Import Products populate script: Improve error message

[aliasifk]

Describe the bug
While importing the products, it imports 0 products and logs this error in vendure-import-error.log
Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'id')

A thing I observed is it uploads facets from the first row of CSV and then it throws error

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Delete the DB
   my-migration-4.zip

2. Create vendure.sqlite file

3. Run the migration script which prepares a blank vendure database

4. Run the populate scripts and upload the csv

Expected behavior

info 12/8/22, 8:35 PM - [Populate] Populated initial data

info 12/8/22, 8:35 PM - [Populate] Imported 50 products
info 12/8/22, 8:35 PM - [Populate] Done!

Environment (please complete the following information):

• @vendure/core version:1.7.4
• Nodejs version:16.17.0
• Database (mysql/postgres etc): sqlite

Additional context
Before deleting the database, I tried uploading products to an existing database which consisted of products and it successfully imported all the products

an example set of my csv:

"Organza print with sequins & thread work
 Colour : Placid blue","organza-print-with-sequins-thread-work
-colour-placid-blue",,,color:blue|weave:organza|print:digital prints|work:sequins work|work:sequence work|tag:sabyasachi|tag:sabhyasachi,,,DPE12M-001-601,520,,,18,,,44,38,520
"Organza print with sequins & thread work
 Colour : Peach pie","organza-print-with-sequins-thread-work
-colour-peach-pie",,,color:peach|weave:organza|print:digital prints|work:sequins work|work:sequence work|tag:sabyasachi|tag:sabhyasachi,,,DPE12M-002-602,520,,,18,,,44,38,520
"Organza print with sequins & thread work
 Colour : Parrot green with royal blue","organza-print-with-sequins-thread-work
-colour-parrot-green-with-royal-blue",,,color:green|color:blue|weave:organza|print:digital prints|work:sequins work|work:sequence work|tag:sabyasachi|tag:sabhyasachi,,,DPE12M-003-603,520,,,18,,,44,38,520```

populate.ts

```import { bootstrap, DefaultJobQueuePlugin } from "@vendure/core";
import { populate } from "@vendure/core/cli";

import { config } from "../src/vendure-config";
import { initialData } from "./initial-data";

const path = require("path");

const productsCsvFile = path.join(__dirname, "./products-without-assets.csv");
const populateConfig = {
  ...config,
  plugins: (config.plugins || []).filter(
    // Remove your JobQueuePlugin during populating to avoid
    // generating lots of unnecessary jobs as the Collections get created.
    (plugin) => plugin !== DefaultJobQueuePlugin
  ),
};

populate(() => bootstrap(config), initialData, productsCsvFile)
  .then((app) => {
    return app.close();
  })
  .then(
    () => process.exit(0),
    (err) => {
      console.log(err);
      process.exit(1);
    }
  )
  .catch((e) => console.log(e));

initial-data.ts

import { InitialData, LanguageCode, Permission } from "@vendure/core";

export const initialData: InitialData = {
  paymentMethods: [],
  roles: [],
  defaultLanguage: LanguageCode.en,
  countries: [{ name: "India", code: "IN", zone: "Asia" }],
  defaultZone: "Asia",
  taxRates: [],
  shippingMethods: [],
  collections: [],
};

[aliasifk]

Quick update I used this CSV from docs
https://github.com/vendure-ecommerce/vendure/blob/master/packages/core/mock-data/data-sources/products.csv

But still it shows same error:
Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'id')

[aliasifk]

@michaelbromley I have found the bug after hours of debugging, The importer was not able to createProductVariant because there were no taxCategories.

Reason being:

export const initialData: InitialData = {
  paymentMethods: [],
  roles: [],
  defaultLanguage: LanguageCode.en,
  countries: [{ name: "India", code: "IN", zone: "Asia" }],
  defaultZone: "Asia",
  taxRates: [],
  shippingMethods: [],
  collections: [],
};

That empty taxRates Array was the problem all ALONG, it now works as expected

[michaelbromley]

Thanks for the update. Do you happen to have a stack trace to go with this error?

Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'id')

If so, I'd like to add a check here and give a more helpful error message to prevent others from getting stuck too.

[aliasifk]

@michaelbromley I dont think there was any stack trace it was just

info 12/6/22, 9:49 PM - [Populate] Populated initial data
info 12/6/22, 9:49 PM - [Populate] Imported 0 products
error 12/6/2, 9:49 PM - [Populate] An error occured which was logged in vendure-import.log
info 12/6/22, 9:49 PM - [Populate] Done!

[michaelbromley]

OK thanks. I'm going to re-open this because I think we need to provide a better error message which exactly states why the error is occurring.