From d90aa75468b2fd98e66a63ed2e421c1e62c14583 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Anders Olsson
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2026 16:22:45 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 1/6] docs(specs): consistent status-aware mutation error
feedback (#63)
---
...26-06-08-mutation-error-feedback-design.md | 213 ++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 213 insertions(+)
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+# Consistent, Status-Aware Mutation Error Feedback — Design
+
+**Date:** 2026-06-08
+**Status:** Approved (brainstorming) — ready for implementation planning.
+**Issue:** #63 (silent update failures + dead/unreachable mutation error strings).
+
+## Context
+
+A frontend deep audit flagged the TanStack Query mutation layer for inconsistent error feedback.
+Grounding in the code refined the picture:
+
+- **The update mutations are not silent — they're inconsistent.** `useUpdateTerm` (`queries.ts:444`) and
+ `useUpdateAuthority` (`:521`) are the **only 2 of 18 mutations** without `meta.suppressErrorToast`, so on
+ failure they fire the global `MutationCache` error toast while the row stays in edit mode. The matching
+ **create** and **delete** actions on the same screens suppress the toast and show an **inline** message
+ instead. So within one screen, create-failure → inline, delete-failure → inline, edit-failure → a
+ disconnected global toast.
+- **Once the 2 update mutations also suppress (the consistency fix), all 18 mutations suppress** → the
+ global error toast becomes vestigial. Therefore status differentiation only delivers value at the
+ **inline** error sites, which today all render a generic `t("form.rejected")` ("Could not be saved").
+- **The generic error strings are dead.** 16 mutations `throw new Error("update failed" | …)`, but
+ `mutationErrorMessage` (`query-client.ts:11-23`) never reads `.message` — it falls back to
+ `t("toast.error")`. The bespoke strings are unreachable.
+- **`object-edit-form` mislabels a fetch failure.** `objects/object-edit-form.tsx:17` destructures only
+ `{ data, isLoading }` from `useObject`; a non-404 fetch error (network/500) falls through to the
+ "object not found" branch. (The **submit** path already handles `FieldRejection` and a generic else
+ correctly.)
+
+### Decisions (from brainstorming)
+1. Differentiate errors **by HTTP status**, surfaced via one shared mapping.
+2. Because all mutations suppress the toast, apply status-aware messages at **all inline error sites**
+ (via one shared `` component), not the (now-vestigial) toast. Half-applying would
+ create a new inline inconsistency.
+3. Make `useUpdateTerm`/`useUpdateAuthority` consistent with their create/delete siblings (suppress +
+ inline).
+4. Fix the `object-edit-form` fetch mislabel.
+
+## Components
+
+### `web/src/api/error-message.ts` (new) — single source of truth
+```ts
+import { HttpError, InUseError } from "./queries";
+
+/** Maps a caught mutation error to an i18n key (+ interpolation opts). Used by
+ * both the global toast fallback and every inline error display. */
+export function errorMessageKey(error: unknown): { key: string; opts?: Record } {
+ if (error instanceof InUseError) return { key: "actions.inUse", opts: { count: error.count } };
+ if (error instanceof HttpError) return { key: statusKey(error.status) };
+ return { key: "toast.error" };
+}
+
+function statusKey(status: number): string {
+ if (status === 403) return "errors.forbidden";
+ if (status === 404) return "errors.notFound";
+ if (status === 409) return "errors.conflict";
+ if (status === 422) return "errors.validation";
+ if (status >= 500) return "errors.server";
+ return "toast.error";
+}
+```
+Returns a key+opts (not a resolved string) so callers render with their own `t` (reactive to language).
+`InUseError` is checked first so 409-with-count keeps its richer message. (No circular import:
+`queries.ts` does not import this module; `query-client.ts` imports both.)
+
+### `web/src/components/mutation-error.tsx` (new) — shared inline display
+```tsx
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+
+import { errorMessageKey } from "../api/error-message";
+
+/** Renders a caught mutation error as an inline alert, or nothing when error is falsy.
