[v8] getValue should return a null value for nested keys

[dennemark]

Describe the bug

The issue is related to this issue: #4320 (comment)
The prior issue was solved by introducing an elaborate error message for undefined nested keys.

In a case, where some rows might have nested keys and others not, it is possible to catch the error of getValue, it is not nice though. Furthermore, this also adds up to other functions like getRowModel, when filters are used. So each function would need to get a try catch.

try { cell.getValue() } catch { console.error("🙈") }

The alternative approach would be, to create an entry for each nested key in each row. But it can be annoying for nested objects.

data.forEach((entry)=>{
  if(!(nestedKey0 in entry)){
     entry[nestedKey0] = {}
   }
   if(!(nestedKey1 in entry)){
      entry[nestedKey0][nestedKey1] = null;
   }
})

I would propose returning a null value, if the nested key is missing.

table/packages/table-core/src/core/column.ts

Line 58 in 7b92953

result = result[key]

for (const key of accessorKey.split('.')) {
   if(!(key in result)){
     return null
    }
    result = result[key]
    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production' && result === undefined) {
       throw new Error(
       `"${key}" in deeply nested key "${accessorKey}" returned undefined.`
        )
     }
}

Your minimal, reproducible example

https://codesandbox.io/s/dark-sky-pwysi7?file=/src/main.tsx

Steps to reproduce

See codesandbox.
Toggle line 29 comment in main.tsx and see how it works/fails.

I am not using columnHelper, since my use case has a nested Record<string, any> object without proper typing.

Expected behavior

If getValue() returns null for nested keys, it won´t fail.

How often does this bug happen?

No response

Screenshots or Videos

No response

Platform

• all

react-table version

v.8.5.22

TypeScript version

No response

Additional context

I am not fully sure, if getValue() should return null or undefined, since I am not familiar enough with tanstack table and possible side effects.

Terms & Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct
• I understand that if my bug cannot be reliable reproduced in a debuggable environment, it will probably not be fixed and this issue may even be closed.

[rasgo-cc]

I'm just trying to migrate from v7 and ended up coming across this on v8.7.0. It seems to me the table shouldn't throw an error if value is undefined on the data level (not when rendering it, as React doesn't allow to render an undefined value).

This was introduced here:
74be927

[GRA0007]

I have some nested keys that are sometimes returned as undefined or null from my backend, both of which mean different things about that data, so it would not be great if it was always converted to a null by getValue().

[marciado]

I really want to use this table extension in my vue project. But I have optional returned parameters in my response from server. So I know that there are deeply nested keys which are undefined / does not exists.
The extensions spams my whole console every time I do an interaction with it...
"updated" in deeply nested key "attributes.updated" returned undefined.

Is there any possibility to at least disable the warning messages? Will it also work in production?

I would be very happy about an answer, otherwise I unfortunately can not use the extension. Can I ask kindly for your opinion @tannerlinsley?

[paulblackmore]

I have a work around that might help people

columnHelper.accessor( (row) => row?.mostRecentAnalysis?.risk, { header: t('plots.table.risk') ?? '', cell: (info) => ( <StatusIndicator text={deforestationRiskMapping(info.getValue())} /> ), } ),

[0ctothorp]

#4499 (comment)

Is there any possibility to at least disable the warning messages? Will it also work in production?

Oh, that would be awesome. My console is spammed with these warnings and when dealing with more data it even freezes the app for a moment in the development 😩

[allan-cannon]

IMO the current API feels like it breaks the TS contract. If you use an accessor key for an optional nested property then the type of getValue() does not match the real type of the property because it drops undefined.

I get why it does that, but also it means that anyone who uses the framework has to just know not to do that. It would be much better if it either prevented you from using accessor keys for optional nested properties or returned undefined in addition to the nested key type. As it stands now it's a foot gun.