Error when importing a PDF file

[lisandi]

Describe the bug
TypeError: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'offsetTop')
at https://my.domain/pad/javascripts/lib/ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/ace2_common.js?callback=require.define&v=382b7967 at line 65
ErrorId: Eyc9ZzwVorIyCBnXSqyB
Uncaught exception.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Go to '...' Import PDF
2. Click on '....' choose and import the pdf
3. Scroll down to '....' not needed as the read box will appear
4. See error like seen above

Expected behavior
No error should be shown and the document should get displayed without any problems

Server (please complete the following information):
Etherpad version
Version number: 1.8.14

Latest available version: 1.8.14

Git sha: 571b37b

Installed plugins
ep_auth_session
ep_embedded_hyperlinks2
ep_comments_page
ep_align
ep_etherpad-lite
ep_webrtc
ep_markdown
ep_font_color
ep_headings2

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: OSX and iOS
• Browser chrome, safari
• Version [e.g. 22]

Smartphone (please complete the following information):

• Device: iPhone6SE
• OS: [e.g. iOS8.1]
• Browser [e.g. stock browser, safari]
• Version [e.g. 22]

Additional context
Add any other context about the problem here.

[JohnMcLear]

Do you get a failure if you test without plugins? I imagine one of the plugins is the cause.

[lisandi]

Do you mean deinstalling all already installed plugins and test in an empty etherpad?
When I deinstall the plugin the error is gone but that I can't use the functionality either. I not really understand what I should do. sorry?

[JohnMcLear]

Yeah that's right.

So which plugin when you install causes the problem? If you can pin it down to a specific plugin we should make the issue on that plugins repository.

[lisandi]

OK, I actually only added the AbiWord and LibreOffice links to settings.json and then import a PDF file

I will deinstall step by step and see if I'll find the culprit if it is a plugin.

[lisandi]

After I deinstalled the ep_convert plugin it is gone but can't also no more upload ;-)

[JohnMcLear]

Keep on de-installing, it may be multiple plugins causing a problem?

https://github.com/HedCET/ep_convert/issues would be the place to notify the ep_convert author.

[JohnMcLear]

Closing as related to plugins.

[lisandi]

Interestig is the following

when importing a PDF in a complete new pad it is actually working but when importing into a pad which had been created while the plugin had been installed and all the others too - it throws that errors! For me it looks like it is NOT the plugin but rather the routine of deinstallation of plugins and that when there are leftovers - i.e. if you load a pad which had been created with an older PAD version in the same browser - than also all old plugins get loaded - even they are not even anymore there - we installed a complete new version from git to test out but still all old plugins get loaded when using an older PAD!

We deinstalled all - deleted teh complete folder and than

1. new from github
2. for the full feature set all plugins as in your tutorial
3. the convert plugin
4. calling an already existing PAD (Database stayed the same and all setiings.json actually stayed the same) - than the error appears
5. when opening a complete new Pad the error does not appear when importing a PDF!

[JohnMcLear]

Can you replicate this issue consistently without using the ep_convert plugin? This really does sound like a plugin issue though so I still think it's correct to leave this thread closed. Opening the issue on ep_convert repo might be more fruitful?

[lisandi]

Another thing we realized - we deinstalled convert again as we had problems to get ep_embedmedia showing the popup like in teh screenshot. No way to get that working - we than deinstalled Convert as that was the only other plugin beside those installed by the full feature set of your description

we opened up a complete new Pad because of the experience we had before with the older pad but now after deinstallation all export formats are still available - is that normal? even we have deinstalled convert?

No convert Plugin installed but all export still showing up and the icon of embedmedia is IMHO not correct.

I am not sure if that behaviour is normal and I would guess it is perhaps a problem on how things get deinstalled from etherpad via the admin interface and with the caching in browsers or elsewhere perhaps.

[lisandi]

https://phuket.church/pad/
Try yourself just tried in incognito window of chrome but same problem

[JohnMcLear]

Again, this is really not the right place for plugin bug reports. The creep in this issue is not constructive! If you want to open a specific bug report on a plugin, please do so! If you have a bug report that seems to be related to core then please create an new issue.

[lisandi]

I have already opened it but as it is not only convert but also embedmedia I am not sure if it is really a plugin problem or much more a problem of how plugins get deinstalled as those problems occure after deinstalling a plugin - no matter which - we also rebuild the dependencies but does not help. In a new core issue I could only copy and paste the same I wrote already here.

[rhansen]

No plugins are needed for PDF import/export. All that is needed is to set soffice to the path to your LibreOffice binary.

With a fresh install (do NOT install any plugins!) and an empty database please try to reproduce the problem. If you can reproduce the problem, please list the exact steps required. If you can't reproduce the problem, then the problem is caused by a plugin.

[lisandi]

@rhansen when no plugin is needed why the hell are they still listed inside the plugin repository to make people believe that they will need the convert plugin and probably also other plugins - as there are several others too that seem to convert from ... to (Html/markup). I suggest checking the complete plugin repository which gets listed inside Etherpad plugins and deleting all conflicting plugins in there or at least marks them as corrupting the system. It is a point of usability and maintainability to have that corrected and solved.

I would suggest to mark those at least as DO NOT USE PLUGIN

[JohnMcLear]

We already have a process for this. Authors can flag their plugin as deprecated and it is not shown. Afaik... If you have issues with plugins, contact the plugin authors! We're not an app store that can charge people to vet their applications and/or apps, if you want a serene walled garden it will come at a financial, technical and liberty/freedoms cost.

[lisandi]

I know it needs some kind of self-discipline and honesty to simply mark such a plugin as deprecated or already integrated into the core or no more working. On the other hand side, at least the plugins where "ether" has access could be managed and monitored - Having the author listed in a column of the admin/plugins view would make it easy for people to identify those authors who are reliable and maintaining the plugins and those who have crashing plugins. ;-) It would also help to get those "crashing and buggy" plugin authors probably to maintain/or mark as deprecated and no more maintained their plugins better.

[rhansen]

why the hell are they still listed inside the plugin repository

Anyone is allowed to publish a plugin without getting approval. The list of plugins is not moderated, except for general heuristics such as staleness (how long ago the plugin was updated).

Having the author listed in a column of the admin/plugins view would make it easy for people to identify those authors who are reliable and maintaining the plugins and those who have crashing plugins.

I think it would be nice to mark all "official" (Etherpad foundation) and unofficial-but-known-good plugins with a checkmark icon. Others would get a warning icon. Patches or funding would be welcome.

[lisandi]

I think it would be nice to mark all "official" (Etherpad foundation) and unofficial-but-known-good plugins with a checkmark icon. Others would get a warning icon.

Good idea. I am sure it also would motivate the plugin authors to check more regular their plugin statuses with the current stable version of etherpad-lite. Especially making those official ones - and probably asking those unofficial but known good plugins to become official ones.