Fix: Chat Screen Stuck After Login Or Start Chat Button Press

Hey everyone! We've encountered a rather annoying bug in the frontend chat screen that I wanted to address. Basically, the chat screen sometimes gets stuck displaying the previous chat after a user logs in again or clicks the "Start a Chat" button. This can be super confusing, so let's dive into what's causing it and how we can fix it.

Understanding the Problem

So, what's actually happening? Well, it appears that the issue arises when a user interacts with a specific conversation, logs out, and then logs back in. Instead of displaying a fresh chat screen, the application gets stuck on the last chat they were viewing. It's as if the chat screen is remembering the previous state and not clearing it properly. This can also occur when a user clicks the "Start a Chat" button, expecting a new conversation but seeing the old one instead.

To get a clearer picture, I took a look at the React states within the page, and here’s what I found. It seems like states 3 and 4 are the culprits. These states are not being cleared when they should be, leading to the chat screen getting stuck. You can see this in the image below:

In this image, you can see the React states that are causing the problem. These states persist even after a logout and login, or when the "Start a Chat" button is pressed, which is not the desired behavior.

On the other hand, when the "Start new Chat" button is clicked, these states are cleared as expected. This action resets the chat screen, allowing a new conversation to begin. Here’s an image demonstrating the correct behavior:

As you can see, clicking "Start new Chat" clears out the problematic states, which gives us a clue on how to fix the overall issue. We need to replicate this behavior for logout events and presses of the "Start a Chat" button.

Diving Deep into the Root Cause

To really nail this fix, let's break down the issue further. The problem stems from the fact that certain React states, specifically states 3 and 4, are not being reset or cleared when a user logs out or initiates a new chat. These states likely hold information about the current chat session, such as messages, user details, or other contextual data. When a user logs back in or tries to start a new chat, the application incorrectly retains this old information, leading to the stuck chat screen.

Think of it like this: imagine you're reading a book and you put a bookmark in it. When you open the book again, you expect to start where you left off. But in this case, the bookmark is stuck, and the book won't reset to the beginning of a new chapter. Similarly, our chat screen is holding onto the "bookmark" of the previous chat, preventing a fresh start.

The images provided are crucial in understanding this. The first image shows the states that are persisting incorrectly. These are the states we need to target for clearing. The second image demonstrates the correct behavior – when the "Start new Chat" button is clicked, these states are cleared, and the chat screen resets. This gives us a clear indication of the functionality we need to replicate for logout and the "Start a Chat" button press.

By pinpointing these specific states, we can focus our efforts on implementing a solution that ensures these states are properly cleared. This will involve identifying where these states are managed in the codebase and adding the necessary logic to reset them when a user logs out or starts a new chat.

The Solution: Clearing States on Logout and "Start a Chat"

Okay, so we've identified the problem – now let's talk about the solution. Our goal is to replicate the functionality of the "Start new Chat" button for logout events and when the "Start a Chat" button is pressed. This means we need to clear out states 3 and 4 whenever a user logs out or tries to initiate a new chat.

Here’s the plan:

1. Identify the Code: First, we need to pinpoint the exact code that handles the React states we've identified (states 3 and 4). This will involve digging into the component where the chat functionality is managed.
2. Implement State Clearing on Logout: We'll add logic to clear these states when a user logs out. This might involve adding a handler function that gets triggered during the logout process.
3. Implement State Clearing on "Start a Chat" Button Press: Similarly, we'll ensure that these states are cleared when the "Start a Chat" button is pressed. This might involve modifying the button's onClick handler to include the state-clearing logic.
4. Test Thoroughly: After implementing the changes, we’ll need to test the fix extensively to ensure it works as expected and doesn't introduce any new issues.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Let's break down the implementation steps in a bit more detail:

1. Locate State Management Code:
   • We'll start by identifying the React component responsible for managing the chat screen and its associated states. This typically involves examining the component hierarchy and looking for state-related hooks like useState or state management libraries like Redux or Context API.
   • Once we've found the component, we need to pinpoint where states 3 and 4 are defined and how they are being updated.
2. Implement Logout State Clearing:

   • Next, we need to add logic to clear these states when a user logs out. This often involves the following:

     • Logout Handler: Identify the function that handles the logout process. This function might be part of an authentication service or a component responsible for managing user sessions.
     • State Reset: Within the logout handler, we'll add code to reset states 3 and 4 to their initial values. This could involve setting them to null, an empty array, or whatever the default value should be.

   • For example, if we're using useState, we might have something like this:

     const [chatMessages, setChatMessages] = useState([]);
     const [currentChat, setCurrentChat] = useState(null);
     
     const handleLogout = () => {
         setChatMessages([]);
         setCurrentChat(null);
         // Other logout logic
     };
     

3. Implement "Start a Chat" Button State Clearing:

   • We'll also need to ensure that these states are cleared when the "Start a Chat" button is pressed. This usually involves the following:

     • Button Handler: Find the onClick handler for the "Start a Chat" button.
     • State Reset: Within the button's handler, we'll add the same state-resetting logic we used for the logout handler.

   • Here’s an example:

     const handleStartNewChat = () => {
         setChatMessages([]);
         setCurrentChat(null);
         // Logic to start a new chat
     };
     

4. Testing and Validation:
   • After implementing these changes, thorough testing is essential.
   • We’ll need to test the following scenarios:
     • Logout and Login: Log out and log back in to ensure the chat screen starts fresh.
     • "Start a Chat" Button: Press the "Start a Chat" button to verify that the chat screen resets.
     • Normal Chat Interaction: Use the chat functionality as usual to ensure no new issues have been introduced.
   • Automated tests can also be helpful to ensure the fix remains effective over time.

Let's Get This Fixed!

To recap, the issue we're facing is that the frontend chat screen gets stuck on the previous chat after a user logs in or clicks the "Start a Chat" button. This is due to certain React states not being cleared properly. By replicating the state-clearing behavior of the "Start new Chat" button for logout events and presses of the "Start a Chat" button, we can resolve this problem.

I’m confident that by following the steps outlined above, we can get this bug squashed and provide a smoother experience for our users. Let's work together to implement this fix and make sure our chat screen behaves as expected!

For more information on React state management and best practices, you can check out the official React documentation.