identify() doesn't update user properties.

[choim4389]

Version

4.6.0

Steps to Reproduce

Even though I used the same id, identify() doesn't update user properties(not once).
How to update user's properties using flutter sdk?

Expected Result

user properties must be changed if using same distinct id.

Actual Result

user properties not changed.

[marandaneto]

@choim4389 can you share the code snippet you use to update user properties and capture events?
Android or iOS do you see this issue?
Thanks

[choim4389]

@marandaneto

Posthog().identify(userId: 'test_id', properties: {'family_id': '2', 'test': 'test'});
Posthog().screen(screenName: screenName, properties: {'queryParameters': queryParameters});

It just set user property, and track screen.
Even if you change family_id, the initially set value does not change.
I have the same issue on both android and ios.

[marandaneto]

https://posthog.com/docs/libraries/flutter
See the Identifying users section, for user props, use the following props:

await Posthog().identify(
  userId: id, 
  userProperties: {"name": "Peter Griffin", "email": "[email protected]"},
  userPropertiesSetOnce: {"date_of_first_log_in": "2024-03-01"}
);

[choim4389]

@marandaneto
userProperties was a typo during writing.
await Posthog().identify(userId: 'test_id', userProperties: {'family_id': '2', 'test': 'test'}); is not working.

[choim4389]

It seems that the change will only be reflected if the app is reinstalled.

[marandaneto]

Please provide a MRE since everything works as expected when I test myself, it's likely something in your setup.
I will happily reopen the issue if there's a reproducible example.

[choim4389]

It's so easy to reproduce.

Posthog().identify(userId: 'test_id', userProperties: {'family_id': '2'});
Posthog().screen(screenName: screenName, properties: {'queryParameters': queryParameters});

And then

Posthog().identify(userId: 'test_id', userProperties: {'family_id': '1'});
Posthog().screen(screenName: screenName, properties: {'queryParameters': queryParameters});

family_id not changed to '1'. screen and capture are both the same.

[choim4389]

I looked into the identify function in the Android SDK, and it seems that once identify is performed, it does not work after that.
Is this how it works? Then I can't change properties until the user changes (since the distinctId has to change)?

if (previousDistinctId != distinctId && !isIdentified) {
            // this has to be set before capture since this flag will be read during the event
            // capture
            synchronized(identifiedLock) {
                isIdentified = true
            }

            capture(
                "\$identify",
                distinctId = distinctId,
                properties = props,
                userProperties = userProperties,
                userPropertiesSetOnce = userPropertiesSetOnce,
            )

            // We keep the AnonymousId to be used by decide calls and identify to link the previousId
            if (previousDistinctId.isNotBlank()) {
                this.anonymousId = previousDistinctId
            } else {
                config?.logger?.log("identify called with invalid former distinctId: $previousDistinctId.")
            }
            this.distinctId = distinctId

            // only because of testing in isolation, this flag is always enabled
            if (reloadFeatureFlags) {
                reloadFeatureFlags()
            }
        } else {
            config?.logger?.log("already identified with id: $distinctId.")
        }

https://github.com/PostHog/posthog-android/blob/bd1ec53504cd174cf335a34c9bef89ccbedb9099/posthog/src/main/java/com/posthog/PostHog.kt#L559-L588

[marandaneto]

You're right, it was unclear from your first messages that you're calling identify with the same distinct id multiple times.
I think we are missing this bits here: https://github.com/PostHog/posthog-js/blob/ba4f3bde44607f99a3ff63e7985d783b2a184ee8/src/posthog-core.ts#L1384-L1385

You can as a workaround do this for now.

await Posthog().identify(userId: 'test_id', userProperties: {'family_id': '1'});
await Posthog().capture(
  eventName: '$set', 
  properties: {'$set': {'family_id': '2'}} // or $set_once for userPropertiesSetOnce
);

[marandaneto]

Fixes are WIP

• Android
• iOS

[marandaneto]

@choim4389 if you upgrade your cocoapods, and generate a new build, this should be fixed.

[choim4389]

Thanks! I verified that it works. Isn't it being distributed as 4.6.1?

[marandaneto]

Thanks! I verified that it works. Isn't it being distributed as 4.6.1?

The changes were on the Native SDKs (android and iOS), so the Flutter SDK picks up the latest compatible version.
We only bump the flutter SDK if there are breaking changes on the native SDKs or changes on the dart code.