[HOLD for payment 2025-02-04] [$250] Android - Previously selected workspace is shown briefly while navigating via workspace switcher

[IuliiaHerets]

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Version Number: 9.0.78-2
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: Yes
If this was caught on HybridApp, is this reproducible on New Expensify Standalone?: Yes
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Device used: Redmi note 10s Android 13
App Component: Left Hand Navigation (LHN)

Action Performed:

1. Launch app
2. Login with account having many workspaces
3. Tap expensify switcher
4. Select a workspace
5. Note home page is shown briefly before showing the selected workspace page
6. Repeat the step 4 few times
7. Note everytime previously selected workspace is shown briefly before showing selected workspace page.

Expected Result:

Previously selected workspace must not be shown briefly before showing the selected workspace page while navigating to workspace using workspace switcher.

Actual Result:

Previously selected workspace is shown briefly before showing the selected workspace page while navigating to workspace using workspace switcher.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

• Android: Standalone
• Android: HybridApp
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: Standalone
• iOS: HybridApp
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• MacOS: Chrome / Safari
• MacOS: Desktop

Screenshots/Videos

Bug6701969_1735093987379.Screenrecorder-2024-12-25-07-51-32-944_compress_1.mp4

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• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021874207316888194452
• Upwork Job ID: 1874207316888194452
• Last Price Increase: 2025-01-14

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @anmurali

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @anmurali (Bug), see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/14418 for more details. Please add this bug to a GH project, as outlined in the SO.

[bernhardoj]

Proposal

Please re-state the problem that we are trying to solve in this issue.

The selected workspace LHN is shown then the previous workspace and then the selected workspace again when switching workspace.

What is the root cause of that problem?

When we select a workspace, we update the active workspace context to the selected workspace.

App/src/pages/WorkspaceSwitcherPage/index.tsx

Lines 88 to 95 in 918488a

	setActiveWorkspaceID(newPolicyID);
	Navigation.goBack();
	if (newPolicyID !== activeWorkspaceID) {
	// On native platforms, we will see a blank screen if we navigate to a new HomeScreen route while navigating back at the same time.
	// Therefore we delay switching the workspace until after back navigation, using the InteractionManager.
	switchPolicyAfterInteractions(newPolicyID);
	}
	},

This will update the LHN immediately to show the selected workspace report list. However, the switchPolicyID which updates the route is delayed on native intentionally in #54030. That's why the top bar isn't updated yet because it depends on the nav route.

App/src/pages/home/sidebar/SidebarScreen/BaseSidebarScreen.tsx

Lines 21 to 25 in 918488a

	const activeWorkspaceID = useActiveWorkspaceFromNavigationState();
	const {translate} = useLocalize();
	const {shouldUseNarrowLayout} = useResponsiveLayout();
	const [activeWorkspace] = useOnyx(`${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.POLICY}${activeWorkspaceID ?? CONST.DEFAULT_NUMBER_ID}`);

And because we close the switcher page, the nav state is changed and the active workspace is updated based on the current nav state, which the results will be the previous workspace, so the LHN now shows the previous workspace LHN.

App/src/libs/Navigation/NavigationRoot.tsx

Lines 170 to 175 in 918488a

	const activeWorkspaceID = getPolicyIDFromState(state as NavigationState<RootStackParamList>);
	// Performance optimization to avoid context consumers to delay first render
	setTimeout(() => {
	currentReportIDValue?.updateCurrentReportID(state);
	setActiveWorkspaceID(activeWorkspaceID);
	}, 0);

After the switchPolicyID delay is done, the active workspace is set to the selected workspace, and the LHN is now updated to the selected workspace (and the top bar).

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

We have 2 options. First, we need to put the setActiveWorkspace inside the InteractionManager too (for native).

Second, we can remove setActiveWorkspace because it'll be updated when the state is changed by switchPolicyID, but it's probably expected to call setActiveWorkspace separately so it's updated faster without waiting for the nav state update logic.

What specific scenarios should we cover in automated tests to prevent reintroducing this issue in the future?

I think we can mock the interaction manager and when selecting a workspace, we need to assert that the LHN list isn't updated before we resolve the mocked interaction manager.

[daledah]

Proposal

Please re-state the problem that we are trying to solve in this issue.

Previously selected workspace is shown briefly before showing the selected workspace page while navigating to workspace using workspace switcher.

What is the root cause of that problem?

Let's assume we're in WS A

1. When switching WS to WS B, activeWorkspaceID is set to B

App/src/pages/WorkspaceSwitcherPage/index.tsx

Line 88 in 918488a

setActiveWorkspaceID(newPolicyID);

2. then perform goBack

App/src/pages/WorkspaceSwitcherPage/switchPolicyAfterInteractions/index.native.tsx

Lines 5 to 7 in 918488a

	InteractionManager.runAfterInteractions(() => {
	Navigation.navigateWithSwitchPolicyID({policyID: newPolicyID});
	});

The active WS ID at that time is still in the stack, so it's A -> activeWorkspaceID is set to A

3. then navigate to new WS

App/src/pages/WorkspaceSwitcherPage/index.tsx

Lines 89 to 93 in 918488a

	Navigation.goBack();
	if (newPolicyID !== activeWorkspaceID) {
	// On native platforms, we will see a blank screen if we navigate to a new HomeScreen route while navigating back at the same time.
	// Therefore we delay switching the workspace until after back navigation, using the InteractionManager.
	switchPolicyAfterInteractions(newPolicyID);

activeWorkspaceID is set to B

That's why we can see the blink issue

Note: This issue doesn't happen on web since we're delayed switchPolicyAfterInteractions on native device only. On web, 2 actions perform at the same time so handleStateChange is triggered with up-to-date state

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

We should move the logic goBack to web only here

I tested this issue and tried to go back after switching to new WS on all platforms and they worked well.

What specific scenarios should we cover in automated tests to prevent reintroducing this issue in the future?

What alternative solutions did you explore? (Optional)

We can remove this condition:

App/src/pages/WorkspaceSwitcherPage/index.tsx

Line 90 in 918488a

if (newPolicyID !== activeWorkspaceID) {

since newPolicyID is always different from activeWorkspaceID

App/src/pages/WorkspaceSwitcherPage/index.tsx

Line 86 in 918488a

const newPolicyID = policyID === activeWorkspaceID ? undefined : policyID;

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[daledah]

Note for C+: If we put the setActiveWorkspace inside the InteractionManager, we can still see the blink issue

[melvin-bot]

@anmurali Huh... This is 4 days overdue. Who can take care of this?

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021874207316888194452

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to Contributor-plus team member for initial proposal review - @rayane-djouah (External)