[Better Expense Report View] [$250] Web - Reports - Unable to play video in Reports > Chats

[mitarachim]

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Version Number: 9.1.24-2
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: No
If this was caught on HybridApp, is this reproducible on New Expensify Standalone?: N/A
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from TestRail: Exp
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): [email protected]
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Device used: Mac 15.3 / Chrome
App Component: Search

Action Performed:

1. Go to staging.new.expensify.com
2. Go to chat.
3. Upload a video.
4. Go to Reports.
5. Go to Chats.
6. Click on the video.

Expected Result:

The video will play.

Actual Result:

The video does not play. Nothing happens after clicking on the video.
If Reports page is refreshed, the video will play. When switching between Reports and Inbox, the video does not play again in Reports > Chats.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

• Android: Standalone
• Android: HybridApp
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: Standalone
• iOS: HybridApp
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• MacOS: Chrome / Safari
• MacOS: Desktop

Screenshots/Videos

Bug6795602_1744077155211.20250408_095048.mp4

View all open jobs on GitHub

Upwork Automation - Do Not Edit

• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021909486704097387391
• Upwork Job ID: 1909486704097387391
• Last Price Increase: 2025-04-08
• Automatic offers:
• DylanDylann | Reviewer | 106833583

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @miljakljajic

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @miljakljajic (Bug), see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/14418 for more details. Please add this bug to a GH project, as outlined in the SO.

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @techievivek (DeployBlockerCash), see https://stackoverflowteams.com/c/expensify/questions/9980/ for more details.

[melvin-bot]

💬 A slack conversation has been started in #expensify-open-source

[github-actions]

👋 Friendly reminder that deploy blockers are time-sensitive ⏱ issues! Check out the open `StagingDeployCash` deploy checklist to see the list of PRs included in this release, then work quickly to do one of the following:

1. Identify the pull request that introduced this issue and revert it.
2. Find someone who can quickly fix the issue.
3. Fix the issue yourself.

[mkzie2]

Proposal

Please re-state the problem that we are trying to solve in this issue.

The video does not play. Nothing happens after clicking on the video.
If Reports page is refreshed, the video will play. When switching between Reports and Inbox, the video does not play again in Reports > Chats.

What is the root cause of that problem?

1. On the search page, reportID is undefined

App/src/components/VideoPlayerContexts/PlaybackContext.tsx

Line 111 in 689e60c

setCurrentReportID(reportID);

App/src/components/VideoPlayerPreview/index.tsx

Line 49 in 689e60c

function VideoPlayerPreview({videoUrl, thumbnailUrl, reportID, fileName, videoDimensions, videoDuration, onShowModalPress, isDeleted}: VideoPlayerPreviewProps) {

But the currentReportID is always the topmost reportID or reportID from the params. This causes currentPlayReportID not to be the same reportID on the search page, and the video can't play.

App/src/components/VideoPlayerContexts/PlaybackContext.tsx

Line 131 in 689e60c

const currentPlayReportID = [attachmentReportID, reportIDWithUrl, currentReportID].find((id) => id !== undefined);

2. !firstRenderRoute.isFocused is never true if we the play the video in preview on large screen.

App/src/components/VideoPlayerPreview/index.tsx

Lines 80 to 85 in 689e60c

	if (videoUrl !== currentlyPlayingURL || reportID !== currentlyPlayingURLReportID || !firstRenderRoute.isFocused) {
	return;
	}
	setIsThumbnail(false);
	}, [currentlyPlayingURL, currentlyPlayingURLReportID, updateCurrentlyPlayingURL, videoUrl, reportID, firstRenderRoute]);

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

1. If the focused route is not an attachment route or report screen route, reportID should be undefined

if (Navigation.getActiveRouteWithoutParams() !== `/${ROUTES.ATTACHMENTS.route}` && focusedRoute?.name !== SCREENS.REPORT) {
    reportID = undefined;
} else {
    reportID = Navigation.getActiveRouteWithoutParams() === `/${ROUTES.ATTACHMENTS.route}` ? prevCurrentReportID : reportID;
}

