[Due for payment 2025-06-09] [Due for payment 2025-05-28] [Due for payment 2025-05-27] [$125] Help Modal - Help modal is shown when reducing the size of the window

[mitarachim]

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Version Number: v9.1.33-1
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: -
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): gibethlehem@gmail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Device used: Windows / Chrome
App Component: Other

Action Performed:

1. Login to any account
2. reduce the size of the window

Expected Result:

Help modal is not shown when size is reduced

Actual Result:

Help modal is shown briefly when size is reduced

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

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

Screenshots/Videos

Bug6815803_1745885939303.Screen_Recording_2025-04-29_at_3.16.22_at_night.mp4

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• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021920951599807096068
• Upwork Job ID: 1920951599807096068
• Last Price Increase: 2025-05-09
• Automatic offers:
• suneox | Reviewer | 107267322
• nkdengineer | Contributor | 107267324

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @adelekennedy

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @adelekennedy (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.

[nkdengineer]

Proposal

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

Help modal is shown briefly when size is reduced

What is the root cause of that problem?

When we reduce from large screen to small screen the sidePanelWidth is changed from fixed width to windowWidth

App/src/hooks/useSidePanel.ts

Line 64 in 1d48288

const sidePanelWidth = shouldUseNarrowLayout ? windowWidth : variables.sideBarWidth;

then the animation here is triggered which causes the help modal appear briefly

App/src/hooks/useSidePanel.ts

Lines 74 to 93 in 1d48288

	useEffect(() => {
	setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(false);
	Animated.parallel([
	Animated.timing(sidePanelOffset.current, {
	toValue: shouldApplySidePanelOffset ? variables.sideBarWidth : 0,
	duration: CONST.ANIMATED_TRANSITION,
	useNativeDriver: true,
	}),
	Animated.timing(sidePanelTranslateX.current, {
	toValue: shouldHideSidePanel ? sidePanelWidth : 0,
	duration: CONST.ANIMATED_TRANSITION,
	useNativeDriver: true,
	}),
	]).start(() => setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(true));
	}, [shouldHideSidePanel, shouldApplySidePanelOffset, sidePanelWidth]);
	const openSidePanel = useCallback(() => {
	setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(false);
	KeyboardUtils.dismiss();

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

We shouldn't trigger the animation if the help modal is already hidden and has not been changed to show. And in this case, we only change sidePanelTranslateX and sidePanelOffset

const prevShouldHideSidePanel = usePrevious(shouldHideSidePanel);
useEffect(() => {
        if (shouldHideSidePanel && prevShouldHideSidePanel) {
            sidePanelTranslateX.current.setValue(sidePanelWidth);
            sidePanelOffset.current.setValue(shouldApplySidePanelOffset ? variables.sideBarWidth : 0);
            return;
        }

App/src/hooks/useSidePanel.ts

Lines 74 to 93 in 1d48288

	useEffect(() => {
	setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(false);
	Animated.parallel([
	Animated.timing(sidePanelOffset.current, {
	toValue: shouldApplySidePanelOffset ? variables.sideBarWidth : 0,
	duration: CONST.ANIMATED_TRANSITION,
	useNativeDriver: true,
	}),
	Animated.timing(sidePanelTranslateX.current, {
	toValue: shouldHideSidePanel ? sidePanelWidth : 0,
	duration: CONST.ANIMATED_TRANSITION,
	useNativeDriver: true,
	}),
	]).start(() => setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(true));
	}, [shouldHideSidePanel, shouldApplySidePanelOffset, sidePanelWidth]);
	const openSidePanel = useCallback(() => {
	setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(false);
	KeyboardUtils.dismiss();

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

UI issue

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.

[ishakakkad]

Proposal

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

Help modal is shown when reducing the size of the window

What is the root cause of that problem?

We show help model based on following condition.

App/src/components/SidePanel/index.tsx

Lines 8 to 10 in 1d48288

	if (isSidePanelTransitionEnded && shouldHideSidePanel) {
	return null;
	}

Here, we run animation whenever sidePanelWidth is changed based on following logic. And in useEffect setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded is set to false. Because of this we see modal for fraction of time.

App/src/hooks/useSidePanel.ts

Lines 74 to 89 in 1d48288

	useEffect(() => {
	setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(false);
	Animated.parallel([
	Animated.timing(sidePanelOffset.current, {
	toValue: shouldApplySidePanelOffset ? variables.sideBarWidth : 0,
	duration: CONST.ANIMATED_TRANSITION,
	useNativeDriver: true,
	}),
	Animated.timing(sidePanelTranslateX.current, {
	toValue: shouldHideSidePanel ? sidePanelWidth : 0,
	duration: CONST.ANIMATED_TRANSITION,
	useNativeDriver: true,
	}),
	]).start(() => setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(true));
	}, [shouldHideSidePanel, shouldApplySidePanelOffset, sidePanelWidth]);

App/src/hooks/useSidePanel.ts

Line 64 in 1d48288

const sidePanelWidth = shouldUseNarrowLayout ? windowWidth : variables.sideBarWidth;

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

To fix the issue, we can only set setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded to false if !prevShouldHideSidePanel && !shouldHideSidePanel so help modal here not shown in following conditions. By doing this, all other logic remain same.

 const prevShouldHideSidePanel = usePrevious(shouldHideSidePanel);

 useEffect(() => {
        if (!prevShouldHideSidePanel && !shouldHideSidePanel) {
            setIsSidePanelTransitionEnded(false);
        }
        ..... // All existing logic
    }, [shouldHideSidePanel, shouldApplySidePanelOffset, sidePanelWidth]);

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

UI bug

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.

[melvin-bot]

@adelekennedy Whoops! This issue is 2 days overdue. Let's get this updated quick!

[melvin-bot]

@adelekennedy 6 days overdue. This is scarier than being forced to listen to Vogon poetry!

[melvin-bot]

@adelekennedy 8 days overdue is a lot. Should this be a Weekly issue? If so, feel free to change it!

[adelekennedy]

A polish imo but worth it

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021920951599807096068