api.php status weird behavior?

[joeroback]

Versions

• Pi-hole version is v5.8.1 (Latest: v5.8.1)
• AdminLTE version is v5.10.1 (Latest: v5.10.1)
• FTL version is v5.13 (Latest: v5.13)

Platform

• OS and version: latest raspberry pi os
• Platform: raspberry pi 3b+

Expected behavior

http:///admin/api.php?status should return the status, but it always returns
{"status": "disabled"}

this seems to break things like PiHole Chrome Brower Extension

if i leave out the status, it correctly returns the status.
http:///admin/api.php

{
    "domains_being_blocked": 534171,
    "dns_queries_today": 44,
    "ads_blocked_today": 0,
    "ads_percentage_today": 0,
    "unique_domains": 24,
    "queries_forwarded": 24,
    "queries_cached": 20,
    "clients_ever_seen": 2,
    "unique_clients": 2,
    "dns_queries_all_types": 41,
    "reply_NODATA": 0,
    "reply_NXDOMAIN": 6,
    "reply_CNAME": 0,
    "reply_IP": 0,
    "privacy_level": 0,
    "status": "enabled",
    "gravity_last_updated": {
        "file_exists": true,
        "absolute": 1641426659,
        "relative": {
            "days": 0,
            "hours": 0,
            "minutes": 15
        }
    }
}

Is this expected behavior? the api.php has code that looks for $_GET['status'] so it seems like using query parameter is the right thing.. unclear tho, since there is no API documentation to reference.

[pralor-bot]

This issue has been mentioned on Pi-hole Userspace. There might be relevant details there:

https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/api-status-is-wrong/52303/2

[badsgahhl]

if i leave out the status, it correctly returns the status.

It seems like it does but also this status is wrong. If I disable the PiHole via the WebUi oder API, api.php shows status:"enabled". but it should return "disabled".

So both api.php?status and api.php are wrong.

[rdwebdesign]

Are you using a browser window to test this?
If so, maybe is a cache problem.

[joeroback]

with curl on command line, if i disable the service, using /admin/api.php the status is correct for me, its just that is now includes all the stats as well, where previously it just said {"status": "disabled"} now it is

{
  "domains_being_blocked": 533580,
  "dns_queries_today": 44492,
  "ads_blocked_today": 3769,
  "ads_percentage_today": 8.471186,
  "unique_domains": 3322,
  "queries_forwarded": 24636,
  "queries_cached": 15601,
  "clients_ever_seen": 37,
  "unique_clients": 37,
  "dns_queries_all_types": 44492,
  "reply_NODATA": 350,
  "reply_NXDOMAIN": 539,
  "reply_CNAME": 1717,
  "reply_IP": 1993,
  "privacy_level": 0,
  "status": "disabled",
  "gravity_last_updated": {
    "file_exists": true,
    "absolute": 1641488093,
    "relative": {
      "days": 0,
      "hours": 2,
      "minutes": 13
    }
  }
}

[badsgahhl]

Pi-hole v5.8.1 FTL v5.13 Web Interface v5.10.1
PiHole disable via the GUI.
With curl:
curl http://localhost:8090/admin/api.php
{"domains_being_blocked":100735,"dns_queries_today":0,"ads_blocked_today":0,"ads_percentage_today":0,"unique_domains":0,"queries_forwarded":0,"queries_cached":0,"clients_ever_seen":0,"unique_clients":0,"dns_queries_all_types":0,"reply_NODATA":0,"reply_NXDOMAIN":0,"reply_CNAME":0,"reply_IP":0,"privacy_level":0,"status":"enabled","gravity_last_updated":{"file_exists":true,"absolute":1641464912,"relative":{"days":0,"hours":8,"minutes":41}}}

[badsgahhl]

The issue with the api.php status field seems to occur also with the pihole of this user: badsgahhl/pihole-browser-extension#57 (comment)

He disables the PiHole via the extension. After some time the extension reloads the status from api.php and receives "enabled" although it's disabled.

[rdwebdesign]

@joeroback

Looks like there are two separated issues:

1. api.php?status is always returning {"status": "disabled"}.
   This bug has been confirmed and is now being fixed.

2. api.php (without any parameter) sometimes returns the wrong value for status.
   This is a different bug. We need more testing. Please be patient.

[bcutter]

Saw the same. Everything fine (pihole -c, PADD, Webinterface, Home Assistant Pi-Hole integration active switch, ...) but asking API for status always gives disabled. Great to see you guys already discovered and even working on this, thanks.

[yubiuser]

This has been merged into development.
If you would like to try it yourself please try

pihole checkout web devel. To go back on track (for future releases) just run pihole checkout master

[miloit]

When is the next release plant?

[PromoFaux]

Soon™

[jamie-2bit]

Yep, finding this an issue in Pi-hole v5.8.1 FTL v5.13 Web Interface v5.10.1 too. It's refferanced here also: arendruni/homebridge-pihole#46

[jacklawry]

Soon™

Any update on release date?

[PromoFaux]

Soon-ish™

But really, it all depends on when we can align ourselves to get a release prepped and pushed out. We (the folk that press all the buttons) all live in different parts of the world, so it can be tricky to tie down a time sometimes.

The fix will be in the next release, but I can't tell you at this point in time when that next release will be without being as vague as Soon.

[davsav]

I tried changing to the dev branch with "pihole checkout web devel" but I still show the extension as always off.

What did I do wrong?

[badsgahhl]

With v3.0.2 and PiHole devel its working fine.

[yubiuser]

With v3.0.2

?

[rdwebdesign]

Pi-hole version should be 5.x.

I think he is using a different software (not specified) AND pi-hole.

[badsgahhl]

Pi-hole version should be 5.x.

I think he is using a different software (not specified) AND pi-hole.

@davsav mentioned extension. That's why I referenced to badsgahhl/pihole-browser-extension#54

There the current extension version is 3.0.2. and everything is working right with devel of PiHole.

Sorry for the confusion, forgot to quote reply 😅

[davsav]

Sorry for not listing what version of have of things.

I have PiHole Browser Extension 3.0.2, OS: Win32, Browser Chrome 97.0.4692.99 and I am running Pi-hole v5.8.1, FTL v5.13, Web Interface vDev (devel, v5.10.1-45-g3e21e323).

It does not appear to be fully working for me.

I can click on the icon in the browser bar (which says off), then click on the slider, changing it from off to on, which causes the icon to say on but maybe a few seconds later it changes back to off.

If I click on the icon in the browser bar (which says off), then click on the slider to turn it on then off, I can see that pi hole gets disabled.

Then clicking on the icon in the browser bar (which says off), then click on the slider, changing it from off to on does reenable pihole and changes the icon to say on but maybe a few seconds later it changes back to off.

[yubiuser]

We won't troubleshoot your Browser extension. Please use http://pi.hole/admin/api.php?status to verify which status is reported after you dis/enabled Pi-hole via it's web interface.

[davsav]

Thanks for the http://pi.hole/admin/api.php?status tip.

I am running two pi-hole systems so I'm not down if one has an issue. Using the command above, I was able to figure out that one of the systems was working as expected while the other was always reporting disabled.

I then checked to verify that the non-working one was switched to devel and while I did give the command, apparently the command had failed. When giving the command again, I could see that the system could not reach github so I restarted the wireless interface, which then resolved my github access problem and it successfully switched to devel.

Now the extension works as it should. Thanks for the help.

[yubiuser]

Fixed in https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/pi-hole-ftl-v5-14-web-v5-11-and-core-v5-9-released/53529