+ * Replaces the duplicated `
+ );
+}
+```
+
+### `web/src/api/query-client.ts` (rewire)
+`mutationErrorMessage` becomes:
+```ts
+function mutationErrorMessage(error: unknown, meta: MutationMeta | undefined): string {
+ if (meta?.errorMessage) return i18n.t(meta.errorMessage);
+ const { key, opts } = errorMessageKey(error);
+ return i18n.t(key, opts);
+}
+```
+This keeps the toast path as a one-source-of-truth fallback (for any future non-suppressed mutation) and
+drops the old special-cases (`InUseError` and `503 → search.unavailable` now flow through
+`errorMessageKey`; no mutation throws 503, and the search **query**'s own inline 503 handling in
+`search-panel.tsx` is untouched). Import moves from `{ HttpError, InUseError }` to `{ errorMessageKey }`.
+
+### `web/src/api/queries.ts` (load-bearing errors)
+Replace the 16 **mutation** `throw new Error("…")` with `throw new HttpError(response.status)`, preserving
+the existing `InUseError` (409) and `FieldRejection` (422 on `setFields`) branches. Two POSTs
+(`useCreateObject` `:184`, `useCreateVocabulary` `:279`) destructure only `{ data, error }` — add
+`response` so the status is available. **Query** fetch errors (`:38,73,90,105,152,169,264`) and the login
+`"invalid"/"network"` mapping (`:121`) are NOT changed (they're consumed by component `isError`/login
+mapping, not the mutation toast). `useUpdateObject`'s 422 maps to the generic `errors.validation`;
+surfacing a *structured* core-field rejection there is uncertain backend behavior → out of scope.
+
+### Inline-site adoption — replace generic `form.rejected` with ``
+- `web/src/components/delete-confirm-dialog.tsx:33-42` — the `confirm` catch currently sets
+ `err instanceof InUseError ? t("actions.inUse", {count}) : t("form.rejected")`. Replace with
+ `const { key, opts } = errorMessageKey(err); setMessage(t(key, opts));` — `errorMessageKey` already
+ handles `InUseError`, so the dialog simplifies and a 403/404 delete now reads a specific message. (The
+ dialog keeps its own `message` state because it must stay open on failure; it does not render
+ `` directly.)
+- `web/src/authorities/authorities-page.tsx:144-148` — replace the `{create.isError &&
form.rejected}`
+ with ``.
+- `web/src/vocab/vocabulary-terms.tsx:119-123` — ``.
+- `web/src/vocab/vocabulary-list.tsx:57-61` (create) and `:109-113` (rename) — ``
+ and ``.
+- `web/src/fields/field-form.tsx:202-204` — replace the `{failed &&
form.rejected}` with
+ ``.
+- **Object create/edit:** `object-new-page.tsx` and `object-edit-form.tsx` keep the `FieldRejection`
+ field-specific branch; in the non-`FieldRejection` else, replace `setError(t("form.rejected"))` with
+ `const { key, opts } = errorMessageKey(e); setError(t(key, opts));` (these set a string passed to
+ `ObjectForm`'s `formError` prop, so they use `errorMessageKey` directly, not ``).
+
+### Edit-row consistency — `term-row.tsx`, `authority-row.tsx`, `queries.ts`
+- Add `suppressErrorToast: true` to `useUpdateTerm` (`:444`) and `useUpdateAuthority` (`:521`) meta.
+- In each row's edit view, render `` (resp. `updateAuthority.error`)
+ below the save/cancel buttons.
+- Call `updateTerm.reset()` (resp. `updateAuthority.reset()`) inside the Edit button's `onClick` (alongside
+ the existing `setLabels`/`setUri`/`setEditing`) so a stale error from a prior failed save doesn't linger
+ when re-entering edit mode. On a failed save the row already stays editable (the `onSuccess`
+ `setEditing(false)` doesn't fire), preserving the user's input.
+
+### `web/src/objects/object-edit-form.tsx` (fetch fix)
+```tsx
+const { data: object, isLoading, isError } = useObject(id!);
+if (isLoading) return ;
+if (isError) return
{t("objects.loadError")}
;
+if (!object) return
{t("objects.notFound")}
;
+```
+`objects.loadError` ("Could not load objects") already exists in both locales.
