query is hard coded to really only take a single input (see block below). What I want to do is execute this route where the query object would need to be of a variable form...sometimes I only need a simple query, other times, the query may contain an AND operation. I currently call this route with:
Router.go('showSome', {arg: 1},
{query: '?q=' + e.target.value});
}
...what I want to know is if I can pass some kind of query object to the route somehow, but I haven't seem to hit on a syntax that work....not even sure IF it can work. I have tried some brute force stuff like defining a query object:
query_object = {name: {$regex: pattern}}
and attempting to get it to the router somehow like:
Router.go('showSome', {arg: 1},
{query: query_object});
}
//----------------------------------------------------------
Router.route('/:arg', function(){
this.render('tmpResults', {
data: function(){
return hcDrefs.find(this.params.query.q}})
}
});
}, {name: 'showSome'});
but that seems to be a no go.
What would be a good way to set the data context of a route where the query to yield the data context could be of a variable form? I would think a global object would probably work, but I am curious is there is a more strategic way passing through the router. I am still digging through the iron router docs for something I can hook onto.

Answer 1

There is no client-side POST, so the data you can pass to a client-side route is limited by what you can put into the URL (similar to a GET request). So, no, I don't think there is a more elegant solutions.
I think you have two options:
Stringifying your object into the URL:
Router.go('showSome', {arg: 1},
{query: JSON.stringify(query_object)});
//----------------------------------------------------------
Router.route('/:arg', function(){
this.render('tmpResults', {
data: function(){
return hcDrefs.find(JSON.parse(this.params.query)}})
}
});
}, {name: 'showSome'});
2) use a global or session variable:
Session.set('query', query_object);
Router.go('showSome', {arg: 1});
//----------------------------------------------------------
Router.route('/:arg', function(){
this.render('tmpResults', {
data: function(){
return hcDrefs.find(Session.get('query'))}})
}
});
}, {name: 'showSome'});