nothing in output of a pullback

[simsurace]

I'm opening this to track an issue that was discussed across different repos.
According to @ToucheSir this should not happen: JuliaStats/Distances.jl#256 (comment)
This problem was exposed by the ChainRules 1.53.0 update.
Simple reproducer:

julia> using Distances, Zygote

julia> x = rand(10);

julia> f(x) = iszero(x) ? zero(x) : x;

julia> Zygote.gradient(_x -> sum(f, pairwise(Euclidean(), reshape(_x, :, 1); dims=1)), x)
ERROR: MethodError: no method matching *(::Nothing, ::Float64)

Closest candidates are:
  *(::Any, ::Any, ::Any, ::Any...)
   @ Base operators.jl:578
  *(::T, ::T) where T<:Union{Float16, Float32, Float64}
   @ Base float.jl:410
  *(::StridedArray{P}, ::Real) where P<:Dates.Period
   @ Dates ~/.julia/juliaup/julia-1.9.3+0.x64.linux.gnu/share/julia/stdlib/v1.9/Dates/src/deprecated.jl:44
  ...

Stacktrace:
  [1] (::Zygote.var"#1412#1416"{Int64})(y1::Nothing, o1::ForwardDiff.Dual{Nothing, Float64, 2})
    @ Zygote ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/src/lib/broadcast.jl:298
  [2] _broadcast_getindex_evalf
    @ ./broadcast.jl:683 [inlined]
  [3] _broadcast_getindex
    @ ./broadcast.jl:656 [inlined]
  [4] getindex
    @ ./broadcast.jl:610 [inlined]
  [5] macro expansion
    @ ./broadcast.jl:974 [inlined]
  [6] macro expansion
    @ ./simdloop.jl:77 [inlined]
  [7] copyto!
    @ ./broadcast.jl:973 [inlined]
  [8] copyto!
    @ ./broadcast.jl:926 [inlined]
  [9] copy
    @ ./broadcast.jl:898 [inlined]
 [10] materialize
    @ ./broadcast.jl:873 [inlined]
 [11] broadcast(::Zygote.var"#1412#1416"{Int64}, ::Matrix{Union{Nothing, Float64}}, ::Matrix{ForwardDiff.Dual{Nothing, Float64, 2}})
    @ Base.Broadcast ./broadcast.jl:811
 [12] #1411
    @ ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/src/lib/broadcast.jl:298 [inlined]
 [13] ntuple
    @ ./ntuple.jl:49 [inlined]
 [14] bc_fwd_back
    @ ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/src/lib/broadcast.jl:297 [inlined]
 [15] #4155#back
    @ ~/.julia/packages/ZygoteRules/OgCVT/src/adjoint.jl:71 [inlined]
 [16] #291
    @ ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/src/lib/lib.jl:206 [inlined]
 [17] #2173#back
    @ ~/.julia/packages/ZygoteRules/OgCVT/src/adjoint.jl:71 [inlined]
 [18] Pullback
    @ ./broadcast.jl:1317 [inlined]
 [19] Pullback
    @ ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/ext/ZygoteDistancesExt.jl:104 [inlined]
 [20] (::ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#pairwise_Euclidean_pullback#52"{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#_pairwise_euclidean#51"{Int64}, SqEuclidean, Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#eps_pullback#396"{Tuple{DataType}}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(eltype), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#eltype_pullback#385"}, Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#typeof_pullback#45"}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcasted), typeof(ZygoteDistancesExt._sqrt_if_positive), Matrix{Float64}, Float64}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2173#back#293"{Zygote.var"#291#292"{Tuple{NTuple{4, Nothing}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#4155#back#1376"{Zygote.var"#bc_fwd_back#1414"{Matrix{ForwardDiff.Dual{Nothing, Float64, 2}}, Tuple{Matrix{Float64}, Float64}, Val{2}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), Float64}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.var"#2881#back#688"{Zygote.var"#map_back#682"{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), 1, Tuple{Tuple{}}, Tuple{Val{0}}, Tuple{}}}, Zygote.var"#2173#back#293"{Zygote.var"#291#292"{Tuple{Tuple{Nothing, Nothing}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#combine_styles_pullback#1182"{Tuple{Nothing, Nothing, Nothing}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}}}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#63#back#30"{ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#32#33"{LinearAlgebra.Transpose{Float64, Matrix{Float64}}, typeof(transpose)}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,)}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2224#back#315"{Zygote.Jnew{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}, Nothing, true}}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.materialize), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2184#back#303"{Zygote.var"#back#302"{:dims, Zygote.Context{false}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#_pairwise_euclidean#51"{Int64}, Int64}}}}})(Δ::Matrix{Union{Nothing, Float64}})
    @ ZygoteDistancesExt ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/ext/ZygoteDistancesExt.jl:107
 [21] Pullback
    @ ./REPL[86]:1 [inlined]
 [22] (::Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{var"#89#90", Vector{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#sum_pullback_f2#1665"{typeof(f), Colon, Matrix{Tuple{Float64, Zygote.var"#ad_pullback#58"{Tuple{typeof(f), Float64}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(f), Float64}, Any}}}}, ChainRulesCore.ProjectTo{AbstractArray, NamedTuple{(:element, :axes), Tuple{ChainRulesCore.ProjectTo{Float64, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}}, Tuple{Base.OneTo{Int64}, Base.OneTo{Int64}}}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{Euclidean}}, Tuple{}}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#pairwise_Euclidean_pullback#52"{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#_pairwise_euclidean#51"{Int64}, SqEuclidean, Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#eps_pullback#396"{Tuple{DataType}}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(eltype), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#eltype_pullback#385"}, Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#typeof_pullback#45"}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcasted), typeof(ZygoteDistancesExt._sqrt_if_positive), Matrix{Float64}, Float64}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2173#back#293"{Zygote.var"#291#292"{Tuple{NTuple{4, Nothing}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#4155#back#1376"{Zygote.var"#bc_fwd_back#1414"{Matrix{ForwardDiff.Dual{Nothing, Float64, 