+
+### i18n (en + sv parity — 5 new keys under `errors`)
+| key | en | sv |
+|-----|----|----|
+| `errors.forbidden` | You don't have permission to do that. | Du har inte behörighet att göra det. |
+| `errors.notFound` | That item no longer exists. | Objektet finns inte längre. |
+| `errors.conflict` | That conflicts with existing data. | Det står i konflikt med befintliga data. |
+| `errors.validation` | Some values weren't accepted. | Vissa värden godtogs inte. |
+| `errors.server` | The server had a problem. Please try again. | Servern hade ett problem. Försök igen. |
+
+## Data flow
+mutation rejects → `HttpError(status)` (or `InUseError`/`FieldRejection`) → caught by the component (or
+the `MutationCache` fallback) → `errorMessageKey(error)` → `{key, opts}` → `t(key, opts)` rendered inline
+via `` (or as a `formError` string / dialog message). One mapping, one component, every
+surface.
+
+## Error handling / edges
+- **All mutations suppress** after this change → the `MutationCache.onError` toast path is a dormant
+ fallback; kept (not deleted) so a future non-suppressed mutation still gets a sensible message.
+- **401** isn't in the status map → falls to `toast.error`; the `client.ts` middleware still redirects to
+ login (unchanged). A brief generic toast before redirect is pre-existing, not worsened.
+- **Network error with no response:** openapi-fetch may reject before a `response` exists; those paths
+ keep throwing a generic `Error` → `errorMessageKey` returns `toast.error`. (Only status-bearing
+ failures get differentiated.)
+- **Language reactivity:** `` and the object-form `formError` re-render with the active
+ locale because they call `t` at render (the `formError` string is recomputed on the next failed submit;
+ acceptable — error strings are transient).
+- **Stale row error:** cleared via `mutation.reset()` on re-edit.
+
+## Testing
+- **`web/src/api/error-message.test.ts`** (unit): each status → expected key (403/404/409/422/500/502);
+ `InUseError(3)` → `{ key: "actions.inUse", opts: { count: 3 } }`; a bare `Error`/unknown →
+ `{ key: "toast.error" }`.
+- **`web/src/components/mutation-error.test.tsx`**: renders the mapped text for an `HttpError(403)`;
+ renders nothing for `null`/`undefined`; renders the in-use count for `InUseError`.
+- **`web/src/api/mutation-feedback.test.tsx`** (rework): the "non-suppressed → catch-all toast" test is
+ obsolete (all mutations now suppress). Replace it with a test that a suppressed mutation failing adds
+ **no** toast (keep the existing delete case), plus assert the success-toast case still works. The
+ status→message behavior is covered by `error-message.test.ts`.
+- **`term-row` / `authority-row`** (extend existing or via `mutation-feedback`): a failed update renders
+ the inline `MutationError` text and the row stays editable; a successful update closes the editor;
+ re-entering edit after a failure shows no stale error.
+- **`object-edit-form`**: a `useObject` fetch error (mock `/api/admin/objects/{id}` → 500) renders
+ `objects.loadError`, not `objects.notFound`.
+- **Inline adoption**: at least one create-form test (e.g. authorities) asserts a failed create shows the
+ status-aware message via `MutationError` (e.g. 403 → `errors.forbidden`).
+- **Gate:** `typecheck`/`lint`/`test`/`build`/`check:size`/`check:colors` green; en/sv parity (the #60
+ parity test guards the 5 new keys); no codename; no new dependency.
+
+## Acceptance criteria
+1. A shared `errorMessageKey(error)` maps `InUseError` and `HttpError` (by status: 403/404/409/422/≥500)
+ to i18n keys, with a `toast.error` fallback; unit-tested.
+2. A shared `` component renders the mapped inline alert (or nothing) and replaces
+ the duplicated `form.rejected` markup at every inline mutation-error site (delete dialog via the helper
+ directly, create/rename forms, edit rows, object-form `formError` via the helper).
+3. The 16 mutation throws use `HttpError(status)` (queries unchanged); `query-client.ts` routes the toast
+ fallback through `errorMessageKey`.
+4. `useUpdateTerm`/`useUpdateAuthority` suppress the toast and show an inline error at the row, staying
+ editable on failure and clearing stale errors on re-edit.
+5. `object-edit-form` distinguishes a fetch error (`objects.loadError`) from "not found."
