BUG: using multi-tab persistence, the queries in the secondary tabs don't report metadata.fromCache=false

[atsjo]

Operating System

Latest Windows 10/11 (probably all os)

Browser Version

Latest Chrome/Edge (probably all browsers)

Firebase SDK Version

10.12.2

Firebase SDK Product:

Firestore

Describe your project's tooling

Angular 18 app via newest tooling

Describe the problem

When using multi-tab persistence and realtime listeners via onSnapshot and includeMetadataChanges: true, the queries in secondary tabs never report metadata.fromCache=false, so I cannot detect correct online state for queries when having multiple tabs...

This works fine with 10.12.0, and I tracked down a PR included in 10.12.1 related to a multi-tab issue (#8247) which probably causes this issue. This PR says it fixes that queries in secondary tabs include empty snapshots, but it SHOULD report empty snapshots with changed metadata when includeMetadataChanges=true, or else we cannot determine online state of queries...

Steps and code to reproduce issue

1. create app with multi-tab persistence that opens a realtime listener via onSnapshot and with includeMetadataChanges: true (initializeFirestore(getApp(), { localCache: persistentLocalCache({ tabManager: persistentMultipleTabManager() }) });)
2. Open app in multiple tabs in browser, and observe the the queries in the secondary tabs never report metadata.fromCache=false

[atsjo]

This is NOT a question, but a serious regression introduced in 10.12.1 related to multi-tab persistence...

[milaGGL]

Hi @atsjo, thank you for reporting this issue.

I cannot detect correct online state for queries when having multiple tabs

Are you trying to switch network condition between online and offline, and expecting to see snapshots with "fromCache: true/false"? I have tried in local test app, and it is working as expected.

[atsjo]

No, but my queries always fetch newer than what's in my local cache, so they usually return 0 elements, with fromCache true, but then return 0 again with fromCache false, to signal data is up to date with backend

[milaGGL]

Could you please provide reproduction steps, and what was expected vs what is the current behaviour?

[atsjo]

I'll try to make a repro... I expect to always receive fromCache=false so I know I'm up to date with the server, and I use this to detect if I'm offline or online. This doesn't work in 10.12.2, but DOES work in 10.12.0.