Fix: Copy Link Bug When Opening Saved Queries In Superset

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Issue #13: Copy Link to Clipboard Fails in SQL Lab

Hey guys! Let's dive into a frustrating bug in Superset, specifically in SQL Lab, where copying the link to a saved query to your clipboard just doesn't work as expected. This issue, tracked as Issue #13, causes a real headache for users. Let's break down the problem, the expected solution, and how to test it. If you are having problems in Superset, this article can definitely help you!

Current Behavior: The Failed Copy-Paste

Okay, so here’s the deal. When you're working in Superset and you open a saved query in SQL Lab, the application is supposed to copy the link to that query to your clipboard. This is super handy, right? You can quickly share the query with a teammate or save the link for later. However, the way Superset currently handles this is broken. What happens is the application tries to copy the link, but then immediately redirects you to the SQL Lab page. The problem is that the clipboard API (the thing that actually does the copying) is asynchronous. This means it takes a little time to do its job. Because of the quick redirect, the copy operation often doesn’t finish before the page unloads, resulting in a failed copy. Imagine trying to catch a train as it's pulling away—it just doesn't work! Also, there is no notification when the copy fails, so the user has no idea if the operation was successful. It's like a silent, invisible error.

This is a classic example of a race condition: two things (copying to the clipboard and navigating to a new page) are happening at the same time, and the one that finishes first wins. Unfortunately, in this case, the navigation almost always wins, leaving the clipboard empty or with old content. The user experience is pretty bad: you think you've copied the link, you go to paste it, and...nothing. This leads to wasted time and frustration. Let's make sure our users can copy their saved queries without issues! The current behavior is: when a user opens a saved query in SQL Lab, the application attempts to copy the query link to the clipboard but immediately redirects to the SQL Lab page. Due to the asynchronous nature of the clipboard API and the immediate page navigation, the copy operation frequently fails to complete before the page unloads. Users receive no feedback about whether the copy succeeded or failed, and the link is not actually copied to their clipboard. This is a very common bug, and it makes our users waste time.

To reproduce the issue, you can try these steps:

  1. Go to the Saved Queries list in Superset.
  2. Click on any saved query to open it in SQL Lab (either in the same window or a new window).
  3. Try to paste the contents of your clipboard into another app (like a text editor).
  4. You'll see that the clipboard either contains old data, or the copy just didn't work, with no feedback on what happened. This whole issue is a user experience nightmare, but it is fixable!

Expected Behavior: Smooth Copying and Clear Feedback

What we want to happen is simple and logical. When a user opens a saved query, the application should first copy the link to the clipboard. Then, and only then, should it navigate to the SQL Lab page. This ensures that the copy operation has time to complete. We also want clear feedback. If the copy is successful, a toast notification should pop up saying, “Link Copied!” If something goes wrong (maybe the user's browser has disabled clipboard access), there should be a corresponding error notification. The user should always know what’s going on.

The acceptance criteria for this fix are:

  • The saved query link is successfully copied to the clipboard before the page changes.
  • A “Link Copied!” success message appears after a successful copy.
  • The navigation to SQL Lab only happens after the clipboard operation is done, whether it succeeds or fails.
  • This works correctly whether you're opening the query in the same window or a new one. The desired behavior is that when a user opens a saved query in SQL Lab, the application should first copy the query link to the clipboard and wait for the operation to complete before performing any navigation. The user should receive clear feedback about whether the copy operation succeeded or failed through toast notifications. Only after the clipboard operation completes (successfully or with an error) should the navigation to SQL Lab occur.

This is all about improving the user experience. Making sure the link is copied every time lets users easily share their queries. Also, it’s about making the application more predictable and reliable. Users should be able to trust that when they click “copy,” the link will actually be in their clipboard. With this fix, users are able to copy the query links successfully, and a “Link Copied!” success message will be displayed.

Steps To Test: Verify the Fix

Once the fix is implemented, we need to make sure it works. Testing involves these steps:

  1. Go to the Saved Queries list in Superset.
  2. Click a saved query to open it in SQL Lab.
  3. Check that a toast notification saying