[HOLD for payment 2024-11-13] [$250] Initial switch to chat is jarring

[m-natarajan]

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Version Number: 9.0.29-0
Reproducible in staging?: Y
Reproducible in production?: Y
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from TestRail:
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers):
Logs: https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/4856
Expensify/Expensify Issue URL:
Issue reported by: @flodnv
Slack conversation: https://expensify.slack.com/archives/C049HHMV9SM/p1725455595449419

Action Performed:

Maybe pre-req: Switch to focus mode

1. Sign out and back in
2. Use the chat switcher to go to a chat with many messages
3. Observe jarring transition between empty state and full message view

Expected Result:

The transition should be smoother, perhaps with a loading skeleton or something.

Actual Result:

It feels like the product blinks between screens

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

Which of our officially supported platforms is this issue occurring on?

• Android: Native
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: Native
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• MacOS: Chrome / Safari
• MacOS: Desktop

Screenshots/Videos

Screen.Recording.2024-09-04.at.3.13.48.PM.mov

Recording.3158.mp4

Add any screenshot/video evidence

View all open jobs on GitHub

Upwork Automation - Do Not Edit

• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021833309825524574048
• Upwork Job ID: 1833309825524574048
• Last Price Increase: 2024-09-10

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @mallenexpensify / @isabelastisser

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @mallenexpensify (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.

[flodnv]

I also experienced this bug on Android Native today.

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021833309825524574048

[melvin-bot]

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

[mallenexpensify]

I don't think I was able to reproduce on Desktop, @Ollyws can you attempt reproduction and post your findings? Thx

[Ollyws]

I don't see any issue here, the skeleton is loading correctly for me.

[flodnv]

Did you try in focus mode?

What else can I do to help diagnose this? I encounter it several times a week...

[puneetlath]

I think there's not really a bug here, but @flodnv is proposing that we make this UI transition smoother somehow, right?

[muttmuure]

This seems to be the same issue with how the optimistic chat load is jarring. I think what Flo is seeing is:

1. Switch Chats
2. You see an optimistic chat first
3. Then you see the loading skeleton
4. Then you see the full chat history

[puneetlath]

I thought we established the correct pattern here:
#43791

That is the case when you are clicking on a report in the LHN that you already have locally. Whereas the "jarring" effect being referred to here is when you don't already have the chat with someone locally. So instead what is happening is that you are:

• using the chat switcher to start a chat with someone
• an optimistic report is created, since once doesn't already exist locally
• the OpenReport API call responds that there is already a pre-existing report with that user
• you are re-directed to the pre-existing report

And the expected behavior is here:
https://expensify.slack.com/archives/C05LX9D6E07/p1718644857351619?thread_ts=1718365848.007159&cid=C05LX9D6E07

I don't think this is really possible in the scenario described above because the client doesn't know that there is an existing report until the API responds. If we were to disallow chatting until the API responds, then you'd never be able to start a chat with someone offline if you don't already have a chat with them locally.

[muttmuure]

Got it, yeah that makes sense.

So I think I'm again landing on what I asked a few days back:

It sounds like @flodnv agrees, we could propose some ways to make the transition "less blinky"

[flodnv]

I think at the very least we should show the newly loaded messages gently appearing at the bottom of the current screen, instead of making it feel like the screen is completely removed and added back.

[muttmuure]

that's a good idea, it would be cool if we didn't render the full report window component, just added the messages as they are loaded

[puneetlath]

Yeah I like that idea too. @muttmuure this seems like a good one for an agency.

[perunt]

I pulled the latest main. Sorry for the delay.

[melvin-bot]

@Ollyws, @chrispader, @luacmartins, @mallenexpensify, @isabelastisser, @dubielzyk-expensify Eep! 4 days overdue now. Issues have feelings too...

[isabelastisser]

@Ollyws, can you please provide an update? Thanks!

[Ollyws]

The PR has been merged.

[melvin-bot]

The solution for this issue has been 🚀 deployed to production 🚀 in version 9.0.57-10 and is now subject to a 7-day regression period 📆. Here is the list of pull requests that resolve this issue:

• Fix initial chat switch jarring #49731

If no regressions arise, payment will be issued on 2024-11-13. 🎊

For reference, here are some details about the assignees on this issue:

• @Ollyws requires payment through NewDot Manual Requests
• @chrispader does not require payment (Contractor)

[melvin-bot]

@Ollyws @mallenexpensify / @isabelastisser The PR fixing this issue has been merged! The following checklist (instructions) will need to be completed before the issue can be closed. Please copy/paste the BugZero Checklist from here into a new comment on this GH and complete it. If you have the K2 extension, you can simply click: [this button]

[mallenexpensify]

I get back on Nov 14th and will pay this then.

[melvin-bot]

Payment Summary

Upwork Job

• Reviewer: @Ollyws owed $250 via NewDot
• Contributor: @chrispader is from an agency-contributor and not due payment

BugZero Checklist (@mallenexpensify)

• I have verified the correct assignees and roles are listed above and updated the neccesary manual offers
• I have verified that there are no duplicate or incorrect contracts on Upwork for this job (https://www.upwork.com/ab/applicants/1833309825524574048/hired)
• I have paid out the Upwork contracts or cancelled the ones that are incorrect
• I have verified the payment summary above is correct

[puneetlath]

@flodnv how are you finding the chat switch experience now?

[flodnv]

It looks better. I think it can be even better as previously discussed above, but maybe it's good enough for now.

[isabelastisser]

Payment summary:

Reviewer: @Ollyws owed $250 via NewDot PENDING
Contributor: @chrispader is from an agency-contributor and not due payment

[Ollyws]

Requested in ND.

[melvin-bot]

@Ollyws, @chrispader, @luacmartins, @mallenexpensify, @isabelastisser, @dubielzyk-expensify Uh oh! This issue is overdue by 2 days. Don't forget to update your issues!

[isabelastisser]

All set!

[garrettmknight]

$250 approved for @Ollyws