🐛 [cloud_firestore] [Flutter Web] Docs with null value (says it's undefined) cannot be created or updated in production, but it all works in debug mode

[IvanDeluxe]

Bug report

Describe the bug
Docs with FieldValue.serverTimestamp() cannot be created or updated in release mode.
In debug mode, everything works fine.

Steps to reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

@override
  Future<void> updateItem(Item item) async {
    try {
      final uid = _authService.uid;
      final docRef = _firestore.doc('users/$uid/items/${item.id}');

      var requestBody = item.toJson();
      requestBody['updatedAt'] = FieldValue.serverTimestamp(); // this line causes the error I think

      await docRef.update(requestBody);

      logger.i('SERVICE - updateItem is successful ${docRef.id}');
    } catch (e, s) {
      logger.e('SERVICE - updateItem failed\n$e\n$s');
    }
  }

The above snippet works, but the await docRef.update never actually happens (at least it's not reflected in the app / database).

Expected behavior

The doc should be created / updated.
Also, an error should be present if it failed (there is no error).

---

Additional context

We caught this on the deployed version of our app. In debug mode, everything works ok.

---

Flutter doctor

Run flutter doctor and paste the output below:

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[√] Flutter (Channel stable, 2.8.1, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19043.1415], locale hr-HR)
    • Flutter version 2.8.1 at C:\flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision 77d935af4d (5 days ago), 2021-12-16 08:37:33 -0800
    • Engine revision 890a5fca2e
    • Dart version 2.15.1

[√] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 29.0.3)
    • Android SDK at C:\Users\ivan7\AppData\Local\Android\sdk
    • Platform android-30, build-tools 29.0.3
    • Java binary at: C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\jre\bin\java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_242-release-1644-b01)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[√] Chrome - develop for the web
    • Chrome at C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

[√] Android Studio (version 4.1)
    • Android Studio at C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
       https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
       https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_242-release-1644-b01)

[√] VS Code (version 1.63.2)
    • VS Code at C:\Users\ivan7\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code
    • Flutter extension version 3.29.0

[√] Connected device (2 available)
    • Chrome (web) • chrome • web-javascript • Google Chrome 96.0.4664.110
    • Edge (web)   • edge   • web-javascript • Microsoft Edge 96.0.1054.62

• No issues found!

---

Flutter dependencies

Run flutter pub deps -- --style=compact and paste the output below:

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Dart SDK 2.15.1
Flutter SDK 2.8.1
stocklio_flutter 1.0.0+1

dependencies:
- badges 2.0.2 [flutter]
- cloud_firestore 3.1.5 [cloud_firestore_platform_interface cloud_firestore_web collection firebase_core firebase_core_platform_interface flutter meta]
- cupertino_icons 1.0.4
- excel 2.0.0-null-safety-3 [archive xml equatable]
- firebase_auth 3.3.4 [firebase_auth_platform_interface firebase_auth_web firebase_core firebase_core_platform_interface flutter meta]
- firebase_core 1.10.6 [firebase_core_platform_interface firebase_core_web flutter meta]
- firebase_storage 10.2.4 [firebase_core firebase_core_platform_interface firebase_storage_platform_interface firebase_storage_web flutter]
- fl_chart 0.40.6 [flutter equatable]
- flutter 0.0.0 [characters collection meta typed_data vector_math sky_engine]
- flutter_typeahead 3.2.4 [flutter flutter_keyboard_visibility]
- fluttertoast 8.0.8 [flutter flutter_web_plugins]
- fuzzy 0.4.0-nullsafety.0 [latinize]
- get_it 7.2.0 [async collection]
- image_picker_web 2.1.0 [flutter flutter_web_plugins]
- image_pixels 2.0.1 [flutter]
- intl 0.17.0 [clock path]
- json_annotation 4.4.0 [meta]
- logger 1.1.0
- package_info_plus 1.3.0 [flutter package_info_plus_platform_interface package_info_plus_linux package_info_plus_macos package_info_plus_windows package_info_plus_web]
- path_provider 2.0.8 [flutter path_provider_android path_provider_ios path_provider_linux path_provider_macos path_provider_platform_interface path_provider_windows]
- provider 6.0.1 [collection flutter nested]
- scroll_to_index 2.1.1 [flutter]
- shimmer 2.0.0 [flutter]
- transparent_image 2.0.0
- uuid 3.0.5 [crypto]

