`Metadata: null` when retrieving series DOI link

[iannesbitt]

Describe the bug When retrieving a series DOI (for example: doi:10.24431/rw1k8fz), the metadata document returns as Metadata: null. Viewing the same dataset with the exact DOI version link directly does not show this issue (for example: doi:10.24431_rw1k8fz_20241021T144253Z.

Using the Inspector to disable using cached data seems to solve this issue, and everything loads just fine.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Go to doi:10.24431/rw1k8fz
2. Scroll down to Files and Folders
3. See Metadata: null error
4. If no error appears, refresh and return to step 3.
5. Open Inspector and check Disable Cache
6. Refresh page
7. Metadata document should populate ok

Expected behavior Metadata document should load at all times

Screenshots If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: Mac OS
• Browser: Firefox
• Version: 133.0

[iannesbitt]

This was reported in Slack: https://dataoneorg.slack.com/archives/C2ASPD868/p1735581601890769

[mbjones]

This is consistent across multiple browsers and versions for me (FF, Brave, Safari).

I spent a few minutes in the javascript debugger with this, and found out a few interesting tidbits.

• The fileName attribute in the model is indeed null after exiting the block on line 245 of DataItemView.js
• Backtracing this to where that data comes from, I went all the way back to where the data package is loaded on line 216 of MetadataView.js
  • 216 const dataOneObject = new ScienceMetadata({ id: this.model.get("id") });

When I set a breakpoint on line 216 and execute that line, I see that fileName is null:

• dataOneObject.attributes.fileName: null

Interestingly, after setting that breakpoint and inspecting the property, if I then hit "Continue" in the debugger, then the property gets filled in and displays the title in the UI without a problem. But, if I don't stop in the debugger, then the Metadata: null shows up in the UI. So, there seems to be a timing issue where the values are not populated yet at render time, but delaying a second or so allows them to get filled in. As @iannesbitt said, it only seems to happen when the Cache is not disabled. Here's a quick video showing the effect:

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7de1f2bd-86e6-40e0-a988-286cda6504c5

[robyngit]

Thanks for the report and investigation @iannesbitt and @mbjones! @rushirajnenuji, does this tie in with any of the other intermittent hierarchical data package bugs? Maybe the root cause is the same?