Botframework-solutions: Issue 3763 Extension : TranscriptLoggerMiddleware logActivity failed: "Converting circular structure to JSON"

[SreekanthOAuth]

What project is affected?

sample-assistant and sample-skill

What language is this in?
Typescript

We are using the below versions

"botbuilder": "^4.11.0",
"botbuilder-ai": "^4.11.0",
Typescript
Node Js: v11.6.0
Windows 10

What happens?
Getting below error on Every time dialog is end

TranscriptLoggerMiddleware logActivity failed: "Converting circular structure to JSON"
TypeError: Converting circular structure to JSON
at JSON.stringify ()
at AzureBlobTranscriptStore. (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT-TEST\EVA-IT-SKILL\node_modules\botbuilder-azure\lib\azureBlobTranscriptStore.js:65:31)

What were you expecting to happen?
This error shouldn't come.

Can you share any logs, error output, etc.?

TranscriptLoggerMiddleware logActivity failed: "Converting circular structure to JSON"
TypeError: Converting circular structure to JSON
at JSON.stringify ()
at AzureBlobTranscriptStore. (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT-TEST\EVA-IT-SKILL\node_modules\botbuilder-azure\lib\azureBlobTranscriptStore.js:65:31)
at Generator.next ()
at D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT-TEST\EVA-IT-SKILL\node_modules\botbuilder-azure\lib\azureBlobTranscriptStore.js:14:71
at new Promise ()
at __awaiter (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT-TEST\EVA-IT-SKILL\node_modules\botbuilder-azure\lib\azureBlobTranscriptStore.js:10:12)
at AzureBlobTranscriptStore.logActivity (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT-TEST\EVA-IT-SKILL\node_modules\botbuilder-azure\lib\azureBlobTranscriptStore.js:60:16)
at TranscriptLoggerMiddleware. (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT-TEST\EVA-IT-SKILL\node_modules\botbuilder-core\lib\transcriptLogger.js:104:54)
at Generator.next ()
at fulfilled (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT-TEST\EVA-IT-SKILL\node_modules\botbuilder-core\lib\transcriptLogger.js:11:58)

Any screenshots or additional context?

We have created an issue with the same description (3763), but due to inactivity, this is been closed.

Meanwhile, we have got one clue, It may be helpful in analyzing the root cause. Below is the sample activity object

{
    text: "Ok, you're signed out.",
    inputHint: 'acceptingInput',
    channelId: 'msteams',
    locale: 'en-US',
    serviceUrl: 'https://smba.trafficmanager.net/amer/',
    conversation: {
        conversationType: 'personal',
        tenantId: 'XXXX',
        id: 'a:XXXXXXdsdd4ExT71NzIYu1lNSFGsrHmEPV4ks1TUCNcnsAeh_XXXXXX-wHHR3USdkBCugRrHfG7qOtHHK-q'
    },
    from: {
        id: '28:XXXX-4c8d-bd6b-XXXX',
        name: 'EVA-DEV'
    },
    recipient: {
        id: '29:1XXXX-AjeWxuDhuwRkag3KpifTNTmzIC4BWph5HDLg-fYo35cQAqak1yCGiOpXXXXXX',
        name: 'Yammanure, Sreekanth Reddy',
        aadObjectId: 'XXX-b078-XXX-a85e-XXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
        role: 'user'
    },
    replyToId: '1620380962526',
    type: 'message',
    speak: "Ok, you're signed out.",
    id: '1620380969094',
    timestamp: 2021-05-07T09:49:29.211Z
}

When I try validating the above JSON, it giving an error at timestamp property. It's causing the issue. The value should be if type string for timestamp property.

Thanks,
Sreekanth (Ecolab)

[tsuwandy]

@Batta32, could you take a look?

[Batta32]

Sure @tsuwandy! Thanks @SreekanthOAuth for reporting this issue. We will be reviewing this and as soon as we have any update, we will back to you here 😊.

[fran893]

Hi @SreekanthOAuth we were not able to reproduce the mentioned issue.

In order to narrow it we came up with some questions:

1. Can you specify the steps that you are following to reproduce the issue?
2. Can you answer these questions related to your environment:
   
   
   
   • Can you confirm which version of TypeScript bots are you using?
     
     
     
     
     
     • 0.8 TypeScript
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       • 1.0.1 Bot-Solutions
       
       
       
       
       • master branch - Virtual Assistant
       
       
       
       
       • master branch - Skill
       
       
       
       
     
     
     
     • 1.0 TypeScript
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       • PR #3583 - Bot-Solutions
       
       
       
       
       • PR #3584 - Virtual Assistant
       
       
       
       
       • PR #3585 - Skill
       
       
       
       
     
     
     
   
   
   • Can you verify in the package-lock.json which version of botbuilder-azure are you using? (Check here)
   
   
   • In which channel are you having the issue? Have you tested in Emulator?
   