dev dependencies:
- auto_route_generator 3.2.0 [build source_gen analyzer path build_runner code_builder dart_style auto_route]
- build_runner 2.1.7 [args async analyzer build build_config build_daemon build_resolvers build_runner_core code_builder collection crypto dart_style frontend_server_client glob graphs http_multi_server io js logging meta mime package_config path pool pub_semver pubspec_parse shelf shelf_web_socket stack_trace stream_transform timing watcher web_socket_channel yaml]
- flutter_test 0.0.0 [flutter test_api path fake_async clock stack_trace vector_math async boolean_selector characters charcode collection matcher meta source_span stream_channel string_scanner term_glyph typed_data]
- freezed 1.1.0 [analyzer build build_config collection meta source_gen freezed_annotation]
- json_serializable 6.1.3 [analyzer async build build_config collection json_annotation meta path pub_semver pubspec_parse source_gen source_helper]
- pedantic 1.11.1

transitive dependencies:
- _fe_analyzer_shared 31.0.0 [meta]
- analyzer 2.8.0 [_fe_analyzer_shared cli_util collection convert crypto glob meta package_config path pub_semver source_span watcher yaml]
- archive 3.1.6 [crypto path]
- args 2.3.0
- async 2.8.2 [collection meta]
- auto_route 3.2.0 [flutter path collection universal_html]
- boolean_selector 2.1.0 [source_span string_scanner]
- build 2.2.1 [analyzer async convert crypto glob logging meta path]
- build_config 1.0.0 [checked_yaml json_annotation path pubspec_parse yaml]
- build_daemon 3.0.1 [built_collection built_value http_multi_server logging path pool shelf shelf_web_socket stream_transform watcher web_socket_channel]
- build_resolvers 2.0.6 [analyzer async build crypto graphs logging path package_config pool pub_semver stream_transform yaml]
- build_runner_core 7.2.3 [async build build_config build_resolvers collection convert crypto glob graphs json_annotation logging meta path package_config pool timing watcher yaml]
- built_collection 5.1.1
- built_value 8.1.3 [built_collection collection fixnum meta]
- characters 1.2.0
- charcode 1.3.1
- checked_yaml 2.0.1 [json_annotation source_span yaml]
- cli_util 0.3.5 [meta path]
- clock 1.1.0
- cloud_firestore_platform_interface 5.4.10 [collection firebase_core flutter meta plugin_platform_interface]
- cloud_firestore_web 2.6.5 [cloud_firestore_platform_interface collection firebase_core firebase_core_web flutter flutter_web_plugins js]
- code_builder 4.1.0 [built_collection built_value collection matcher meta]
- collection 1.15.0
- convert 3.0.1 [typed_data]
- crypto 3.0.1 [collection typed_data]
- csslib 0.17.1 [source_span]
- dart_style 2.2.1 [analyzer args path pub_semver source_span]
- equatable 2.0.3 [collection meta]
- fake_async 1.2.0 [clock collection]
- ffi 1.1.2
- file 6.1.2 [meta path]
- firebase_auth_platform_interface 6.1.9 [firebase_core flutter meta plugin_platform_interface]
- firebase_auth_web 3.3.5 [firebase_auth_platform_interface firebase_core firebase_core_web flutter flutter_web_plugins http_parser intl js meta]
- firebase_core_platform_interface 4.2.3 [collection flutter meta plugin_platform_interface]
- firebase_core_web 1.5.3 [firebase_core_platform_interface flutter flutter_web_plugins js meta]
- firebase_storage_platform_interface 4.0.11 [collection firebase_core flutter meta plugin_platform_interface]
- firebase_storage_web 3.2.5 [async firebase_core firebase_core_web firebase_storage_platform_interface flutter flutter_web_plugins http js meta]
