Cannot create '_GlobalConfig' entry of type 'File'

[mross22]

When trying to create a new entry in Config of type 'File', parse server does not properly store the value in config

Steps to reproduce

Please include a detailed list of steps that reproduce the issue. Include curl commands when applicable.

1. Create a new config value with type 'File' through the REST API
2. Issue a POST to /parse/config with the following body:
   {
   "params": {
   "test": {
   "__type": "File",
   "name": "98a385dbd42e07c932d4d012291295cc_default_tango_sku_2.json",
   "url": "https://parse-server-dev.herokuapp.com/parse/files/{App ID}/98a385dbd42e07c932d4d012291295cc_default_tango_sku_2.json"
   }
   },
   "_method": "PUT",
   "_ApplicationId": "{Application Id}",
   "_ClientVersion": "js1.6.14",
   "_MasterKey": "{Master Key}",
   "_InstallationId": "{Installation Id}"
   }

(this body was modeled after what is generated from the parse dashboard when trying to create a new config value of type 'File')

3. Alternatively, if you have parse dashboard set up you can use it to try to create a new config value of type 'File' and see that after reloading the page, the new value is treated as type 'String'

Expected Results

Expected result if to have a new config value named 'test' that is of type: 'File'.

Actual Outcome

Actual outcome is that a new config value called 'test' is created and is of type 'String'

Environment Setup

• Server

  • parse-server version (Be specific! Don't say 'latest'.) : 2.3.2
  • Operating System: Linux
  • Hardware: Heroku Standard Dyno
  • Localhost or remote server? (AWS, Heroku, Azure, Digital Ocean, etc): Heroku

• Database

  • MongoDB version: 3.0.12
  • Hardware: mlab standard
  • Localhost or remote server? (AWS, mLab, ObjectRocket, Digital Ocean, etc): mlab

[mross22]

I think I have narrowed down the issue to the code in MongoTransform.js (Specifically FileCoder.JSONToDatabase):
https://github.com/ParsePlatform/parse-server/blob/4cb6e7d209903990c02e2e3f1a9bcd4aa03983aa/src/Adapters/Storage/Mongo/MongoTransform.js

When transforming a 'File' to be written to the database, it just writes the 'name' field of the file instead of the remaining information. I assume this works in other places within parse server (for example when a class has a field of type 'File') because the schema dictates that the field is a 'File' but on the '_GlobalConfig' object, if the name is just stored as a string then the config will be treated as a 'String' not a 'File'

[flovilmart]

Uhm... we obviously treat _GlobalConfig as any other ParseObject which is bad as it isn't backed by a shema. We should probably not transform any of the values there.

[mross22]

Yeah I'm happy to take a stab at fixing it. I figured there was a reason that 'Files' were being transformed in this way for other cases (for example when a 'File' is a field on a parse object) so I couldn't just alter this code.

It looks like we have access here to the className so I could add some special logic for className="_GlobalConfig" and type = 'File', does that sound reasonable?

[flovilmart]

Let's see how it looks like, or if we can extract in a more general way. Not a big fan of 'class specific' code in the transformation funcs, but something else may be problematic as well.

[mross22]

Sent out a PR here:
#3458

Let me know what you think when you have a chance

[dplewis]

Closed via #3531