fix(preferences): fetch language independently

[grantfitzsimmons]

Fixes #8638

This PR makes it so Specify waits for preferences to load before fetching the schema localization. Previously, the initial context would read the default schema language before the user’s saved preference arrived, then memoize that localization for the page. After switching collections, this could cause table and field captions to fall back to database names until the user cleared the cache.

I did a comparison on the latest copy of the paris database (paris_2026_10_06) on main and found that labels fell back to database names after switching; with the fix, French labels remained in Poissons and Géologie générale.

Testing instructions

Set User Preferences → Forms → Schema Config → Language to a language with custom schema captions. Make sure you choose a non-default language (e.g., anything but English) and ensure there are custom captions defined.

• Open a collection with localized table and field names. Confirm the captions appear in Data Entry.
• Switch to another collection and confirm its localized captions still appear without manually clearing the cache.
• Switch back and repeat to check both directions.
• Devs, in the browser Network panel, confirm the schema_localization.json request uses the selected language

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Bug Fixes
  • Schema localization now waits for user preferences to load before selecting a language, helping display the appropriate translations. If preferences cannot be loaded, localization continues with the language available at that time.
  • Schema import failures now report appropriate messages for bad requests, server errors, and timeouts. Other request errors continue to display their original error message.

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ℹ️ Recent review info

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Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 3a58e32 and 09d1291.

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• specifyweb/frontend/js_src/lib/components/SchemaConfig/Layout.tsx

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

Schema localization now waits for user preferences before selecting the schema language. Schema import handling declares expected HTTP error responses and maps resolved non-200 statuses to localized errors.

Changes

Schema configuration

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Preference ordering specifyweb/frontend/js_src/lib/components/DataModel/tables.ts	fetchSchemaLocalization waits for userPreferences.fetch() before reading the schema language and requesting localization data. If preference fetching rejects, localization still proceeds.
Schema import response handling specifyweb/frontend/js_src/lib/components/SchemaConfig/Layout.tsx	The import request declares 400, 500, and 504 as expected responses. Resolved non-200 responses raise status-specific localized errors. Rejected requests raise the original error. The raise import no longer has trailing whitespace.

Suggested reviewers: g1rly-c0d3r

Priority: ➖ Normal

Change: Bug fix · Severity of issue fixed: Medium

Merge Risk: ⚪ Minimal · up to 09d12

The reviewed paths show no actionable merge-blocking issue. Collection switches reload localization using the preferences fetched for the new page.

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 4 | ❌ 2

❌ Failed checks (2 warnings)

Check name	Status	Explanation	Resolution
Out of Scope Changes check	⚠️ Warning	The changes in DataModel/tables.ts support issue #8638. SchemaConfig/Layout.tsx also contains import whitespace removal and indentation and formatting changes in existing error handling. These cha…	Remove the unrelated formatting-only changes from SchemaConfig/Layout.tsx, or provide a concrete issue-related reason for retaining them.
Automatic Tests	⚠️ Warning	The PR changes asynchronous schema-localization behavior in DataModel/tables.ts, but the authoritative diff contains only two production files and no automatic test file. Existing DataModel tests …	Add Jest regression tests for fetchContext/schema localization. Use a deferred userPreferences.fetch() and verify that the localization request waits for preference completion and uses the selected language. Also verify that a rejected …

✅ Passed checks (4 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title clearly identifies the main change: fetching the preferred language independently before loading schema localization.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Issue #8638 requires schema table and field captions to remain applied when the user switches collections without clearing the cache. fetchSchemaLocalization now waits for userPreferences.fetch() …
Testing Instructions	✅ Passed	The testing instructions are clear and match the functional change in DataModel/tables.ts: configure a non-default preference with custom captions, verify localized table and field captions in Data …

Full details: Out of Scope Changes check

Explanation

The changes in DataModel/tables.ts support issue #8638. SchemaConfig/Layout.tsx also contains import whitespace removal and indentation and formatting changes in existing error handling. These changes do not affect collection switching or schema localization and have no demonstrated connection to issue #8638.

Full details: Automatic Tests

Explanation

The PR changes asynchronous schema-localization behavior in DataModel/tables.ts, but the authoritative diff contains only two production files and no automatic test file. Existing DataModel tests verify loaded localization values, but they do not verify that userPreferences.fetch() completes before the localization request or that a rejected preference fetch still loads localization. This race-condition fix requires regression tests.

Resolution

Add Jest regression tests for fetchContext/schema localization. Use a deferred userPreferences.fetch() and verify that the localization request waits for preference completion and uses the selected language. Also verify that a rejected preference fetch still triggers localization loading with the available language. Include the tests in the PR.

• Fix all pre-merge checks with AI

✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Commit to this branch
• Create a new PR

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Actionable comments posted: 1

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• 🪄 Fix CodeRabbit comments on this PR

🤖 Prompt to fix review comments

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Inline comments:
Review comments at
@specifyweb/frontend/js_src/lib/components/DataModel/tables.ts:
- Around line 69-70: Update the preference-loading chain in fetchContext so a
rejected userPreferences.fetch() still proceeds to load SchemaLocalization and
resolves the context; preserve waiting for preferences before loading
localization when the request succeeds.

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ℹ️ Review info

⚙️ Run configuration

• Configuration used: Organization UI
• Review profile: CHILL
• Plan: Advanced
• Run ID: bae09697-6ed3-46c0-8727-f2bae48fb74f

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 3dc37c8 and 0e90630.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• specifyweb/frontend/js_src/lib/components/DataModel/tables.ts

Included review availability: This review used your included allowance. Your plan provides up to 2 included reviews per hour; 0 remain after this review.