- fixnum 1.0.0
- flutter_keyboard_visibility 5.1.0 [meta flutter_keyboard_visibility_platform_interface flutter_keyboard_visibility_web flutter]
- flutter_keyboard_visibility_platform_interface 2.0.0 [flutter meta plugin_platform_interface]
- flutter_keyboard_visibility_web 2.0.0 [flutter_keyboard_visibility_platform_interface flutter_web_plugins flutter]
- flutter_web_plugins 0.0.0 [flutter js characters collection meta typed_data vector_math]
- freezed_annotation 1.1.0 [collection json_annotation meta]
- frontend_server_client 2.1.2 [async path]
- glob 2.0.2 [async collection file path string_scanner]
- graphs 2.1.0 [collection]
- html 0.15.0 [csslib source_span]
- http 0.13.4 [async http_parser meta path]
- http_multi_server 3.0.1 [async]
- http_parser 4.0.0 [charcode collection source_span string_scanner typed_data]
- io 1.0.3 [meta path string_scanner]
- js 0.6.3
- latinize 0.1.0-nullsafety.0
- logging 1.0.2
- matcher 0.12.11 [stack_trace]
- meta 1.7.0
- mime 1.0.1
- nested 1.0.0 [flutter]
- package_config 2.0.2 [path]
- package_info_plus_linux 1.0.3 [package_info_plus_platform_interface flutter path]
- package_info_plus_macos 1.3.0 [flutter]
- package_info_plus_platform_interface 1.0.2 [flutter meta plugin_platform_interface]
- package_info_plus_web 1.0.4 [flutter flutter_web_plugins http meta package_info_plus_platform_interface]
- package_info_plus_windows 1.0.4 [package_info_plus_platform_interface ffi flutter win32]
- path 1.8.0
- path_provider_android 2.0.9 [flutter path_provider_platform_interface]
- path_provider_ios 2.0.7 [flutter path_provider_platform_interface]
- path_provider_linux 2.1.4 [ffi flutter meta path path_provider_platform_interface xdg_directories]
- path_provider_macos 2.0.4 [flutter meta path_provider_platform_interface]
- path_provider_platform_interface 2.0.1 [flutter meta platform plugin_platform_interface]
- path_provider_windows 2.0.4 [ffi flutter meta path path_provider_platform_interface win32]
- petitparser 4.4.0 [meta]
- platform 3.1.0
- plugin_platform_interface 2.0.2 [meta]
- pool 1.5.0 [async stack_trace]
- process 4.2.4 [file path platform]
- pub_semver 2.1.0 [collection meta]
- pubspec_parse 1.2.0 [checked_yaml collection json_annotation pub_semver yaml]
- shelf 1.2.0 [async collection http_parser path stack_trace stream_channel]
- shelf_web_socket 1.0.1 [shelf stream_channel web_socket_channel]
- sky_engine 0.0.99
- source_gen 1.2.1 [analyzer async build dart_style glob meta path source_span yaml]
- source_helper 1.3.1 [analyzer collection source_gen]
- source_span 1.8.1 [collection path term_glyph]
- stack_trace 1.10.0 [path]
- stream_channel 2.1.0 [async]
- stream_transform 2.0.0
- string_scanner 1.1.0 [charcode source_span]
- term_glyph 1.2.0
- test_api 0.4.3 [async boolean_selector collection meta source_span stack_trace stream_channel string_scanner term_glyph matcher]
- timing 1.0.0 [json_annotation]
- typed_data 1.3.0 [collection]
- universal_html 2.0.8 [async csslib charcode collection html meta source_span typed_data universal_io]
- universal_io 2.0.4 [collection crypto meta typed_data]
- vector_math 2.1.1
- watcher 1.0.1 [async path]
- web_socket_channel 2.1.0 [async crypto stream_channel]
- win32 2.3.1 [ffi]
- xdg_directories 0.2.0 [meta path process]
- xml 5.3.1 [collection meta petitparser]
- yaml 3.1.0 [collection source_span string_scanner]

---

[IvanDeluxe]

Is it possible that this is happening due to the minification process that happens on the web?

