I have a simple cURL (i think this is right) that posts a small JSON object to my express server:

curl -d {'test': 'this'} localhost:3000/rest/user/authenticate

I have express set up as:

// set up body parsing in express  to be able  to get parse JSON posts

server.use(express.json());

server.use(express.urlencoded());

and have handler that accepts the route:

JSON = require('JSON')

module.exports = {

    authenticateUser: function create(req, res){

        var postedObject = req.body

        console.log(postedObject)

        res.send('Handle Post: authenticateUser');

    }

}

the handler is getting called, but it is logging the JSON body unexpectedly:

{ '{'test': 'this'}': '' }

So my entire object looks to be the name side of a JSON Name:Value pair object. no matter what I post it seems to be appending the value side. Unless I do something like this:

curl -d a=a localhost:3000/rest/user/authenticate

which logs:

{'a':'a'}

so have i not set the right headers? Configured express wrong? I plan on digging through the express code, but wondered if somebody might know before I find the solution. Either way having a searchable/indexed answer to this on the web will be nice.

update 1

ok I need to add the header to the cURL

curl -H Content-Type: application/json -d {'test': 'this'} localhost:3000/rest/user/authenticate

which gives the error:

Parsing: {'test': 'this'}

SyntaxError: Unexpected token '

    at Object.parse (native)

    at C:blahnode_modulesexpressnode_modulesconnectlibmiddlewarejson.js:86:19

        at IncomingMessage.onEnd (C:blahnode_modulesexpressnode_modulesconnectnode_modulesraw-bodyindex.js:109:7)

        at IncomingMessage.g (events.js:180:16)

        at IncomingMessage.EventEmitter.emit (events.js:92:17)

        at _stream_readable.js:920:16

        at process._tickCallback (node.js:415:13)

OR
curl -H Content-Type: application/json -d {test: 'this'} localhost:3000/rest/user/authenticate

which gives the error:

Parsing: {test: 'this'}

SyntaxError: Unexpected token t

    at Object.parse (native)

    at C:blahnode_modulesexpressnode_modulesconnectlibmiddlewarejson.js:86:19

        at IncomingMessage.onEnd (C:blahnode_modulesexpressnode_modulesconnectnode_modulesraw-bodyindex.js:109:7)

        at IncomingMessage.g (events.js:180:16)

        at IncomingMessage.EventEmitter.emit (events.js:92:17)

        at _stream_readable.js:920:16

        at process._tickCallback (node.js:415:13)

update 2

in the file connect/lib/middleware/json.js

this line seems to be the one causing issues

req.body = JSON.parse(buf, options.reviver);

update 3

I really think it is my cURL

buf= JSON.stringify({test: 'This'});

console.log(buf)

req.body = JSON.parse(buf, options.reviver);

works logging first
{test:this}

and then in my handler:

----------------------

{ test: 'this' }

----------------------