ENG-1047 Repair setBlockProps

[maparent]

https://linear.app/discourse-graphs/issue/ENG-1047/repair-setblockprops
Problem: If I setBlockProp repeatedly, the old values get repeated with increased : nesting.
Eg: (Having put getBlockProps and setBlockProps in the index)

window.roamjs.extension.queryBuilder.getBlockProps('DFPKL0i51')
-> {}
window.roamjs.extension.queryBuilder.setBlockProps('DFPKL0i51', {a:1})
-> {a: 1}
window.roamjs.extension.queryBuilder.setBlockProps('DFPKL0i51', {a:2})
-> {:a: 1, a: 2}
window.roamjs.extension.queryBuilder.setBlockProps('DFPKL0i51', {a:3})
-> {::a: 1, :a: 2, a: 3}
window.roamjs.extension.queryBuilder.getBlockProps('DFPKL0i51')
-> {a: 3}

The way getBlockProps is programmed makes this invisible, but it is visible when pulling the props.
Solution: In the not-denormalized case, make sure to normalize the incoming old props before updating.

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Bug Fixes
  • Improved block property handling with conditional normalization logic to ensure consistent and correct behavior when setting block properties.

[linear]

ENG-1047 Repair setBlockProps

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[maparent]

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

Modified setBlockProps.ts to add conditional normalization of block properties. The function now retrieves raw properties and conditionally applies normalizeProps() based on a denormalize flag, whereas previously base properties were retrieved without a normalization step.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Change Summary
Property normalization logic apps/roam/src/utils/setBlockProps.ts	Added import of normalizeProps and introduced conditional normalization: baseProps is now computed as normalizeProps(rawBaseProps) unless denormalize is explicitly true; previously baseProps was directly retrieved via getRawBlockProps(uid).

Estimated code review effort

🎯 2 (Simple) | ⏱️ ~10 minutes

• Verify that the denormalize flag is properly propagated and handled throughout the function and in all call sites
• Confirm that conditional normalization logic produces expected behavior for both true and false cases

Pre-merge checks

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title 'ENG-1047 Repair setBlockProps' clearly identifies the specific bug fix (setBlockProps function repair) referenced in the PR objectives, directly matching the main change in the changeset.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

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📜 Recent review details

Configuration used: CodeRabbit UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between de69756 and 403d823.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• apps/roam/src/utils/setBlockProps.ts (2 hunks)

🧰 Additional context used

📓 Path-based instructions (3)

**/*.{ts,tsx}

📄 CodeRabbit inference engine (.cursor/rules/main.mdc)

**/*.{ts,tsx}: Prefer type over interface
Use explicit return types for functions
Avoid any types when possible

Files:

• apps/roam/src/utils/setBlockProps.ts

**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx}

📄 CodeRabbit inference engine (.cursor/rules/main.mdc)

**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx}: Prefer arrow functions over regular function declarations
Use named parameters (object destructuring) when a function has more than 2 parameters
Use Prettier with the project's configuration
Maintain consistent naming conventions: PascalCase for components and types
Maintain consistent naming conventions: camelCase for variables and functions
Maintain consistent naming conventions: UPPERCASE for constants

Files:

• apps/roam/src/utils/setBlockProps.ts

apps/roam/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx}

📄 CodeRabbit inference engine (.cursor/rules/roam.mdc)

apps/roam/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx}: Use BlueprintJS 3 components and Tailwind CSS for platform-native UI in the Roam Research extension
Use the roamAlphaApi documentation from https://roamresearch.com/#/app/developer-documentation/page/tIaOPdXCj when working with the Roam API
Use Roam Depot/Extension API documentation from https://roamresearch.com/#/app/developer-documentation/page/y31lhjIqU when working with the Roam Extension API

Files:

• apps/roam/src/utils/setBlockProps.ts

🧠 Learnings (2)

📓 Common learnings

Learnt from: maparent
Repo: DiscourseGraphs/discourse-graph PR: 0
File: :0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-06T13:48:35.007Z
Learning: In apps/roam/src/utils/createReifiedBlock.ts, the `setBlockProps` function does not need await as it is synchronous or fire-and-forget.

📚 Learning: 2025-11-06T13:48:35.007Z

Learnt from: maparent
Repo: DiscourseGraphs/discourse-graph PR: 0
File: :0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-06T13:48:35.007Z
Learning: In apps/roam/src/utils/createReifiedBlock.ts, the `setBlockProps` function does not need await as it is synchronous or fire-and-forget.

Applied to files:

• apps/roam/src/utils/setBlockProps.ts

🔇 Additional comments (1)

apps/roam/src/utils/setBlockProps.ts (1)

27-28: Normalization fix looks good

Pulling the raw props once and normalizing them when denormalize is false prevents the runaway :a, ::a, … key duplication while leaving the denormalized path untouched. Nice targeted fix.

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