I've logged this in the console @ the deployed version (flutter build web --release):

...
updatedAt: minified:cG(Instance of 'minified:ry'), createdAt: Timestamp(seconds=1638295104, nanoseconds=605000000),
...

[IvanDeluxe]

I don't know if it helps, but it's the same behavior with both 'html' & 'canvaskit' renderer.

[IvanDeluxe]

I managed to get logging to work in production, I get these errors:

�[38;5;196m│ ⛔ PROVIDER - createInvoice failed
2main.dart.js:26461 �[38;5;196m│ ⛔ TypeError: null: type 'minified:DH' is not a subtype of type 'String'

�[38;5;196m│ ⛔ SERVICE - updateItem failed
2main.dart.js:26461 �[38;5;196m│ ⛔ [cloud_firestore/invalid-argument] Function DocumentReference.update() called with invalid data. Unsupported field value: undefined (found in field createdAt in document users/guwNUbRIprYvxQaaRmslyv9sOGu2/items/S2tEReaZ7Opdq7KieWYS)

This happens ONLY in production. In debug, none of these errors are present & everything works.

[IvanDeluxe]

This is the Map which tries to get written:

{id: S2tEReaZ7Opdq7KieWYS, name: Chateau Leoville Barton Grand Cru Classe 1996 #zero, type: Vin, variety: Rødvin, unit: ml, itemId: null, size: 750, cost: 1, avgCost: null, globalId: null, updatedAt: FieldValue(Instance of 'FieldValueWeb'), createdAt: null, deleted: false, isNew: false, items: null}

& this is the error:

�[38;5;196m│ ⛔ SERVICE - updateItem failed
2main.dart.js:45419 �[38;5;196m│ ⛔ [cloud_firestore/invalid-argument] Function DocumentReference.update() called with invalid data. Unsupported field value: undefined (found in field createdAt in document users/guwNUbRIprYvxQaaRmslyv9sOGu2/items/S2tEReaZ7Opdq7KieWYS)

This is built with flutter build web --profile btw.

Any help would be appreciated! :)

[IvanDeluxe]

Another example:

This is the Map which tries to get written:

{id: ijbekdgECY9NBxD60WEZ, number: null, url: 1, files: FieldValue(Instance of 'FieldValueWeb'), state: unresolved, userId: guwNUbRIprYvxQaaRmslyv9sOGu2, supplierId: null, updatedAt: FieldValue(Instance of 'FieldValueWeb'), createdAt: FieldValue(Instance of 'FieldValueWeb'), deliveryDate: null, dueDate: null, items: null, foodTotal: null, comments: null, path: users/guwNUbRIprYvxQaaRmslyv9sOGu2/invoices/ijbekdgECY9NBxD60WEZ, deleted: false}

& this is the error:

main.dart.js:45419 �[38;5;196m│ ⛔ [cloud_firestore/invalid-argument] Function DocumentReference.set() called with invalid data. Unsupported field value: undefined (found in field deliveryDate in document users/guwNUbRIprYvxQaaRmslyv9sOGu2/invoices/ijbekdgECY9NBxD60WEZ)

Thanks! :)

[darshankawar]

@IvanDeluxe
Check this issue comment regarding serverTimestamp behavior and see if it helps.

[IvanDeluxe]

Hey @darshankawar :)

Thanks for sharing that link with me :D

I've observed the error & data that is trying to get written .. it seems that in release mode, the fields that are null (not explicitly set, actually, but default to null via a nullable variable such as DateTime?) get passed as undefined to Firestore & that is what's causing this error in production for us.

In debug mode, null gets written as null.

This probably (?) isn't Firestore's fault.