Force refresh userId

[TLadd]

Type of issue

Feature Request

Description

I would like for there to be a way to force refresh userId values. Currently, if I update a stored userId value in a cookie or localStorage, that new value will get pulled in on future page loads, but not the current one. The old value remains since submodules only get initialized once, which is when these values are read.

The use cases I have where this would be useful all boil down to being able to provide a better id sometime after the initial page load. For instance, after a user logs in, I can get a better identifier than was previously stored and I want to start using it in bids without refreshing the page.

I would propose something along these lines:

interface RefreshUserIdsOptions {
  // When performing the refresh, should it take the stored value, or force overriding it.
  // If the new value was written to the cookie/localStorage, it wouldn't be necessary to call `getId`.
  // True if you want to override the stored value and call `getId`.
  overrideStoredValue: boolean,
}

pbjs.refreshUserIds(options: RefreshUserIdsOptions)
pbjs.refreshUserId(name: string, options: RefreshUserIdsOptions)

[GLStephen]

We have been looking at an option to reinitialize analytics for SPAs particularly focused on tracking an approximation to "pages". It seems there is a cluster of information generally thought of as occuring on page load that should have a "reinitialization" hook.

[bretg]

@jdwieland8282 - please take a look at this request and consider assigning if you agree with it

[jdwieland8282]

Hi @TLadd, just want to make sure I understand this request. User ids available post page load, like ones derived from a login event, will be more persistent but are not available to the getId function bc, that function renders on page load. The request is to design a feature that "reinitialization's" User ids, post page load?

[TLadd]

@jdwieland8282 Yep, that's correct. The goal is to be able to refresh a userId value that gets sent with bids without having to refresh the page.

Right now, it is technically possible to overwrite a user id value by directly accessing the cookie or key in localStorage dictated by the config. However, this will only be reflected in bids after a page reload, since the submodules are only initialized once on load, at which point the values are either read from the cookie/localStorage or getId is called. Assuming getId would also return the same value, then clearing the cookie/key would also have the same effect. In either case, a page reload is necessary to get the value into memory and sent along with bids.

So I'm hoping for a function that I can call to trigger reinitializing the userId value(s). In my proposed API, I suggested an overrideStoredValue option. If overrideStoredValue were passed as false, it would presume that the cookie/localstorage value was already overwritten with the updated value. Thinking about it a little more, I would probably prefer just passing the value in directly if it can be known ahead of time without calling getId. If a value isn't passed, then getId would just be called and replace the existing value.

For my particular need (and I imagine most), it would actually be fine to just re-run getId and not pass in an updated value directly, so I would be fine completely foregoing these options altogether too. Just thought being able to pass in a known custom value might enable some use cases or make them more straightforward.

[smenzer]

I think this request makes sense. Much like we refresh if consent changes, if there's another event that could improve the accuracy/value/etc of the IDs, there should be a way to update for future bid requests on the same page (or for future page loads, for that matter).

A few things to consider:

1. In some cases, the publisher's configuration for the userId submodules needs to be updated in order to take into consideration the improved signals (like a publisher ID, user login, etc), so it's not enough to just run getId() again, but the config needs to be updated first and then re-read in if this is to happen on the same page

2. The normal flow for calling getId() on a new page is that it checks if the storage/cookie has expired, refreshInSeconds is reached, or if the consent string has changed. There would need to be another condition added that forces a refresh based on this new override that the publisher indicated somehow (depending on how this is built)

3. If we can avoid another method that submodules need to implement, that would be my preference. Using getId() should do the trick and if a submodule needs a custom way to run a "refresh" then they should build it in there.

[coryhammon1]

Added an initial pull request for this feature. It's a simple global function that reinitializes all of the user modules, populating them will any changes from the storage/cookie. Please take a look if you are interested.

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[smenzer]

not stale, PR is waiting on a 2nd review #5819

[TLadd]

Closed by #5819