2}}, Tuple{Matrix{Float64}, Float64}, Val{2}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), Float64}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.var"#2881#back#688"{Zygote.var"#map_back#682"{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), 1, Tuple{Tuple{}}, Tuple{Val{0}}, Tuple{}}}, Zygote.var"#2173#back#293"{Zygote.var"#291#292"{Tuple{Tuple{Nothing, Nothing}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#combine_styles_pullback#1182"{Tuple{Nothing, Nothing, Nothing}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}}}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#63#back#30"{ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#32#33"{LinearAlgebra.Transpose{Float64, Matrix{Float64}}, typeof(transpose)}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,)}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2224#back#315"{Zygote.Jnew{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}, Nothing, true}}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.materialize), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2184#back#303"{Zygote.var"#back#302"{:dims, Zygote.Context{false}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#_pairwise_euclidean#51"{Int64}, Int64}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,)}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2224#back#315"{Zygote.Jnew{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}, Nothing, true}}}}}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.var"#2799#back#625"{Zygote.var"#619#623"{Vector{Float64}, Tuple{Colon, Int64}}}}})(Δ::Float64)
    @ Zygote ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/src/compiler/interface2.jl:0
 [23] (::Zygote.var"#75#76"{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{var"#89#90", Vector{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#sum_pullback_f2#1665"{typeof(f), Colon, Matrix{Tuple{Float64, Zygote.var"#ad_pullback#58"{Tuple{typeof(f), Float64}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(f), Float64}, Any}}}}, ChainRulesCore.ProjectTo{AbstractArray, NamedTuple{(:element, :axes), Tuple{ChainRulesCore.ProjectTo{Float64, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}}, Tuple{Base.OneTo{Int64}, Base.OneTo{Int64}}}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{Euclidean}}, Tuple{}}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#pairwise_Euclidean_pullback#52"{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#_pairwise_euclidean#51"{Int64}, SqEuclidean, Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#eps_pullback#396"{Tuple{DataType}}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(eltype), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#eltype_pullback#385"}, Zygote.ZBack{ChainRules.var"#typeof_pullback#45"}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcasted), typeof(ZygoteDistancesExt._sqrt_if_positive), Matrix{Float64}, Float64}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2173#back#293"{Zygote.var"#291#292"{Tuple{NTuple{4, Nothing}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#4155#back#1376"{Zygote.var"#bc_fwd_back#1414"{Matrix{ForwardDiff.Dual{Nothing, Float64, 2}}, Tuple{Matrix{Float64}, Float64}, Val{2}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), Float64}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.var"#2881#back#688"{Zygote.var"#map_back#682"{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), 1, Tuple{Tuple{}}, Tuple{Val{0}}, Tuple{}}}, Zygote.var"#2173#back#293"{Zygote.var"#291#292"{Tuple{Tuple{Nothing, Nothing}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#combine_styles_pullback#1182"{Tuple{Nothing, Nothing, Nothing}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.broadcastable), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}}}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#63#back#30"{ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#32#33"{LinearAlgebra.Transpose{Float64, Matrix{Float64}}, typeof(transpose)}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,)}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2224#back#315"{Zygote.Jnew{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}, Nothing, true}}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{typeof(Base.Broadcast.materialize), Matrix{Float64}}, Tuple{}}, Zygote.var"#2184#back#303"{Zygote.var"#back#302"{:dims, Zygote.Context{false}, ZygoteDistancesExt.var"#_pairwise_euclidean#51"{Int64}, Int64}}}}}, Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,)}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.Pullback{Tuple{Type{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}}, Tuple{Int64}}, Tuple{Zygote.var"#2224#back#315"{Zygote.Jnew{NamedTuple{(:dims,), Tuple{Int64}}, Nothing, true}}}}}}, Zygote.var"#2017#back#204"{typeof(identity)}, Zygote.var"#2799#back#625"{Zygote.var"#619#623"{Vector{Float64}, Tuple{Colon, Int64}}}}}})(Δ::Float64)
    @ Zygote ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/src/compiler/interface.jl:45
 [24] gradient(f::Function, args::Vector{Float64})
    @ Zygote ~/.julia/packages/Zygote/XJ8pP/src/compiler/interface.jl:97
 [25] top-level scope
    @ REPL[86]:1

