[BUG] Array as second parameter in the Populate method works awkwardly for ['-_id'] but works properly if the second parameter is string '-_id'

[MHRSRoni]

Prerequisites

• I have written a descriptive issue title
• I have searched existing issues to ensure the bug has not already been reported

Mongoose version

8.0.3

Node.js version

21.1.0

MongoDB server version

6.0.5

Typescript version (if applicable)

No response

Description

Array in the populate method as the second parameter behaves awkwardly for '-_id'. It replaces the path with the array of the second parameter, while it works if the second parameter is the string '-_id'.

Steps to Reproduce

const mongoose = require('mongoose');

mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost:27017/populate').then(async connection => {
console.clear()
console.log("database connected successfully...")
console.log( "database name : ", connection.connections[0].name)
console.log()




//========= Schema ==========//
    const authorSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
        _id : Number,
        name : String,
        age : String
    }, {versionKey : false})

    const bookSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
        _id : Number,
        name : String,
        author : [
            {
                type : Number,
                ref : "author"
            }
        ]
    }, {versionKey : false})

    const Book = mongoose.model("book", bookSchema)

    const Author = mongoose.model("author", authorSchema)

//========= Document ==========//

    const authorData = [
        {_id : "1" , name : "summon",age : "29"},
        {_id : "2" , name : 'samad', age : '30'},
        {_id : "3" , name : 'minnar', age : '31'},
        {_id : "4", name : "rafat",age : "22"},
        {_id : "11", name : "roni",age : "23"},
    ]

    const bookData = [
        {_id : "1", name : "frontend developer", author : "1"},
        {_id : "2", name : "marketing ", author : "2"},
        {_id : "3", name : "teaching ", author : "3"},
        {_id : "4", name : "backend developer", author : "4"},
    ]

    await Author.insertMany(authorData)
    await Book.insertMany(bookData)

    const book = await Book.findById(1).populate("author", '-_id') //works

    const sameBook = await Book.findById(1).populate("author", ['-_id'])    //not works BUG

    console.log(book)
    /*output  for book :
    {
      _id: 1,
      name: 'frontend developer',
      author: [ { name: 'summon', age: '29' } ]
    }
    */
    console.log(sameBook)
    /*output for sameBook : 
    { _id: 1, name: 'frontend developer', author: [ { '0': '-_id' } ] }
    */
    

    console.log(".....completed")
})
.catch(err => console.log(err))

Expected Behavior

should throw an Error or remove the _id from the populated path

[MHRSRoni]

thank you

[MHRSRoni]

but though I have created the issue, I was not counted as a contributor. It's quite sad. 😐