A message that was already sent and properly unfurled, when you forward it, the unfurl disappear and it's just the url

[JohnTheodore]

I searched for this issue and didn't find it already.

I'm using signal desktop on a mac M1, latest updates, signal version -> "5.47.0 production (M1)". I'm using no third party packages or modifications, it's all default.

Steps to reproduce this bug...

Step 1. paste a tweet intot he input box of a chat (wait 5 seconds for the unfurl :()
Step 2. hit enter
Step 3. observe the url has been sent and properly unfurled
Step 4. Forward the message to another chat
Step 5. observe that the unfurl is gone, and now it's just the url string alone, with no unfurl

I expect a forwarded message to preserve all of it's presentation, and there shouldn't be a need to unfurl it again. It should just forward the whole presentation of the message?

[indutny-signal]

Thanks for your report, and sorry for the inconvenience. I tried reproducing it with https://signal.org/ link in the message and it appears that link previews (unfurl) load correctly for me when forwarding.

Does it reproduce for you consistently? Could you provide some screenshots, please?

[JohnTheodore]

After you prompted me to try reproducing this, I realized that I sent the message potentially "too fast". If I forward and wait, it unfurls. If I forward quickly and hit send, it doesn't have time to unfurl. I just assumed it would take the old unfurl from the source message, and mirror that verbatim to the destination it is forwarded to. Perhaps the business logic is more complex than I realized since the website could have changed, and it would be a different unfurl. Therefore it currently unfurls again and again, for each forward message attempt?

Here is a youtube URL that I put in my "Notes to Self" (that unfurled properly).

?

I "quickly" forwarded this to a friend and it shows this way:

I can forward this message again, wait, and it will unfurl and forward "properly". I'm always struggling to train myself to wait 3 seconds to ensure the unfurl works, and sometimes I miss it. I wish there is a preference that I could opt-in to where when I send a URL and hit enter, it automatically tries to unfurl until the current default timeout, and if the unfurl succeeds, it sends the unfurled URL. Then I don't have to wait since the client would wait for me automatically taking care of the unfurl with the necessary delay.

[indutny-signal]

Ah, I see. Thanks!

[JohnTheodore]

My initial reason for thinking this is a bug no longer applies. What are your thoughts on a feature where you can hit enter and it automatically waits and tries to unfurl? This would make the user experience more consistent and predictable. This ticket would go from a bug to a feature request though. Should this close and I'd make another ticket?

[indutny-signal]

This sounds like a feature request indeed. However, you can just open a request for that while keeping this ticket alive! It is not one or another, we can do both 😁

[aeturnum]

I came to file a similar bug - I thought that Signal would preserve the fetched preview, but instead it spit out raw texts to all my friends. I took a while doing it - but all of the messages went out without the preview :(

Expected (image of message that I forwarded):

Actual (message delivered):

[jamiebuilds-signal]

@aeturnum When you forwarded the message did it include a link? Its cut off so I can't tell

[aeturnum]

@jamiebuilds-signal Yes, sorry - the same URL is in both messages. It's an invite to an upcoming event in my home so I didn't want to include it.

Edit: I would be happy to provide it for debugging if that is useful

[jamiebuilds-signal]

@aeturnum If you're able to consistently reproduce it with that link that would be useful, if it was just a one time thing, maybe you forwarded it before the link preview loaded?

We don't reuse the link preview from the previous message, we fetch it from scratch when you go to forward it, so if you forwarded it really quickly its possible it wasn't done loading.

[aeturnum]

@jamiebuilds-signal When does the timer start for the forward-unfurling? I selected the message to forward and then spent a while selecting recipients. I waited a long time after opening the "forward" dialog - but I probably sent it as soon as I had selected everyone.

[jamiebuilds-signal]

It appears to start when you get to the screen after the contact selection

[aeturnum]

I just forwarded the same message to myself and waited 15 seconds before hitting the send arrow. No preview.