Error downloading libray_index.json causes IDE to hang

[Dowster64]

Describe your environment
Using the Sloeber product (new stable download)
Sloeber version number sloeber 4.4.3.202402070201 io.sloeber.product null
OS: windows 11
The url of the json that you used to download the platform 👍 https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.json
A image of the project properties arduino showing the board settings

Describe the bug
A clear and concise description of what the bug is. This is the error:

Failed to parse json file "D:\Sloeber\arduinoPlugin\library_index.json"
com.google.gson.stream.MalformedJsonException: Unterminated string at line 98583 column 60 path $.libraries[4155].website

Note I'm in Australia and the Arduino site may have been worked on. I tried to open the url in a browser and it failed. However, about 45 mins later it was downloadable in the browser. (5.45pm Melbourne time)
Note I had update local json files (including library) selected in preferences

To Reproduce
Wait for https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.json to fail :-)

This left a partial library_index.json file . I was using the latest eclipse with sloeber plugin when this first happened - around 3.30pm when the ide hung on 'finishing install' it ended up with the library file JSON not terminated properly. (I had been using 4.4.3 previously but an update broke it). So I downloaded the latest stable version and it had the same issue but it never created library_index.json , so I only had my local (other) libraries

provide the name of the board and the platform version you are using. n/a
Provide the json url and a screenshot of project properties->arduino n/a

Expected behavior
As this is transitory but over a longish period (3-4 hours) I didn't know what was happening (ie why it was hanging). Is it possible to download a library and check it is valid before replacing the old one? I did find this in the closed issues (someone reported a similar problem in 2020)

Data to back up your claim
If applicable, add screenshots, console output and/or logs to help explain your problem.

Additional context
Add any other context about the problem here.

[jantje]

https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.json is a Arduino maintained resource that lists the libraries (with their download locations) "endorced" (not sure what the correct word is but this seems close) by Arduino.
Sloeber does not need this file but not referencing it would mean many libraries are not found and can not be installed.
There clearly is an issue with the downloading/parsing of the file as it failed today on my system as well.
After a very long time the message below was still there

And the Arduino endorced libraries are not shown here

A google search shows Arduino IDE and CLI have had the same issue a couple of times
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=%22library_index.json%22

There is little Sloeber can do (except for better download management which has improved a bit in V5)

[jantje]

Failed to parse json file "D:\Sloeber\arduinoPlugin\library_index.json"
com.google.gson.stream.MalformedJsonException: Unterminated string at line 98583 column 60 path $.libraries[4155].website

Looking at the json where the error occurred in your case I see noting even a little concerning.

Given that I got an error on a different location this really looks like failed downloads.

[ckahlo]

Glad to see I didn't kill my environment ... but yes, this is a total stopper. :-/

[Dowster64]

Thanks for checking this out - and you seeing it for yourself! Yes it would leave a partial file, and just error out. It was worrying - and although it worked after I started writing this report, I tried it later with my newer eclipse version plugin install and it failed again. I was able to uncheck update libraries and copy over the file from the successful version but I tend to rely on those downloaded libraries.
It's clearly caused by Arduino , but it sounds good that you have improved a bit in V5. Hope to see the release version soon. @jantje - I enjoy your videos and learnt a lot from your git / egit video (and it wasn't about how to torment your cat! (although it seemed remarkable unphased)).

I won't close it, but feel free to close it yourself or leave it until v5 is released. A 'fix' would be to uncheck library update? but it was hard to not select the wrong thing for it to stop working. It also needs at least an empty or properly terminated library_index.json file to start. Some version of library_index.json is needed of course if you want those libs.

[jantje]

Some version of library_index.json is needed of course if you want those libs.

Yes and the failing download resulting in the file being deleted is only acceptable on a good working network where everything is 100% fine.
If I remember correctly in V5 the original file gets restored if download fails. (V5 is basically finished but there is a upgrade process that still needs some work and documentation; I have been out of energy to program for way to long now 😟)

A 'fix' would be to uncheck library update?

Yes, but I'd call it a workaround, not a fix.
I advised and advise to uncheck library update, I would also advice to save a copy locally (you have one if you have multiple sloebers or a arduino IDE installed on your system).
If there are problems and the file is missing, just put it in the arduinoPlugin folder before starting Sloeber (and hope sloeber will not try to download it again)
I think you can also use something like file:c//somewhere/on/my/disk/library_index.json but then you do not get the latest and greatest from Arduino automatically.

I enjoy your videos and learnt a lot from your git / egit video

Thanks.

and it wasn't about how to torment your cat!

Just for the record: that cat was named Sloeber. She still lives in my heart and in this project.
The idea was that with (the arduino eclipse plugin at that time) you can easily beat the bugs. (Probably very little people got that.)
And yes I'm a (little bit) crazy, but mostly harmless.

[ckahlo]

@jantje Finally, the project name now totally makes sense to me. Thanks for sharing this piece of memory, I hope Arduino gets their stuff sorted out and I can soon go hunting the bugs with my local instance of Sloeber. :) And thanks a lot for all your effort.

[ckahlo]

BTW: it is running again. :) Made some backups of library_inde.json and unchecked "update" now.