Fix: SQL Lab Copy Link Bug In Superset

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Fix: SQL Lab Copy Link Bug in Superset

Introduction

Hey everyone! Today, we're diving deep into a rather annoying bug that some users have been experiencing in Superset's SQL Lab. Specifically, it's about the "Copy link to clipboard fails" issue when opening a saved query. It's super frustrating when you try to share a query link, but it just doesn't copy! We'll break down the current behavior, what we expect, and how to test the fix. So, let's get started and make Superset a smoother experience for everyone!

Current Behavior

So, here’s the deal. When you're working in Superset and you open a saved query in SQL Lab, the application is supposed to copy the link to your clipboard automatically. But, what's actually happening is a bit of a mess. The app tries to copy the link, but it immediately jumps to the SQL Lab page. Because copying to the clipboard takes a little bit of time, the page often navigates away before the copy is complete. This is a classic case of asynchronous operations causing headaches! The real kicker? You don't even know if it worked or not because there's no feedback. You try to paste, and surprise – it's either old content or nothing at all. Not cool, right?

Reproduction Steps

Want to see this in action? Here’s how you can reproduce the bug:

  1. Head over to the Saved Queries list page in Superset.
  2. Click on any saved query to open it in SQL Lab. You can try opening it in the same window or a new one.
  3. Now, try pasting the clipboard content into another application, like a text editor or messaging app.
  4. Observe: The clipboard either contains something old, or the copy never happened. And, of course, no helpful message pops up to tell you what went wrong.

This behavior can really disrupt your workflow, especially when you need to quickly share queries with your team. Imagine the frustration of repeatedly trying to copy a link, only to find out it's not working! That's why fixing this bug is so important.

Expected Behavior

Okay, so what should happen? When you open a saved query in SQL Lab, the application needs to take its time and do things in the right order. First, it should copy the query link to the clipboard. Then, it should wait for that operation to finish before doing anything else. And most importantly, it should give you some feedback! A little toast notification saying “Link Copied!” would be fantastic. Only after the clipboard operation is done (whether it succeeds or fails) should the app navigate you to SQL Lab.

Acceptance Criteria

To make sure we nail this fix, here’s what we need to achieve:

  • [ ] The link to the saved query must be successfully copied to the clipboard before any navigation happens.
  • [ ] A success toast notification should pop up, saying “Link Copied!” when the copy works.
  • [ ] The navigation to SQL Lab (whether in the same window or a new one) should only happen after the clipboard operation is complete.
  • [ ] This whole thing needs to work whether you're opening the query in the same window or a new one.

These acceptance criteria ensure that the user experience is smooth and reliable. No more guessing games about whether the link was copied! We want users to feel confident that when they open a saved query, the link is ready to be shared.

Steps To Test

Alright, testers, listen up! Here’s how you can verify that the fix is working:

  1. Go to the Saved Queries list page in Superset.
  2. Click on a saved query to open it in SQL Lab.
  3. Keep an eye out for a toast notification that says “Link Copied!”. If you see it, that’s a good sign.
  4. Open a text editor or any other application where you can paste text.
  5. Paste from the clipboard. Make sure the pasted content is a valid URL that looks like this: {origin}/sqllab?savedQueryId={id}. The {origin} part should be your Superset instance's URL, and {id} should be the ID of the saved query.
  6. Try opening a query in a new window (if your setup allows it) and check that the clipboard behavior is the same.
  7. Bonus points: If you can, test in a browser or environment where clipboard access is restricted. This will help you verify that the error toast appears when the copy fails.

By following these steps, you can thoroughly test the fix and ensure that it meets the acceptance criteria. Remember, the goal is to make the copy-link functionality reliable and user-friendly.

Diving Deeper into the Technical Details

To truly understand why this bug occurs and how to fix it, it’s helpful to delve into some technical aspects. The core issue revolves around the asynchronous nature of modern web APIs, particularly the Clipboard API. When you call navigator.clipboard.writeText(), the browser doesn't immediately copy the text to the clipboard. Instead, it initiates a background process that handles the copy operation. This asynchronicity is great for performance, as it prevents the browser from freezing while waiting for the copy to complete. However, it also introduces the potential for race conditions, where the browser navigates away from the page before the copy operation has finished.

In the case of Superset's SQL Lab, the application was triggering the page navigation immediately after calling navigator.clipboard.writeText(). This meant that the browser often didn't have enough time to complete the copy operation before the page started unloading. As a result, the clipboard would either contain the previous content or nothing at all. To address this issue, the fix needs to ensure that the application waits for the copy operation to complete before navigating to the SQL Lab page. This can be achieved using Promises and the async/await syntax in JavaScript.

Here's a simplified example of how the fix might look:

async function copyLinkAndNavigate(url, navigate) {
 try {
 await navigator.clipboard.writeText(url);
 showSuccessToast('Link Copied!');
 await delay(500); // Small delay to ensure toast is visible
 navigate();
 } catch (error) {
 showErrorToast('Failed to copy link');
 navigate();
 }
}

In this example, the copyLinkAndNavigate function first attempts to copy the URL to the clipboard using navigator.clipboard.writeText(). The await keyword ensures that the function waits for the copy operation to complete before proceeding. If the copy is successful, a success toast is displayed, and after a short delay, the navigation to SQL Lab is triggered. If the copy fails (e.g., due to permission issues), an error toast is displayed, and the navigation is still triggered to ensure that the user can access SQL Lab even if the copy fails. This approach ensures that the copy operation is given a chance to complete before the page navigates, and that the user receives feedback about whether the copy was successful or not.

Why Toast Notifications are Important

User feedback is crucial for creating a positive user experience. In the case of the copy-link functionality, users need to know whether the copy operation was successful or not. Without feedback, they are left guessing and may waste time trying to paste a link that was never copied. Toast notifications are a great way to provide this feedback in a non-intrusive manner. They appear briefly on the screen and then disappear, without interrupting the user's workflow. By displaying a success toast when the link is copied and an error toast when the copy fails, the application can keep users informed and prevent frustration.

Moreover, toast notifications can also provide additional information about the copy operation. For example, the error toast could include a message explaining why the copy failed and suggesting possible solutions (e.g., checking browser permissions). This can help users troubleshoot the issue and resolve it themselves. In addition to toast notifications, the application could also log the copy operation to the console for debugging purposes. This would allow developers to track down any issues that may arise and improve the reliability of the copy-link functionality.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it! The "Copy link to clipboard fails" bug in Superset's SQL Lab can be a real pain, but with a clear understanding of the issue, expected behavior, and testing steps, we can squash it and make Superset even better. Remember, the key is to ensure that the link is copied before any navigation occurs and that users receive feedback about the copy status through toast notifications. By following these guidelines, we can create a smoother and more reliable user experience for everyone. Now, go forth and test!