signal - effect() not always triggered when the signal is updated

[rlejeune]

Which @angular/* package(s) are the source of the bug?

core

Is this a regression?

No

Description

Not sure if this is a bug, or if I use effect() wrong.

I have this effect in the constructor, I tried with patchValue too btw same result.

effect(() => {
   this.organizationForm?.controls['name'].setValue(this.organization().name);
});

And this code which is called when the form is saved, which should trigger the effect but it does not

const organization = await this.service.saveOrg();
this.organization.update(() => organization);

If I change the code in the effect for this, then it is triggered.

effect(() => {
   const name = this.organization().name;
   this.organizationForm?.controls['name'].setValue(name);
});

Any reason why assigning the signal value to a const first before setting the form value works, but not if used directly?

Thank you!

Please provide a link to a minimal reproduction of the bug

No response

Please provide the exception or error you saw

No response

Please provide the environment you discovered this bug in (run ng version)

Angular CLI: 16.1.5
Node: 16.16.0
Package Manager: npm 9.7.2
OS: linux x64

Angular: 16.1.7
... animations, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms
... localize, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, router

Package                         Version
---------------------------------------------------------
@angular-devkit/architect       0.1601.5
@angular-devkit/build-angular   16.1.5
@angular-devkit/core            16.1.5
@angular-devkit/schematics      16.1.5
@angular/cli                    16.1.5
@schematics/angular             16.1.5
rxjs                            7.8.1
typescript                      5.1.6
zone.js                         0.13.1

Anything else?

No response

[pkozlowski-opensource]

Could you please share a reproduction in a stackblitz? It is kind of hard to understand what is going on here without more details. I do have some "suspect areas" but again, impossible to say without a reproduce scenario.

[rlejeune]

While trying to reproduce it, it looks like the problem is caused by a third party lib, ng-zorro-antd.

I cannot reproduce it without the lib

Sorry for your time and thanks!

[JoostK]

To provide some additional insight:

this.organizationForm?.controls['name'].setValue(this.organization().name);

The above usage of optional chaining may bail the execution of the remainder of the expression (if this.organizationForm is undefined/null) which prevents the argument list to setValue from being evaluated. As such, the signal would not be read and no dependency would be registered, hence the effect would never rerun.

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