StreamChatNetworkError(code: 1000, message: Unauthorised, token not defined) after rebuild of StreamChat widget

[flodaniel]

Which packages are you using?

stream_chat_flutter, stream_chat_persistance, stream_chat_localizations

On what platforms did you experience the issue?

iOS, Android

What version are you using?

stream_chat_flutter: 8.0.0-beta.2
stream_chat_localizations: 8.0.0-beta.2
stream_chat_persistence: 8.0.0-beta.2

What happened?

I have the below code to manage updates to my client (e.g. user logs out and logs in with a different account). If stream emits for the same user again it seems to create a new instance as i then get StreamChatNetworkError(code: 1000, message: Unauthorised, token not defined) when calling .watch on a channel:

return StreamBuilder(
      stream: StreamChatService.clientStream,
      builder: (context, snapshot) {
        if (snapshot.hasData) {
          return StreamChat(
            backgroundKeepAlive: const Duration(seconds: 5),
            client: snapshot.data!,
            streamChatThemeData: CustomStreamChatTheme.initTheme(context),
            child: child,
          );
        }

        return child ?? const SizedBox();
      },
    );

Steps to reproduce

1. Connect user and create channel
2. Rebuild the widget 
3. Fail to watch another new channel. At at the same time when then trying to open the chat view it crashes on this line:
` final userId = StreamChat.of(context).currentUser!.id;` with `_TypeError (Null check operator used on a null value)`

Supporting info to reproduce

No response

Relevant log output

No response

Flutter analyze output

No response

Flutter doctor output

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[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 34.0.0)
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    • Platform android-34, build-tools 34.0.0
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    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 17.0.7+0-17.0.7b1000.6-10550314)
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Code of Conduct

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[esarbanis]

Hi @flodaniel , why do you use the client itself and not client.currentUserStream?

[flodaniel]

The stream here is a custom stream in my app, that I used to resolve issues when a user logged out and a new user logged in. When that happens I create a new StreamChatClient and this stream emits the new client.

[flodaniel]

I can reproduce a crash on final userId = StreamChat.of(context).currentUser!.id; in the message_list_view after a disconnect and reconnet with a new user when using the belwo code. Other operations like queryChannels work as expected with the new user.

To disconnect:

  Future<void> logout() async {
    try {
      await _tokenRefreshListener?.cancel();
      await _badgeListener?.cancel();
      final token = await _getDeviceToken();
      if (token != null) {
        try {
          await client.removeDevice(token);
        } catch (_) {}
      }
      await client.disconnectUser(flushChatPersistence: true);
    } catch (error, stackTrace) {
      unawaited(SentryService().recordError(error, stackTrace: stackTrace));
    } finally {
      _initialized = null;
    }
  }

To connect:

  Future<OwnUser> _connectUser() async {
    final paveUser = _userRepository.user;
    final streamUsername =
        StreamChatHelper.convertUsernameToStreamUsername(paveUser.username);
    final streamChatUser = User(
      id: streamUsername,
      name: paveUser.displayName,
      image: paveUser.username,
    );
    final tokens = await _authenticationRepository.tokens();
    final streamChatToken = tokens.streamChatToken;
    return await client.connectUser(
      streamChatUser,
      streamChatToken,
    );
  }

Worth to note that the StreamChat widget is not destroyed when the user logs out and logs in again.

Edit:
I fixed it by moving the StreamChat widget further down the tree where it gets destroyed if the user logs out. Not sure if this is still considered a bug then?

[esarbanis]

Thank you for the clarification @flodaniel , I have yet another question, do you use a different apiKey for each user? If not I don't see why you have to recreate the StreamChatClient each time. A connectUser and a disconnectUser should work fine. By keeping the same StreamChatClient instance you can expose its currentUserStream rather than itself.

[flodaniel]

We don't.
We started recreating it due to issues with the unread messages count.

[deven98]

Hey @flodaniel, we generally expect the widget to be recreated when the user changes. We can take a look into keeping the same widget for multiple users once we have more capacity on the team.

Is this still an issue on your end?