startTransaction method no longer returning transaction

[crice88]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have checked for existing issues https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-javascript/issues
• I have reviewed the documentation https://docs.sentry.io/
• I am using the latest SDK release https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-javascript/releases

How do you use Sentry?

Saas (sentry.io)

Which package are you using?

@sentry/node

SDK Version

6.18.2

Framework Version

No response

Link to Sentry event

No response

Steps to Reproduce

We are using Nestjs and create spanned transactions for logging. Recently upgraded from 6.11.0 to 6.18.2 and began seeing the issue. Here's just a bit of sample usage:

const { method, headers, url } = this.request;
    const transaction = Sentry.startTransaction({
      name: `Route: ${method} ${url}`,
      op: 'transaction'
    });

    Sentry.getCurrentHub().configureScope((scope) => {
      scope.setSpan(transaction);
      scope.setContext('http', {
        method,
        url,
        headers
      });
    });

Transaction is undefined in this instance so a scope is never configured. I have tested the startTransaction method in two separate projects and both are experiencing the same issue. Downgrading library back to 6.11.0 fixes the issue.

Expected Result

startTransaction method should return an instance of transaction so it can be used for proper scoping.

Actual Result

When pulling the scoped span via Sentry.getCurrentHub().getScope()?.getSpan(); I am receiving undefined as the span was never created properly due to the transaction being undefined.

[lobsterkatie]

Hi, @crice88.

This is very odd. startTransaction, when set up correctly, should always return a transaction, so what this says to me is that the guys of the function aren't getting injected the way they should. Here is the code that does that, which runs when @sentry/tracing is imported.

I can't think right now of any change we've made at all recently which would affect that. Would you be able to provide a minimal repro for us to poke at?

[crice88]

This repo is not mine, but is affected with the same issue

If you were to update the sentry SDK to current in the project, you'll see the error being thrown.

[ericjeker]

Thanks @crice88, saw your message on StackOverflow. I am the owner of the Nest.js example. I can reproduce the bug on my side as well. I am not sure what's happening so far. It seems I have another error in my log:

Sentry Logger [Warn]: Extension method startTransaction couldn't be found, doing nothing.

As you said this started after upgrading from 6.11. My repo hasn't changed since Aug 18, 2021.

[geraldosalazar16]

I am also getting the undefined transaction issue for a Nest JS API. In my case it only happens on windows, I tested on a Macbook Air with an M1 chip and transactions where working properly but tested on two PCs (Windows 10 and 11) and I am not able to create transactions. I also got the idea of trying with version 6.11.0 of @sentry/node and transactions started working

[j-elmer123]

I have the same problem here when I tried to implement https://blog.sentry.io/2021/08/31/guest-post-performance-monitoring-in-graphql#solution it seems I have to use version 6.11.0 for @sentry/node @sentry/tracing and @sentry/types for now.

[sionzee]

Same problem, startTransaction returns undefined on the sentry object

[danizord]

Importing the @sentry/tracing package before calling Sentry.startTransaction() fixed the issue for me.