Error reporting on unexpected format of the contact data

[suztomo]

When thinking about https://github.com/SunnyApp/flutter_contact/issues/31, this library treats the unexpected data as null. I dug the source code and identified that it was value key that was unexpected to this library when I use BlackBerry Priv (Android 6.0.1). This can be fixed by checking the value key in the map in addition to existing date key.

However, this fix only applies to the devices that return value and date for the dates. There could be other type of devices that return data in a different format. If I'm lucky, my user who suffer from the glitch would communicate to me about the glitch and I happen to have the same device as them to debug further to find the unexpected data. It's very unlikely.

I need a way to troubleshoot the unexpected data from my users' devices, without requiring them a special effort. Here are few options I thought of:

Option 1: Throw an exception upon unexpected data

Currently it return null for unexpected date map (see the screenshot in #31). I thought about throwing an exception rather than returning null. I can catch the exception from the library and send some message to me via Firebase Crashlytics.

However, this option might crash apps that use this library, even when the unexpected data is unused. Furthermore, one unexpected data prevents a user of app from listing contacts.

Option 2: Add a handler for unexpected data

How about this library taking a handler for error reporting on unexpected format of the contract data? I have an opportunity to report error while the library continue to work only except the unexpected data..

The idea is when initializing ContactService in this library, it would optionally take a handler (a function) with type void Function(Exception unexpectedDataException). When this library hits an unexpected data, it calls the handler and continues processing next data. I would pass a call to Firebase Crashlytics. This way, the library continues to work for users and I can get understanding of unexpected format of users data and devices.

final ContactService _contactService = UnifiedContacts(errorReporting: (Exception exception) {
    try {
      throw exception;
    } on Exception catch (error, stacktrace) {
      FirebaseCrashlytics.instance.recordError(error, stacktrace);
    }
  })

[ericmartineau]

The problem with dates was a bug in the library that's been fixed, but I did add a few things in this direction:

• A raw value field for when the date on Android cannot be parsed.
• I added a Logger instance and publish some warning/info to it. This logger can be subscribed to as a stream to accomplish roughly what you've laid out above.

[suztomo]

Thank you.