+6. `typecheck`/`lint`/`test`/`build`/`check:colors` green; `check:size` reported; en/sv parity (5 new
+ keys); no codename; no new dependency.
+
+## Out of scope → follow-ups
+- Structured field-level rejection on **core-object** update 422 (uncertain backend shape).
+- The broader `queries.ts` split + relocating the error classes to `api/errors.ts` (tracked in **#65** —
+ `error-message.ts` imports the classes from `queries.ts` for now).
+- Toast-based error surfacing (deliberately superseded by inline; the toast path remains only as a
+ fallback).
+- Retry affordances / optimistic updates.
From 17bfd3e9d830e5915954ad6695f1eb5910d7cf15 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Anders Olsson
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2026 16:43:10 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 2/6] =?UTF-8?q?docs(plans):=20mutation=20error=20feedback?=
=?UTF-8?q?=20=E2=80=94=204-task=20plan=20(#63)?=
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
---
.../2026-06-08-mutation-error-feedback.md | 421 ++++++++++++++++++
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create mode 100644 docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-08-mutation-error-feedback.md
diff --git a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-08-mutation-error-feedback.md b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-08-mutation-error-feedback.md
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+# Consistent, Status-Aware Mutation Error Feedback — Implementation Plan
+
+> **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+
+**Goal:** Replace the generic, inconsistent mutation-error feedback with one status-aware mapping rendered consistently inline across every create/edit/delete surface.
+
+**Architecture:** A shared `errorMessageKey(error)` maps `InUseError`/`HttpError(status)` → i18n keys (single source of truth). A shared `` renders the inline alert. Mutations throw `HttpError(status)` so the status reaches the helper. All inline sites adopt the helper/component; the two non-suppressed update mutations suppress the toast and show inline like their siblings.
+
+**Tech Stack:** React 19 + TS + pnpm, TanStack Query v5, openapi-fetch, react-i18next, Vitest 4 (jsdom) + RTL + MSW. Test runner: `pnpm test` (single pass).
+
+**Conventions:** pnpm; **no `any`/`eslint-disable`/`@ts-ignore`**; no codename; en/sv parity; app source double-quote+semicolon; `ui/` files untouched; token classes only. Run a single test pass.
+
+**Spec:** `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-06-08-mutation-error-feedback-design.md`
+
+**Key facts:**
+- `HttpError`/`InUseError`/`FieldRejection` are exported from `web/src/api/queries.ts` (lines 6, 13, 20). `HttpError(status)` carries `.status`; `InUseError(count)` carries `.count`.
+- `web/src/api/query-client.ts:11-23` `mutationErrorMessage(error, meta)` currently special-cases `InUseError`, `HttpError 503 → search.unavailable`, `meta.errorMessage`, else `toast.error`. The `MutationCache.onError` skips when `meta.suppressErrorToast`.
+- **16 of 18 mutations already `suppressErrorToast`.** Only `useUpdateTerm` (`queries.ts:444`) and `useUpdateAuthority` (`:521`) do not — they have `meta: { successMessage: "toast.saved" }`.
+- The 16 **mutation** `throw new Error("…")` sites: `queries.ts:184,203,230,248,279,306,331,382,441,458,475,492,518,535,562,579`. `useCreateObject` (`:184`) and `useCreateVocabulary` (`:279`) destructure `{ data, error }` (no `response`) — add `response`. Lines `38,73,90,105,152,169,264` are **query** fetch errors and `:121` is the login map — **do not change these**. `useSearch` (`:360`) already throws `HttpError`.
+- Inline generic-error sites (all render `{X.isError &&
{t("form.rejected")}
}`): `authorities-page.tsx:144-148` (`create`), `vocabulary-terms.tsx:119-123` (`addTerm`), `vocabulary-list.tsx:57-61` (`create`) + `:109-113` (`renameVocabulary`), `field-form.tsx:201-205` (`failed = isEdit ? update.isError : create.isError`, line 98). `delete-confirm-dialog.tsx:40` sets `err instanceof InUseError ? actions.inUse : form.rejected`. `object-new-page.tsx:36-39` and `object-edit-form.tsx:86-88` set `t("form.rejected")` in a catch else.