App/src/components/VideoPlayerContexts/PlaybackContext.tsx

Line 98 in 689e60c

const updateCurrentPlayingReportID = useCallback(

2. This hook should return true in large screen

const {shouldUseNarrowLayout} = useResponsiveLayout();

get isFocused() {
    if (!shouldUseNarrowLayout) {
        return true;
    }
    const activeRoute = Navigation.getActiveRouteWithoutParams();
    const allRoutesToConsider = [initialRoute.current, ...(focusExceptionRoutes ?? [])];
    return allRoutesToConsider.includes(activeRoute);
},

App/src/hooks/useFirstRenderRoute.ts

Line 12 in 689e60c

get isFocused() {

What specific scenarios should we cover in automated tests to prevent reintroducing this issue in the future?

NA

What alternative solutions did you explore? (Optional)

Reminder: Please use plain English, be brief and avoid jargon. Feel free to use images, charts or pseudo-code if necessary. Do not post large multi-line diffs or write walls of text. Do not create PRs unless you have been hired for this job.

[techievivek]

I think it could be loosely related to this PR https://github.com/Expensify/App/pull/59430/files, we didn't handle this specific case.

[techievivek]

I will demote this since it's not very concerning bug and the video plays if refreshed.

[techievivek]

And going to pass move this to external.

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021909486704097387391

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to Contributor-plus team member for initial proposal review - @getusha (External)

[melvin-bot]

📣 @DylanDylann 🎉 An offer has been automatically sent to your Upwork account for the Contributor role 🎉 Thanks for contributing to the Expensify app!

Offer link
Upwork job
Please accept the offer and leave a comment on the Github issue letting us know when we can expect a PR to be ready for review 🧑‍💻
Keep in mind: Code of Conduct | Contributing 📖

[melvin-bot]

📣 @DylanDylann 🎉 An offer has been automatically sent to your Upwork account for the Reviewer role 🎉 Thanks for contributing to the Expensify app!

Offer link
Upwork job

[mountiny]

Classified it in the right project for better tracking @JakubKorytko @DylanDylann Coul you please check the proposals, and we can let contributors fix this but ideally with urgency. Thank you!

[miljakljajic]

Thank you!

[DylanDylann]

Thanks for all the proposals. But after discussing it with @JakubKorytko, we decided to develop a new solution. @JakubKorytko will raise a PR to fix this issue

[melvin-bot]

⚠️ Looks like this issue was linked to a Deploy Blocker here

If you are the assigned CME please investigate whether the linked PR caused a regression and leave a comment with the results.

If a regression has occurred and you are the assigned CM follow the instructions here.

If this regression could have been avoided please consider also proposing a recommendation to the PR checklist so that we can avoid it in the future.

[JakubKorytko]

FYI blocker should be removed #60223 (comment)

[melvin-bot]

⚠️ Looks like this issue was linked to a Deploy Blocker here

If you are the assigned CME please investigate whether the linked PR caused a regression and leave a comment with the results.

If a regression has occurred and you are the assigned CM follow the instructions here.

If this regression could have been avoided please consider also proposing a recommendation to the PR checklist so that we can avoid it in the future.

[mountiny]

Fake news

[trjExpensify]

I think we can close this.

[mountiny]

Yeah lets close

[DylanDylann]

@trjExpensify Please help to handle payment to me as @mountiny said this should be handled outside the scope of the project

[mountiny]

Ah right, this went beyond just the previews as the logic was refactored to work well across pages. Lets issue a separate payment of $250 to @DylanDylann

[miljakljajic]

I'll handle the payment if it hasn't been created already!

[mountiny]

Yes please, thank you @miljakljajic

[miljakljajic]

Payment summary for @DylanDylann (as per this comment)

@DylanDylann is owed 250 USD. Please make a request via NewDot.