[devmotion]

The problem can be fixed by

M src/lib/broadcast.jl
@@ -295,9 +295,14 @@ end
   y = broadcast(x -> value(x), out)
   function bc_fwd_back(ȳ)
     dargs = ntuple(valN) do i
-      unbroadcast(args[i], broadcast((y1, o1) -> y1 * partials(o1,i), ȳ, out))
+      unbroadcast(args[i], broadcast((y1, o1) -> y1 === nothing ? nothing : y1 * partials(o1,i), ȳ, out))
+    end
+    # Collapse all `nothing`
+    if dargs isa Tuple{Vararg{Nothing}}
+        return nothing
+    else
+        (nothing, nothing, dargs...) # nothings for broadcasted & f
     end
-    (nothing, nothing, dargs...) # nothings for broadcasted & f
   end
   return y, bc_fwd_back

Similar fixes could (should?) be applied to many more functions that currently assume that the input to the pullback is completely numeric - but in cases such as the example above when dealing with arrays where some elements are nothing and some numbers this is not true. IIRC Zygote would catch all nothing inputs at a higher level but this seems difficult (impossible?) with such mixed and nested types.

Unfortunately, one additional fix is required though: Summation of the broadcast results in unbroadcast breaks due to the nothings. I have to leave for lunch now and will continue debugging later (if the issue is not solved by then 🙂).

[ToucheSir]

One idea for a more general solution would be to add an overload in ZygoteRules here which collapses Tuple{Vararg{Nothing}}. Then any rule declared with @adjoint should inherit the behaviour.