Print n/a for unset timestamps in backup and restore get (#10206)

velero backup get prints <nil> in CREATED for a backup that never
started, and velero restore get prints it in both STARTED and COMPLETED.
The timestamps are *metav1.Time and are appended to the row unformatted,
so a nil pointer reaches the user as Go's nil literal.

This is reachable in ordinary use. A backup that fails validation never
starts, so StartTimestamp is never set, and a restore that fails
validation gets neither timestamp.

formatTimestamp returns n/a for an unset value, matching
humanReadableTimeFromNow, which already handles a zero expiration in the
same row. A set timestamp is unchanged.

Adds tests for both printers, which had no row-level coverage.

Signed-off-by: saral <ilovegojo2580@gmail.com>

changelogs/unreleased/10201-Ralthos

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Show n/a instead of <nil> for unset timestamps in velero backup get and velero restore get

pkg/cmd/util/output/backup_printer.go

@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func printBackup(backup *velerov1api.Backup) []metav1.TableRow {
 		status,
 		backup.Status.Errors,
 		backup.Status.Warnings,
-		backup.Status.StartTimestamp,
+		formatTimestamp(backup.Status.StartTimestamp),
 		humanReadableTimeFromNow(expiration),
 		backup.Spec.StorageLocation,
 		queuePosition(backup.Status.QueuePosition),

pkg/cmd/util/output/output.go

@@ -248,3 +248,17 @@ func NewPrinter(cmd *cobra.Command) (printers.ResourcePrinter, error) {
 
 	return printer, nil
 }
+
+// formatTimestamp renders an optional timestamp for a table cell.
+//
+// Appending a nil *metav1.Time to a row prints "<nil>", which reaches the user
+// for any object that has not reached the phase that sets the field: a backup
+// that failed validation never gets a start time, and a restore that failed
+// validation gets neither a start nor a completion time. An unset timestamp
+// shows as "n/a" instead, matching humanReadableTimeFromNow in the same row.
+func formatTimestamp(t *metav1.Time) string {
+	if t == nil || t.IsZero() {
+		return "n/a"
+	}
+	return t.String()
+}

pkg/cmd/util/output/printer_timestamp_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+/*
+Copyright the Velero contributors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package output
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+
+	velerov1api "github.com/vmware-tanzu/velero/pkg/apis/velero/v1"
+)
+
+func TestFormatTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
+	set := metav1.NewTime(time.Date(2026, 8, 8, 21, 6, 28, 0, time.UTC))
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name  string
+		input *metav1.Time
+		want  string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:  "nil renders as n/a",
+			input: nil,
+			want:  "n/a",
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "zero value renders as n/a",
+			input: &metav1.Time{},
+			want:  "n/a",
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "a set timestamp is unchanged",
+			input: &set,
+			want:  set.String(),
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equal(t, tc.want, formatTimestamp(tc.input))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// A backup that fails validation never starts, so StartTimestamp stays nil.
+func TestPrintBackupWithoutStartTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
+	backup := &velerov1api.Backup{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "failed-validation"},
+		Status: velerov1api.BackupStatus{
+			Phase: velerov1api.BackupPhaseFailedValidation,
+		},
+	}
+
+	rows := printBackup(backup)
+	require.Len(t, rows, 1)
+
+	// Name, Status, Errors, Warnings, Created, ...
+	assert.Equal(t, "n/a", rows[0].Cells[4], "unset start time should not print as <nil>")
+	assert.Equal(t, string(velerov1api.BackupPhaseFailedValidation), rows[0].Cells[1])
+}
+
+func TestPrintBackupWithStartTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
+	started := metav1.NewTime(time.Date(2026, 8, 8, 21, 6, 28, 0, time.UTC))
+	backup := &velerov1api.Backup{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "completed"},
+		Status: velerov1api.BackupStatus{
+			Phase:          velerov1api.BackupPhaseCompleted,
+			StartTimestamp: &started,
+		},
+	}
+
+	rows := printBackup(backup)
+	require.Len(t, rows, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, started.String(), rows[0].Cells[4])
+}
+
+// A restore that fails validation gets neither timestamp.
+func TestPrintRestoreWithoutTimestamps(t *testing.T) {
+	restore := &velerov1api.Restore{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "failed-validation"},
+		Spec:       velerov1api.RestoreSpec{BackupName: "does-not-exist"},
+		Status: velerov1api.RestoreStatus{
+			Phase: velerov1api.RestorePhaseFailedValidation,
+		},
+	}
+
+	rows := printRestore(restore)
+	require.Len(t, rows, 1)
+
+	// Name, Backup, Status, Started, Completed, ...
+	assert.Equal(t, "n/a", rows[0].Cells[3], "unset start time should not print as <nil>")
+	assert.Equal(t, "n/a", rows[0].Cells[4], "unset completion time should not print as <nil>")
+}
+
+func TestPrintRestoreWithTimestamps(t *testing.T) {
+	started := metav1.NewTime(time.Date(2026, 8, 8, 21, 9, 40, 0, time.UTC))
+	completed := metav1.NewTime(time.Date(2026, 8, 8, 21, 9, 41, 0, time.UTC))
+
+	restore := &velerov1api.Restore{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "completed"},
+		Spec:       velerov1api.RestoreSpec{BackupName: "nightly-1"},
+		Status: velerov1api.RestoreStatus{
+			Phase:               velerov1api.RestorePhaseCompleted,
+			StartTimestamp:      &started,
+			CompletionTimestamp: &completed,
+		},
+	}
+
+	rows := printRestore(restore)
+	require.Len(t, rows, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, started.String(), rows[0].Cells[3])
+	assert.Equal(t, completed.String(), rows[0].Cells[4])
+}

pkg/cmd/util/output/restore_printer.go

@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ func printRestore(restore *v1.Restore) []metav1.TableRow {
 		restore.Name,
 		restore.Spec.BackupName,
 		status,
-		restore.Status.StartTimestamp,
-		restore.Status.CompletionTimestamp,
+		formatTimestamp(restore.Status.StartTimestamp),
+		formatTimestamp(restore.Status.CompletionTimestamp),
 		restore.Status.Errors,
 		restore.Status.Warnings,
 		restore.CreationTimestamp.Time,