Interaction with any room header element prior to sending first message is bugged

[kieranlane]

Steps to reproduce

1. Click the + button, then Start new chat
2. Invite a user you haven't previously DM'd before
   • Choosing an exiting user navigates to the preexisting room
3. Prior to sending a first message, interact with anything in the room header. I.E. Start a Phone / Video call

Outcome

tl;dr - Element Web presents options to users prior to room creation, which as a result is either buggy / results in error messages. Room configuration options should either queue up that config from when the room is created, or just trigger the room creation. Calling options should trigger room creation so you can call a user without having to first send a message.

What happened?

After starting a new chat with a new user, you are taken to what looks like a room. This "room" has a header, with the room icon, name, video, voice, threads, info and people buttons.

However clicking on any of these results in various bugged behavior, likely as the room isn't actually created as-yet. (Requiring sending that first message).

Room Icon

Clicking the room icon opens the Room Settings view, however all options here do not function in anyway. You can upload an avatar, set a room name / topic but these do not persist / are not queued up to take effect when the room is actually created.

The Encryption tab infinitely loads the encryption status, selecting access options like say Public fails with an error message, i.e.:

MatrixError: [403] User @user:example.com not in room local+m1761234435636.21 (https://matrix.example.com/_matrix/client/v3/rooms/local%2Bm1761234435636.21/state/m.room.join_rules/)

What should happen instead?

1. Either, clicking the room avatar does not open the Room Settings when a room hasn't actually been created yet, or
2. Configuration of any room settings should be queued for when the room is created, or
3. Configuration of any room settings should trigger the room creation, then make that configuration change.

Video / Phone Icon

Clicking the Video icon presents either Legacy or Element Call as options. Legacy fails with:

Failed to send invite: Error: Cannot encrypt event in unconfigured room local+m1761234435636.21

Element Call however silently fails, replacing both Video / Phone icons with an X icon to Close lobby and a Chat icon to open the chat. Clicking the X does return the Video / Phone icons, clicking the Chat icon does nothing except turn it Green.

Clicking the Phone icon results in the following error:

Failed to send invite: Error: Event blocked by other events not yet sent

What should happen instead?

1. Either, users should not be able to initiate Video / Voice calls prior to sending of first message, so the icons should be hidden, or
2. Users should be able to call people without first having to send a message, so clicking either should trigger room creation before starting the call.

Threads / Info / People Icons

Clicking any of these icons simply sets them Green, as-if clicked, but nothing happens.

What should happen instead?

1. The Threads icon should never appear prior to room creation. Info / People icons should either not appear either, or
2. If they appear, they should function and per Room Setting suggestions, either queue / create the room on config updates (i.e. inviting additional people)

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Operating system

macOS

Browser information

1.16.2b (Firefox 143.0.1) (aarch64)

URL for webapp

app.element.io

Application version

Element version: 1.12.1 Crypto version: Rust SDK 0.14.0 (c3b7918), Vodozemac 0.9.0

Homeserver

element.io

Will you send logs?

No

[t3chguy]

Prior to sending a first message, interact with anything in the room header. I.E. Start a Phone / Video call

These options are already gone as of #30816 - your version is just not up to date, try 1.12.2

[keda82]

This solves the issue from an end user perspetive I would prefer the button being present and instead having the room being autocreated.

For users coming from e.g Skype for Business this will be a common use case - they will find the user and call them rather then sending a chat first.

[kieranlane]

Prior to sending a first message, interact with anything in the room header. I.E. Start a Phone / Video call

These options are already gone as of #30816 - your version is just not up to date, try 1.12.2

Retested on 1.12.2, video/call buttons indeed gone 🎉 Though fyi looks like that is exclusively just the calling buttons, the other listed buttons are still present and non-functional (as well as being able to access the Room Settings via the avatar)

[daniellekirkwood]

FYI I have associated this with our roadmap item on this topic