Periodic "TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'userNameTable')"

Description:

Since at least 7.7.4 (maybe earlier, I don't have any logs going back further), there is periodic error in exportRoomMessagesToFile:

rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | +---------------------------------------------------------+
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |                                                         |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |  Rocket.Chat Version: 7.8.1                             |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |       NodeJS Version: 22.14.0 - x64                     |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |      MongoDB Version: 6.0.24                            |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |       MongoDB Engine: wiredTiger                        |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |             Platform: linux                             |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |         Process Port: 3000                              |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |             Site URL: https://<redacted>                |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |     ReplicaSet OpLog: Enabled                           |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |          Commit Hash: 0c317d96a4                        |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |        Commit Branch: HEAD                              |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | |                                                         |
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | +---------------------------------------------------------+
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.723Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSIT: Connecting to the transporter...
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.726Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSPORTER: TCP server is listening on port 40809
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.726Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSPORTER: UDP Discovery is disabled.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:09.727Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/TRANSPORTER: TCP Transporter started.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.239Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/REGISTRY: '$node' service is registered.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.241Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/REGISTRY: 'matrix' service is registered.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.241Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/$NODE: Service '$node' started.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.242Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/MATRIX: Service 'matrix' started.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | [2025-07-20T20:32:10.242Z] INFO  3edb60c1-96e3-4685-ad49-17d31b731f84/BROKER: ? ServiceBroker with 2 service(s) started successfully in 519ms.
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'userNameTable')
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at hideUserName (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:16:16)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at getMessageData (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:71:31)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:227:25
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Array.forEach (<anonymous>)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessages (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:226:10)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessagesToFile (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:284:50)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at continueExportOperation (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:181:25)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Module.processDataDownloads (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:264:2)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at runCronJobFunctionAndPersistResult (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:14:18)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Object.fn (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:130:4)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at /app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/agenda/src/Job.ts:252:6
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  | TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'userNameTable')
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at hideUserName (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:16:16)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at getMessageData (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:71:31)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:227:25
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Array.forEach (<anonymous>)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessages (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:226:10)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at exportRoomMessagesToFile (server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts:284:50)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at continueExportOperation (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:181:25)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Module.processDataDownloads (server/lib/dataExport/processDataDownloads.ts:264:2)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at runCronJobFunctionAndPersistResult (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:14:18)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at Object.fn (/app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/cron/src/index.ts:130:4)
rocketchat-rocketchat-1  |     at /app/bundle/programs/server/npm/node_modules/@rocket.chat/agenda/src/Job.ts:252:6

Steps to reproduce:

Unknown, this behavior is there, I think it is due to some state in the database. I'm also happy with getting a hint how I can fix the problematic entry in MongoDB.

Expected behavior:

This error should not be periodically logged.

Actual behavior:

It is periodically logged.

Server Setup Information:

• Version of Rocket.Chat Server: 7.7.4, 7.8.0, 7.8.1
• License Type: Starter
• Number of Users: 17
• Operating System: Linux
• Deployment Method: Docker
• Number of Running Instances: 1
• DB Replicaset Oplog:
• NodeJS Version: 22.14.0 - x64
• MongoDB Version: 6.0.24

Client Setup Information

n/a

Additional context

Relevant logs:

See above.

Start in server/lib/dataExport/exportRoomMessagesToFile.ts at hideUserName and getMessageData, following the stack trace into exportRoomMessages. Inspect which data is null during the export and whether a corresponding MongoDB entry or state is involved; reproduce with the room-message export if possible. Done means the export no longer periodically logs this TypeError.