+- `objects.loadError` ("Could not load objects") already exists in both locales. `term-row.tsx`/`authority-row.tsx` Edit-button `onClick` currently does `setLabels(...); setUri(...); setEditing(true);`.
+- Test env: jsdom project, MSW `onUnhandledRequest:"error"`. `renderApp` (`src/test/render.tsx`) mounts `ui` at `path:"*"` in a memory router. `src/api/mutation-feedback.test.tsx` exists (tests toast wiring via `makeQueryClient` + `ToastRegion` + `renderHook`).
+
+---
+
+# Task 1: Shared helper + `` + i18n + query-client rewire
+
+**Files:** Create `web/src/api/error-message.ts`, `web/src/api/error-message.test.ts`, `web/src/components/mutation-error.tsx`, `web/src/components/mutation-error.test.tsx`; Modify `web/src/api/query-client.ts`, `web/src/api/mutation-feedback.test.tsx`, `web/src/i18n/en.json`, `web/src/i18n/sv.json`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add the 5 i18n keys (both locales, parity).** Add a new top-level `"errors"` object to `web/src/i18n/en.json`:
+```json
+ "errors": {
+ "forbidden": "You don't have permission to do that.",
+ "notFound": "That item no longer exists.",
+ "conflict": "That conflicts with existing data.",
+ "validation": "Some values weren't accepted.",
+ "server": "The server had a problem. Please try again."
+ },
+```
+and to `web/src/i18n/sv.json`:
+```json
+ "errors": {
+ "forbidden": "Du har inte behörighet att göra det.",
+ "notFound": "Objektet finns inte längre.",
+ "conflict": "Det står i konflikt med befintliga data.",
+ "validation": "Vissa värden godtogs inte.",
+ "server": "Servern hade ett problem. Försök igen."
+ },
+```
+(Valid JSON — mind commas. Place it consistently in both files, e.g. before `toast`.)
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Create `web/src/api/error-message.ts`:**
+```ts
+import { HttpError, InUseError } from "./queries";
+
+/** Maps a caught mutation error to an i18n key (+ interpolation opts). The single
+ * source of truth shared by the global toast fallback and every inline display. */
+export function errorMessageKey(error: unknown): { key: string; opts?: Record } {
+ if (error instanceof InUseError) return { key: "actions.inUse", opts: { count: error.count } };
+ if (error instanceof HttpError) return { key: statusKey(error.status) };
+ return { key: "toast.error" };
+}
+
+function statusKey(status: number): string {
+ if (status === 403) return "errors.forbidden";
+ if (status === 404) return "errors.notFound";
+ if (status === 409) return "errors.conflict";
+ if (status === 422) return "errors.validation";
+ if (status >= 500) return "errors.server";
+ return "toast.error";
+}
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Create `web/src/api/error-message.test.ts`** (write + run):
+```ts
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+
+import { errorMessageKey } from "./error-message";
+import { HttpError, InUseError } from "./queries";
+
+test("maps HTTP statuses to specific keys", () => {
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new HttpError(403))).toEqual({ key: "errors.forbidden" });
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new HttpError(404))).toEqual({ key: "errors.notFound" });
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new HttpError(409))).toEqual({ key: "errors.conflict" });
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new HttpError(422))).toEqual({ key: "errors.validation" });
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new HttpError(500))).toEqual({ key: "errors.server" });
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new HttpError(502))).toEqual({ key: "errors.server" });
+});
+
+test("an unmapped status falls back to the generic key", () => {
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new HttpError(418))).toEqual({ key: "toast.error" });
+});
+
+test("InUseError carries the count", () => {
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new InUseError(3))).toEqual({ key: "actions.inUse", opts: { count: 3 } });
+});
+
+test("a bare Error or unknown maps to the generic key", () => {
+ expect(errorMessageKey(new Error("boom"))).toEqual({ key: "toast.error" });
+ expect(errorMessageKey(null)).toEqual({ key: "toast.error" });
+});
+```
+Run: `cd web && pnpm vitest run src/api/error-message.test.ts` → 4 passing.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Create `web/src/components/mutation-error.tsx`:**
+```tsx
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+
+import { errorMessageKey } from "../api/error-message";
+
+/** Renders a caught mutation error as an inline alert, or nothing when error is falsy.
+ * Replaces the duplicated `