@nested-object-types metadata not updated when new typed fields are added to existing documents

[tzarger]

When a document is created with an optional field as undefined, the @nested-object-types metadata does not include that field. If the field is later set to a typed value (e.g., a Date) and the document is saved, the metadata is not updated to include the new type information. On subsequent loads, the field is returned as a string instead of being deserialized to the correct type. Steps to Reproduce:
Define an entity with an optional Date field:

class MyDocument {
  id: string;
  createdAt: Date;       // Required - set at creation
  completedAt?: Date;    // Optional - set later
}

Create and save a document without setting completedAt:

const doc = new MyDocument();
doc.createdAt = new Date();
// completedAt is undefined
await session.store(doc);
await session.saveChanges();

Resulting metadata:

{
  "@metadata": {
    "@nested-object-types": {
      "createdAt": "date"
    }
  }
}

Later, load the document, set completedAt, and save:

const doc = await session.load<MyDocument>(id);
doc.completedAt = new Date();
await session.saveChanges();

Metadata after save (unchanged):

{
  "@metadata": {
    "@nested-object-types": {
      "createdAt": "date"
    }
  }
}

On subsequent load, completedAt is returned as an ISO string instead of a Date object.
Expected Behavior: After step 4, the metadata should be updated to include completedAt:

{
  "@metadata": {
    "@nested-object-types": {
      "createdAt": "date",
      "completedAt": "date"
    }
  }
}

And on subsequent loads, completedAt should be deserialized as a Date object. Workaround: Using z.coerce.date() in Zod schemas to accept both strings and Date objects during validation.

Environment:
ravendb (Node.js client): v7.1.4
Node.js: v20.19.5

[M4xymm]

Hi @tzarger

I verified this and everything works fine for me. Using your reproduction steps, I created a document with createdAt set, without assigning completedAt.

Class:

interface IMyDocument {
    id: string;
    createdAt: Date;
    completedAt?: Date;
}

class MyDocument implements IMyDocument {
    id: string;
    createdAt: Date;       // Required - set at creation
    completedAt?: Date;    // Optional - set later
    constructor(id: string, createdAt: Date) {
        this.id = id;
        this.createdAt = createdAt;
    }
}

Code example:

const addDocToDB = async () => {
    const doc = new MyDocument("issue-516", new Date());
    const session = store.openSession();
    await session.store(doc);
    await session.saveChanges();
    session.dispose();
}

Document:

{
    "createdAt": "2026-01-15T10:43:57.8190000",
    "@metadata": {
        "@collection": "MyDocuments",
        "@nested-object-types": {
            "createdAt": "date"
        },
        "Raven-Node-Type": "MyDocument"
    }
}

Then i loaded the document, set completedAt = new Date() and saved it again.

Code example:

const loadFromDb = async () => {
    const session = store.openSession();
    const doc = await session.load<MyDocument>("issue-516");
    doc.completedAt = new Date();
    await session.store(doc);
    await session.saveChanges();
    session.dispose();
    return doc;
}

Document:

{
    "createdAt": "2026-01-15T10:53:00.2850000",
    "completedAt": "2026-01-15T10:54:26.9060000",
    "@metadata": {
        "@collection": "MyDocuments",
        "@nested-object-types": {
            "createdAt": "date",
            "completedAt": "date"
        },
        "Raven-Node-Type": "MyDocument"
    }
}

The @nested-object-types is filled in correctly, and both createdAt and completedAt are instances of Date.

Have you changed any conventions on your side?

[tzarger]

Hello @M4xymm I have from long ago, I think one for sure and maybe another is no longer needed. Or maybe none of them. I was do a lot of work long ago before using the streaming features, so the maxNumberOfRequestsPerSession definitely is not needed now.

  // Configure conventions
  store.conventions.storeDatesInUtc = true;
  store.conventions.maxNumberOfRequestsPerSession = 9999;
  store.conventions.transformClassCollectionNameToDocumentIdPrefix = (type) => `${type[0].toUpperCase()}${type.slice(1)}`;

Do any of these look like it would affect? My RavenDB Server is v7.1.4 right now if that matters.

[M4xymm]

These conventions should not affect this problem in any way. Would you be able to create a reproduction repository?