Periodic "TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'userNameTable')"

[capi]

Description:

Since at least 7.7.4 (maybe earlier, I don't have any logs going back further), there is periodic error in exportRoomMessagesToFile:

rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | +---------------------------------------------------------+
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |                                                         |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |  Rocket.Chat Version: 7.8.1                             |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |       NodeJS Version: 22.14.0 - x64                     |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |      MongoDB Version: 6.0.24                            |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |       MongoDB Engine: wiredTiger                        |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |             Platform: linux                             |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |         Process Port: 3000                              |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |             Site URL: https://<redacted>                |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |     ReplicaSet OpLog: Enabled                           |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |          Commit Hash: 0c317d96a4                        |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |        Commit Branch: HEAD                              |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |                                                         |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | +---------------------------------------------------------+
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.723Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSIT: Connecting to the transporter...
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.726Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSPORTER: TCP server is listening on port 40809
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.726Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSPORTER: UDP Discovery is disabled.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.727Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSPORTER: TCP Transporter started.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.239Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/REGISTRY: '$node' service is registered.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.241Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/REGISTRY: 'matrix' service is registered.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.241Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/$NODE: Service '$node' started.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.242Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/MATRIX: Service 'matrix' started.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.242Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/BROKER: ? ServiceBroker with 2 service(s) started successfully in 519ms.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'userNameTable')
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at hideUserName (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:16:16)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at getMessageData (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:71:31)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:227:25
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Array.forEach (<anonymous>)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessages (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:226:10)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessagesToFile (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:284:50)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at continueExportOperation (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:181:25)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Module.processDataDownloads (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:264:2)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at runCronJobFunctionAndPersistResult (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:14:18)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Object.fn (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:130:4)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at /app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/agenda/src/Job.ts:252:6
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'userNameTable')
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at hideUserName (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:16:16)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at getMessageData (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:71:31)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:227:25
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Array.forEach (<anonymous>)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessages (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:226:10)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessagesToFile (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:284:50)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at continueExportOperation (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:181:25)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Module.processDataDownloads (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:264:2)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at runCronJobFunctionAndPersistResult (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:14:18)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Object.fn (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:130:4)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at /app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/agenda/src/Job.ts:252:6

Steps to reproduce:

Unknown, this behavior is there, I think it is due to some state in the database. I'm also happy with getting a hint how I can fix the problematic entry in MongoDB.

Expected behavior:

This error should not be periodically logged.

Actual behavior:

It is periodically logged.

Server Setup Information:

• Version of Rocket.Chat Server: 7.7.4, 7.8.0, 7.8.1
• License Type: Starter
• Number of Users: 17
• Operating System: Linux
• Deployment Method: Docker
• Number of Running Instances: 1
• DB Replicaset Oplog:
• NodeJS Version: 22.14.0 - x64
• MongoDB Version: 6.0.24

Client Setup Information

n/a

Additional context

Relevant logs:

See above.

[ashutosh-engineer]

I’d like to work on this issue (#36479). Forked the repo and starting local setup now 👍

[4rch50nist]

@capi I read that you do not have a way to reproduce this, but has this happened after you reported it? again?
I have a (potential soft) fix but I cannot confirm until I actually test it out.

[capi]

@4rch50nist Sorry, did not notice, since there was a typo in my username :-)

Yes, this is still all over my logs. It still is logged every few minutes, since it originates from a cron task.

[4rch50nist]

@capi , my apologies too.
I have a PR : (#36508) on this very issue.
Let me know if the changed code helps / suppresses the logs.

[capi]

@4rch50nist Is there an easy way to try it out? I'm just deploying the official docker image and I have no development environment available.

[4rch50nist]

@capi, I replicated your set up. So I will test it out on my own locally.
Am I right in saying that the cron is exporting message data from some channel?

[capi]

@4rch50nist I have not setup anything, this is something internal. If you can tell me how I can check the jobs it periodically tries to run, I can have a look. Is it in a table in MongoDB?

[RokkuCode]

I have the same problem with Rocket.Chat 7.10.0. Any news on this how to fix it under docker deployment?

[Rillke]

I suppose the cron job is invoked when people exercise their EU rights to export their personal data from Rocket.Chat, which was introduced with #9768 . Can someone who gets the error message in the issue description confirm this feature still works for anyone in 7.10.5 (or any recent version) ? You'll find it under Profile Picture -> Preferences -> My Data -> Download My Data (HTML). Thanks.

[Rillke]

I see this being fixed in #37387
It would be greatly appreciated if this fix could be backported to current and LTS releases. Thanks!