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Bug Fixes and Resolutions

This document consolidates information about significant bugs that were identified and fixed in the Family Shapes application, including their root causes, solutions, and prevention strategies.

User Interface Fixes

Blank Screen Issue

Problem: Users experienced blank screens when loading family trees, particularly with large or complex trees.

Root Cause:

  • Layout calculation was blocking the main thread
  • Race condition between data loading and rendering
  • Missing error boundaries for failed layout calculations

Solution:

  1. Implemented asynchronous layout calculation
  2. Added proper loading states during tree initialization
  3. Implemented error boundaries with fallback rendering
  4. Added retry mechanism for failed layout calculations

Prevention:

  • Added end-to-end tests for large tree loading
  • Implemented performance monitoring for layout calculations
  • Added error logging for layout failures

Duplicate Entities

Problem: Duplicate person records appeared in family trees and connection lists.

Root Cause:

  • Race conditions in creation operations
  • Missing uniqueness constraints in the database
  • Client-side caching issues with stale data

Solution:

  1. Added database constraints for uniqueness based on composite keys
  2. Implemented optimistic updates with proper error handling
  3. Added deduplication logic in the data fetching layer
  4. Improved cache invalidation strategies

Prevention:

  • Added unique indexes in the database
  • Implemented validation in API endpoints
  • Added tests for concurrent operations

Data Management Fixes

User Profile Multiple Records

Problem: Some users had multiple profile records, causing inconsistent data and UI issues.

Root Cause:

  • Missing transaction handling in profile creation
  • Race conditions during signup/authentication
  • Incomplete cleanup after failed operations

Solution:

  1. Implemented database transactions for profile creation
  2. Added uniqueness constraints on user_id in profiles table
  3. Created a cleanup script to merge duplicate profiles
  4. Improved error handling during profile creation

Prevention:

  • Added database constraints
  • Implemented idempotent profile creation
  • Added monitoring for duplicate profile detection

RLS Policy Bug

Problem: Row Level Security policies were not correctly filtering data, causing potential data leakage.

Root Cause:

  • Incorrect policy definitions for complex relationships
  • Missing conditions for organization membership
  • Inconsistent policy application across tables

Solution:

  1. Rewrote RLS policies with comprehensive conditions
  2. Added tests to verify policy effectiveness
  3. Implemented policy validation in CI pipeline
  4. Added logging for policy evaluation in development

Prevention:

  • Created a policy testing framework
  • Added documentation for policy patterns
  • Implemented regular policy audits

Family Tree Fixes

Family Trees User Profile Fix

Problem: Family trees were not correctly associated with user profiles, causing trees to disappear or appear for the wrong users.

Root Cause:

  • Incorrect foreign key relationships
  • Missing cascade delete rules
  • Inconsistent permission checks

Solution:

  1. Corrected foreign key relationships between users, profiles, and trees
  2. Implemented proper cascade rules for deletions
  3. Added comprehensive permission checks for tree access
  4. Created data repair script for affected trees

Prevention:

  • Added referential integrity constraints
  • Implemented permission tests
  • Added monitoring for orphaned trees

Connection Management Fixes

Connection Manager Issues

Problem: The connection manager had several issues including failed connections, duplicate connections, and incorrect relationship types.

Root Cause:

  • Race conditions in connection creation
  • Missing validation for relationship types
  • Incorrect handling of bidirectional relationships

Solution:

  1. Implemented transaction-based connection creation
  2. Added comprehensive validation for relationship types
  3. Improved handling of bidirectional relationships
  4. Created a connection repair utility for fixing inconsistencies

Prevention:

  • Added database constraints for valid connections
  • Implemented validation in API endpoints
  • Added tests for complex connection scenarios

Connections Loading Fix

Problem: Connections were not loading correctly, particularly for large family trees.

Root Cause:

  • Inefficient query patterns causing N+1 problems
  • Missing indexes for common query patterns
  • Client-side state management issues

Solution:

  1. Optimized database queries with proper joins
  2. Added indexes for common query patterns
  3. Implemented batched loading for connections
  4. Improved client-side state management for connections

Prevention:

  • Added query performance monitoring
  • Implemented query testing with EXPLAIN ANALYZE
  • Added pagination for large connection sets

Donor Portal Fixes

Donor Portal Bug Report

Problem: Several issues were reported in the donor portal, including profile updates not saving, privacy settings not applying, and notification failures.

Root Cause:

  • Form submission errors
  • Incorrect permission checks for privacy settings
  • Notification service configuration issues

Solution:

  1. Fixed form submission handling with proper validation
  2. Corrected permission checks for privacy settings
  3. Reconfigured notification service with proper error handling
  4. Added comprehensive logging for donor portal operations

Prevention:

  • Implemented end-to-end tests for donor workflows
  • Added monitoring for critical donor operations
  • Created a donor portal test checklist

Conclusion

The bug fixes documented here represent significant improvements to the Family Shapes application's stability, security, and performance. By understanding the root causes and implementing comprehensive solutions, we've not only fixed the immediate issues but also put in place prevention measures to avoid similar problems in the future.

For any new bugs discovered, please follow the established process for reporting, tracking, and fixing issues, and update this document with significant fixes that may be relevant for future reference.