OpenMetadata: Bug In Bulk Editing Nested Glossary Terms

Experiencing issues with bulk editing nested glossary terms in OpenMetadata? You're not alone! This article dives into a specific bug affecting users of OpenMetadata version 1.10.12 when attempting to edit glossary terms with nested structures. We'll explore the problem, how to reproduce it, the expected behavior, and potential solutions or workarounds. Let's get started and unravel this OpenMetadata puzzle.

The OpenMetadata Nested Glossary Term Editing Bug

This bug manifests itself when users try to bulk edit glossary terms that contain nested terms within OpenMetadata. Instead of the expected editing interface, users are greeted with a persistent spinning wheel, effectively blocking them from making any changes. This can be a major roadblock for data governance and metadata management, especially in organizations that heavily rely on well-structured glossaries for data discovery and understanding.

Affected Module: Governance - Nested Glossary Term in the UI

The issue specifically lies within the Governance module of OpenMetadata, particularly in the user interface (UI) section responsible for handling nested glossary terms. This narrows down the scope of the problem, helping developers focus their efforts on the relevant code components. Understanding the affected module is crucial for efficient debugging and resolution.

The Bug: A Spinning Wheel of Frustration

The core symptom of this bug is the endless spinning wheel that appears when attempting to edit a glossary term with nested terms. This visual cue indicates that the application is stuck in a loading state, unable to retrieve the necessary data or render the editing form. For users, this translates to a complete standstill, preventing them from performing essential glossary management tasks.

How to Reproduce the Bug

Reproducing a bug is the first step towards fixing it. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to trigger the spinning wheel issue in OpenMetadata:

1. Navigate to a Glossary Term with Nested Terms: Begin by accessing a glossary term within your OpenMetadata instance that has child terms or nested terms associated with it. This is a key requirement for triggering the bug.
2. Click on Edit: Once you've selected the glossary term, locate and click the “Edit” button or similar control that initiates the editing process.
3. Witness the Spinning Wheel: Upon clicking Edit, you should observe the spinning wheel icon, indicating that the application is attempting to load something. If the bug is present, this spinning wheel will persist indefinitely, preventing any further interaction.

By following these steps, you can reliably reproduce the bug and confirm whether you are experiencing the same issue. This also provides valuable information for reporting the bug to the OpenMetadata community or development team.

Expected Behavior: Seamless Bulk Editing

What should happen when you click “Edit” on a glossary term with nested terms? The expected behavior is a smooth transition to an editing interface that allows users to modify the term's properties, relationships, and other relevant metadata. This includes the ability to bulk edit multiple fields or even the nested terms themselves, depending on the design of the editing functionality.

The user should be able to:

• View all the details of the glossary term.
• Modify the term's name, description, and other attributes.
• Manage relationships with other glossary terms or entities.
• Potentially edit the nested terms directly from the parent term's editing interface.
• Save the changes without encountering errors or delays.

The spinning wheel, in this case, is a clear indication that the expected workflow is disrupted, and the user is unable to perform these essential editing tasks.

OpenMetadata Version: 1.10.12

This bug has been specifically identified in OpenMetadata version 1.10.12. This information is crucial for developers and users alike. Developers can focus their debugging efforts on the codebase specific to this version, while users can be aware that the issue might be resolved in later releases.

Knowing the affected version helps in:

• Prioritizing bug fixes in specific releases.
• Determining if an upgrade might resolve the issue.
• Providing accurate information when reporting the bug.

If you are using OpenMetadata version 1.10.12 and encountering this issue, it's important to stay informed about potential fixes or workarounds.

Potential Causes and Solutions

While a definitive root cause analysis would require in-depth debugging, we can speculate on potential reasons behind the spinning wheel bug:

• Data Loading Issues: The application might be struggling to load the data associated with the glossary term and its nested terms. This could be due to large data volumes, inefficient database queries, or network connectivity problems.
• UI Rendering Problems: The UI component responsible for rendering the editing form might be encountering errors when dealing with complex nested structures. This could be related to JavaScript errors, rendering logic issues, or compatibility problems with specific browsers.
• API Issues: The API endpoint responsible for fetching the glossary term data might be experiencing issues, such as timeouts or incorrect data formatting. This could prevent the UI from receiving the necessary information to populate the editing form.

Possible solutions or workarounds might include:

• Optimizing Database Queries: Improving the efficiency of database queries used to fetch glossary term data could reduce loading times.
• Enhancing UI Rendering Logic: Addressing potential errors or inefficiencies in the UI rendering code could resolve the spinning wheel issue.
• Investigating API Performance: Analyzing the performance of the API endpoints involved and addressing any bottlenecks could improve data retrieval.
• Breaking Down Large Glossaries: If the issue is related to the size of the glossary, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable parts could be a temporary workaround.
• Upgrading to a Newer Version: Checking if the bug has been fixed in a later version of OpenMetadata and upgrading if possible.

Community Discussion and Collaboration

Open-source projects like OpenMetadata thrive on community involvement. If you are experiencing this bug, consider the following:

• Engage in Discussions: Participate in discussions on the OpenMetadata forums, mailing lists, or other community channels. Sharing your experiences and insights can help identify patterns and potential solutions.
• Report the Bug: If you haven't already, report the bug to the OpenMetadata development team through the appropriate channels (e.g., GitHub issue tracker). Provide detailed information, including steps to reproduce, the OpenMetadata version, and any relevant error messages.
• Contribute to the Solution: If you have the technical skills, consider contributing to the bug fix by submitting code patches or pull requests.

By working together, the OpenMetadata community can effectively address bugs and improve the overall quality of the platform.

Conclusion

The spinning wheel bug affecting bulk editing of nested glossary terms in OpenMetadata version 1.10.12 can be a frustrating obstacle for users. By understanding the bug, how to reproduce it, and potential causes, we can work towards finding a solution. Whether it's through community discussions, bug reports, or code contributions, collective effort is key to resolving this issue and ensuring a smooth experience for OpenMetadata users.

Stay tuned for updates and fixes related to this bug. In the meantime, consider exploring the potential workarounds mentioned or engaging with the OpenMetadata community for further assistance.

For more information about OpenMetadata and its features, you can visit the official OpenMetadata website.