Discord.js: Typing forever (channel.startTyping)

[aziznatour]

Please describe the problem you are having in as much detail as possible:

I'm forwarding typing events across different channels and sometimes the typing does not stop and keeps going on forever.

Include a reproducible code sample here, if possible:

// startTyping event and condition ->
channel.startTyping(3);

// stopTyping event and condition ->
channel.stopTyping(true);

// tried adding a setTimeout that calls stopTyping() ->
client.setTimeout(typingStopper, 2000, channel);

// and even a command to force stopping
// on comand ->
typingStopper(channel);

// typingStopper looks like this
const typingStopper = function(channel)
{
   channel.stopTyping(true);
};

So basically, startTyping is called a few times and doesn't stop even when stopTyping is called by: stopTyping event, stopTyping function, stopTyping command or stopTyping timer

Further details:

• discord.js version: 1.13 stable
• node.js version: 8.*
• Operating system: tested on win7 and debian

• Priority this issue should have – please be realistic and elaborate if possible:

• [ ] I found this issue while running code on a __user account__

• [ ] I have also tested the issue on latest master, commit hash:

[voiding]

🤔

[SpaceEEC]

This should be fixed by https://github.com/discordjs/discord.js/commit/8df1ac9920a20d74c7d5cd15ee0124f6e7236abc.

Calling startTyping a second (or more) time(s) created a new entry and overwrote the old one instead of just incrementing it.
Those older entries' timeouts couldn't be cleared anymore, this will now just increment/set the already existing entry and not create more anymore.

[aziznatour]

@SpaceEEC it seemed to have been fixed for a while but I realized the issue still exists - can you look into it?

[SpaceEEC]

Anything else to reproduce or still the old procedure?

[Lewdcario]

Closing because it doesn't appear to be reproducible.

[Maddoxkkm]

My bot have been encountering the same problem.

message.channel.startTyping();
//do my stuff here
message.channel.stopTyping(true);

when the above code is used on the affected channel, the typing indicator stopped briefly but began to restarted typing again after a few seconds.

I have been notified of this bug by the users over and over again.

[aziznatour]

@Maddoxkkm I think the problem is DM channels or cross-shard typing forwarding, make sure the channel exists/reachable before calling the startTyping - also add a timer of 5 seconds to cancel it in case stopTyping was not recognized to ensure it will stop.

[Maddoxkkm]

this whole thing was triggered by this

bot.on('message', function(message){
//here goes the startTyping and stopTyping
})

so the channel must exist (because that's where the message come from, right?)

and this only happens in non-DM channels.... haven't had it happening in DM channels just yet.
shards is also out of the question - my bot is only in 500 servers, and I have no idea how to shard.

I might add another function to make sure it stops typing if it finds the bot to be typing after a few seconds.

[aziznatour]

@Maddoxkkm oh I forgot to mention that make sure you ignore bot messages otherwise it will cause a loop of typing - e.g:

bot.on('message', function(message){
   // ignore messages by bots
   if (message.author.bot) return;

   // otherwise, start typing
   message.channel.startTyping();

   // optional timeout after 5 seconds
   setTimeout(message.channel.stopTyping, 5000);

   // example to call stopTyping with callback/promise
   doSomething()
      .then(()=> message.channel.stopTyping())
      .catch(err => message.channel.stopTyping());
});

Edit: also callback the stopTyping method on callback errors

[Maddoxkkm]

sorry for making things complicated
the startTyping and stopTyping only when certain commands are used. which shouldn't be triggered by every single message everyone sent.

[Maddoxkkm]

Anyway new things came in.

    if(message.content.toUpperCase().startsWith(prefix.toUpperCase() + "ISTYPING")){
        message.channel.send(`Typing in this channel: ${SerBot.user.typingIn(message.channel)}`);
    }
    if(message.content.toUpperCase().startsWith(prefix.toUpperCase() + "STOPTYPING")){
        message.channel.stopTyping(true);
    }

Apparently this is something to do with the Typing status between the bot and Discord not synchronized?

There is only 1 instance of the bot running, not sharded

[Maddoxkkm]

I now have a reproducible code for the Forever Typing issue: (at least it is reproducible on my side)

const Discord = require("discord.js");
const foreverTyping = new Discord.Client();

foreverTyping.on("message", function(message){
    if(message.content.toUpperCase().startsWith("F!FOREVERTYPING")){
        message.channel.startTyping();
        setTimeout(()=>{
            message.channel.send("Testing to ForeverTyping!");
            message.channel.stopTyping();
        },2000)
    }
});

foreverTyping.login("token here");

to activate this forever typing, just quickly send f!forevertyping twice in the same channel in quick succession.

After the bot stopped typing, it will begin forever typing after a few seconds.

[SpaceEEC]

I can reproduce the forever typing bug with that code on stable, but not on 11.3-dev.

[Maddoxkkm]

so basically we will just have to wait?

[SpaceEEC]

For the next release, yes. (Or install the 11.3-dev branch from github directly)

[Maddoxkkm]

Thanks a lot! (finally can rest in peace)