Upgrading to v12 causes duplicate to be created instead of updated when updating nested object

[mattlewer]

How frequently does the bug occur?

Always

Description

Similar issues:
#6322
#6239

We have been using Realm v11.10.1 without issues, since upgrading to v12.6.0, we are encountering errors updating nested objects.

We receive an updated version of an object from our server in JSON format.
We want to update the Realm object in the devices local database so that the changes are reflected.

The object we have looks like this, with each name being its own Realm table:

Session: {
    User: {
        Organisations: []
    }
}

We update the object in Realm like so:

  const update = (updates: () => void) => {
    realm.write(() => {
      updates();
    });
  };

and call this function as such:

update(() => {
    session.user = updatedUser;
});

We receive this error:
Attempting to create an object of type 'User' with an existing primary key value '341'

In an attempt to fix this, we have adapted the update function to be the following, this also works on v11.10.1 without issue:

const update = (original: T, changes: Partial<T>) => {
    realm.write(() => {
      realm.create(
        'session',
        merge({}, original, changes),
        Realm.UpdateMode.Modified,
      );
    });
};

Which is then called as such:

update(session, {
          user: updatedUser,
});

This also fails, however giving an error a layer deeper:
Error: Attempting to create an object of type 'Organisation' with an existing primary key value '454'

Stacktrace & log output

No response

Can you reproduce the bug?

Always

Reproduction Steps

Have an object stored in Realm
Attempt to update this objects nested fields, using an interfaced JSON object, containing the primary key
Receive error

Version

12.6.0

What services are you using?

Local Database only

Are you using encryption?

No

Platform OS and version(s)

Android & iOS

Build environment

Which debugger for React Native: ..

Cocoapods version

No response

[sync-by-unito]

➤ PM Bot commented:

Jira ticket: RJS-2744

[kneth]

@mattlewer Thank you for reporting. Is it possible for you to share the schema?

[mattlewer]

@mattlewer Thank you for reporting. Is it possible for you to share the schema?

Hopefully this helps

Config

export const config: Realm.Configuration = {
  schema: [
    OrganisationRealm,
    Session,
    User,
  ],
  schemaVersion: 4,
};
export default createRealmContext(config);


Session

import {Realm} from '@realm/react';
import User from './User';
import idGenerator from '../../services/idGenerator';

export default class Session extends Realm.Object {
  client_id!: string;
  user!: User;

  static create(user: User): Object {
    return {
      user: user,
    };
  }

  static schema = {
    name: 'Session',
    primaryKey: 'client_id',
    properties: {
      client_id: {type: 'string', default: () => idGenerator.generate()},
      user: 'User',
    },
  };
}

User

import 'react-native-get-random-values';
import {Realm} from '@realm/react';
import idGenerator from '../../services/idGenerator';
import {Organisation} from './Organisation';

export default class User extends Realm.Object {
  client_id!: string;
  id!: number;
  inviting_organisations?: Organisation[];

  static schema = {
    name: 'User',
    primaryKey: 'id',
    properties: {
      client_id: {type: 'string', default: () => idGenerator.generate()},
      id: 'int',
      inviting_organisations: 'Organisation[]',
    },
  };
}

Organisation

import 'react-native-get-random-values';
import {Realm} from '@realm/react';
import idGenerator from '../../services/idGenerator';

export interface Organisation extends Syncable {
  client_id: string;
  id: number;
  name: string;
  created_at: Date;
  updated_at: Date;
}

export class OrganisationRealm extends Realm.Object implements Organisation {
  client_id!: string;
  id!: number;
  name!: string;
  created_at!: Date;
  updated_at!: Date;
  resource!: string;

  static schema = {
    name: 'Organisation',
    primaryKey: 'id',
    properties: {
      client_id: {type: 'string', default: () => idGenerator.generate()},
      id: 'int',
      name: 'string',
      created_at: {type: 'date', default: () => new Date()},
      updated_at: {type: 'date', default: () => new Date()},
      resource: {type: 'string', default: SyncResource.Organisations},
    },
  };
}

Syncable

export interface Syncable {
  id?: number;
  client_id?: string;
  created_at: Date;
  updated_at: Date;
  is_synced?: boolean;
  resource?: string;
}

SyncResource



 export enum SyncResource { Organisations = 'organisations', }

idGenerator

const idGenerator = () => {
  const generate = (): string => {
    return new Realm.Types.UUID().toHexString(true);
  };

  return {
    generate,
  };
};

export default idGenerator();

[kneth]

It sounds like the same as #6129 and we released a fix for it in v12.2.0.

[mattlewer]

Has this potentially regressed since as I'm using v12.6.0? Will downgrade to v12.2.0 to see if it makes a difference and get back to you

[kneth]

downgrade to v12.2.0 to see if it makes a difference

Thanks!

[mattlewer]

Same error:

Original update function:
Error: Attempting to create an object of type 'User' with an existing primary key value '341'

Adapted update function:
Error: Attempting to create an object of type 'Organisation' with an existing primary key value '454'.

[nirinchev]

So the first error is expected:

realm.write(() => {
	session.user = updatedUser;
});

where updatedUser is an unmanaged object will attempt to first add it to realm and then set session.user to it. In the case where the user already exists, you're supposed to get an error.

The second code snippet points to a legitimate bug though, however I've been unable to reproduce it. I've attached my attempt to repro this - if you can modify it in a way that triggers the duplicate PK error, let us know and we'll continue investigating.

Archive.zip

[mattlewer]

Thank you for getting back to me, I will have a look ASAP.

Given the above situation, what would be the correct way to update this nested object? I would assume that because it comes down with the same primary key as the object currently stored in the DB, it would successfully match these up and update it, I don't quite understand why it would cause an error?

Also as this worked fine in v11, is there something specific that has caused this breaking change? If I downgrade again, everything works as intended.

[nirinchev]

Did

update(() => {
    session.user = updatedUser;
});

work with v11? If it did, it's definitely unintended and likely a bug with v11. The other code snippet - i.e.:

realm.write(() => {
      realm.create(
        'session',
        merge({}, original, changes),
        Realm.UpdateMode.Modified,
      );
    });

Should work in both v11 and v12 and is the right way to do it. If it doesn't work with v12, then we should definitely fix it, but I can't repro it so far.

[mattlewer]

Yep, both worked fine with v11, will try and reproduce with a test when I have a moment and get back to you

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically closed because there has been no response to our request for more information from the original author. With only the information that is currently in the issue, we don't have enough information to take action. Please reach out if you have or find the answers we need so that we can investigate further.

[kneth]

@mattlewer

will try and reproduce with a test when I have a moment and get back to you

Any chance you have a moment to create a reproduction case for us?

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically closed because there has been no response to our request for more information from the original author. With only the information that is currently in the issue, we don't have enough information to take action. Please reach out if you have or find the answers we need so that we can investigate further.