   
3. Have you tested to replace the AzureBlobTranscriptStore to BlobsTranscriptStore (suggested by @mdrichardson). AzureBlobTranscriptStore was marked as deprecated in the PR microsoft/botbuilder-js#3666
   
   
   
   • Install botbuilder-azure-blobs: "4.11.0"
   
   
   • Replace AzureBlobTranscriptStore to BlobsTranscriptStore in the defaultAdapter.ts
   
   

    ```typescript
    const transcriptStore: TranscriptStore = new BlobsTranscriptStore(settings.blobStorage.connectionString, settings.blobStorage.container);
    ```

1. Can you share a reduced branch of your environment/code so we can reproduce the issue on our side?

Thanks in advance.

[SreekanthOAuth]

@fran893 - Please find the answers to questions,

1. Can you specify the steps that you are following to reproduce the issue?
   We have created VA by following this document.
2. Can you answer these questions related to your environment: 0.8 TypeScript
   Can you verify in the package-lock.json which version of botbuilder-azure are you using? 4.12.0
   In which channel are you having the issue? Have you tested in Emulator? - Both Webchat & Emulator.
3. Have you tested to replace the AzureBlobTranscriptStore to BlobsTranscriptStore - Yes. It's giving another exception

TranscriptLoggerMiddleware logActivity failed: "`activity.localTimezone` must be defined"
Error: `activity.localTimezone` must be defined
    at Object.assertCondition (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\node_modules\botbuilder-stdlib\lib\assertExt.js:15:15)
    at condition (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\node_modules\botbuilder-stdlib\lib\types.js:26:17)
    at D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\node_modules\botbuilder-stdlib\lib\types.js:40:13
    at Object.string (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\node_modules\botbuilder-stdlib\lib\types.js:347:5)
    at Object.exports.assertActivity (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\node_modules\botframework-schema\lib\index.js:134:32)
    at BlobsTranscriptStore.<anonymous> (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\lib\blobsTranscriptStore.js:204:31)
    at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
    at D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\lib\blobsTranscriptStore.js:10:71
    at new Promise (<anonymous>)
    at __awaiter (D:\Workspace\Ecolab\EVA-IT\IT_EVA\node_modules\botbuilder-azure-blobs\lib\blobsTranscriptStore.js:6:12)

1. Can you share a reduced branch of your environment/code so we can reproduce the issue on our side? It will be difficult to share. Is it possible to set up the meeting?

[mdrichardson]

A couple quick notes on this issue:

1. All botbuilder and botframework packages need to be on the same version. Looks like you've got some on 4.12 and some on4.11, based on what you've posted above.
2. Have you fixed the shared variables issue mentioned in this comment and further explained in this one? I have seen this problem manifest itself in lots of weird, unexpected ways. Even if it's not causing this issue, it will definitely cause concurrency issues in the future.
3. Could this be related to this issue? It should have been fixed in 4.11, but it's the only existing issue that sounds related.

[SreekanthOAuth]

@mdrichardson - Thanks for the response.

1.Getting errors if we make the package version names to static. Sharing with you both package.json and package-lock.json files. Please check and let us know which modules do we need to update.

errors.txt
package.txt
package-lock.txt

2.We are looking into this issue.
3.Yeah. Not sure why it's happening even we are on or above 4.11.

[fran893]

Hi @SreekanthOAuth, we were not able to reproduce the issue, using the package.json and package-lock.json you shared, neither testing the activity object attached here.

We researched about the error "_Converting circular structure to JSON_" and occurs when the object sent in the stringify() has a circular references, this means it's internally calling itself.

Regarding the issues:

1. _Converting circular structure to JSON_: we can confirm that the problem is not the SDK neither the base Virtual Assistant/Skill Sample. Can you confirm if you are not placing a circular reference in the activities? (according to this comment)
2. Disparity between botbuilder & botframework versions: as mentioned here, the SDK versions should be on the same one, we recommend to you use SDK version 4.11.0

Further reading:

• Converting circular structure to JSON - Stack Overflow
• What is TypeError: Converting circular structure to JSON?

[SreekanthOAuth]

@fran893 - When we try to keep them in sync getting errors as mentioned in the previous comment.

Could you please let us know which modules (dependent) do I need to update?

[fran893]

Hi @SreekanthOAuth, we shared this branch which contains the necessary changes to sync the SDK to version 4.11.0 as mentioned here.

Please, follow these steps:

1. Open your TypeScript Virtual Assistant
2. Copy the package.json & package-lock.json file from this commit
3. Remove the node_modules & lib folders from your Virtual Assistant
4. Replace the package.json & package-lock.json with the one you copied from the step 2
5. Execute npm install to install the dependencies
6. Execute npm run build to compile the solution
7. See that the bot is correctly building

_TypeScript Virtual Assistant building with SDK 4.11.0_

[johnataylor]

@batta32 any update on this?

[Batta32]

Hi @johnataylor, we are waiting the confirmation after the sync of botbuilder and bot-framework packages as we shared here.

However, 13 days have passed since the last update. If you are ok, we can close this issue as it's inactive, but the user can reopen it if the issue persists.

[Batta32]

Closing due to inactivity, reopen if needed