Can't edit files in File Manager

[MorningSleeper]

Theme 18.45
Webmin 1.831
Server OS: Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS
Client OS: Win 10, Chrome and Firefox latest.
Right click file and select edit nothing happens. Chrome console log below.

[iliajie]

What exactly the file name that you're trying to edit?

[iliajie]

..and its path?

[MorningSleeper]

Same error occurs with any file name, extension and location, like robots.txt at /webserver/sites/mysite/robots.txt Used to be able to edit all fine. Only thing I can think of that has changed was I upgraded to latest version of theme.

[iliajie]

What if you go to Chrome, open console (F12) and then hold reload button (default one, usually top-left) and from drop down select 3 option?

If doesn't work, can you run in console localStorage.clear(), does it help?

What is the exact Chrome version?

[MorningSleeper]

Rebooted server and tried both suggestions, still getting error.

Chrome: Version 58.0.3029.81 (64-bit)
Firefox: 53.0 (32 & 64 bit)

Attaching Firefox console. Is the d referenced in error the parameter passed to decode_html function?

[iliajie]

Now I'm confused..

[iliajie]

I'm gonna solve the issue hypothetically. Check the upcoming commit please ..

[MorningSleeper]

I tried the latest version, a file editor window now opens but it does not contain the file contents, just blank. No error in console.

[iliajie]

Please go to console, to the theme folder and run theme-updare.sh to do it manually.

[MorningSleeper]

done, same issue, both browsers.

[iliajie]

Try other machine with browser having no extensions!

[MorningSleeper]

Tried another computer, chrome and firefox, no extensions, same result. Disabled all extensions on first computer in both browsers also without change.

[iliajie]

Then the only last thing I can recommend. Please reboot the server.

[MorningSleeper]

Already tried that without change. Is there a way I can downgrade to a previous authentic theme version that I know it worked with to see if it was a change in the theme or something else that caused the change?

[iliajie]

Yes, download it from releases.

[MorningSleeper]

So 18.46 editor window opens but no file contents, 18.45 editor window does not open, 18.40 editor window opens and contains file contents.

[iliajie]

Can you download Webmin from GutHub, exctarct it and try with filemin from downloaded package?

You would need to replace in filemin folder /usr/bin/local/perl to /usr/bin/perl

[MorningSleeper]

Reinstalled webmin and filemin from download, filemin works fine using the latest authentic theme. I prefer to edit in the same tab so was using the built in version. I noticed from the filemin page it states the built-in version does not work with the authentic theme but it has worked just fine up until version 18.45 of the authentic theme.

[Bulmer]

+1 same here. I upgraded to Authentic 18.46 last night in Webmin and now i can't edit within File Manager. I have 18.10 on another server and it works fine..
Just changed Theme to Original Theme(ugghh) and it edits fine.

[iliajie]

What do you mean built-in version from Webmin? Which one you were using before??

[iliajie]

@Bulmer Which server OS you have that it doesn't work on? Could you try to update filemin from Webmin repo to see if it works with the latest 18.46 release?

Please provide the screenshot of the whole page, I wanna take a look.

[divyeshsachan]

I just checked on all of my 8 servers. File editor is working normally on Theme 18.45 and 18.46 on all of my servers. Checked on all combination of Ubuntu 16.04 & 14.04, Firefox 50 & Chrome 57. No issues at my end.

[iliajie]

@divyeshsachan Thanks for checking. None of us could reproduce it as well.

[Bulmer]

@qooob . I was already using the Authentic theme and upgraded it. Im using the theme with Webmin 1.831 on my Debian 8 (jessie) vps.

[iliajie]

I finally COULD reproduce this issue by running localStorage.clear(), reloading page and going straight to File Manager.

Things seem broken.

I suppose you don't have localStorage or what else?

[iliajie]

Does it happen for you to edit the file on the / location?

[iliajie]

Whoever faced this issue could you please go to the directory, where you can't edit the file, click refresh button in the File Manager's button bar and try to hit edit again?

Does it work then?

[iliajie]

..do you also have by any chance tabs disabled in options?

EDIT: by tabs, I meant Restore previously used tabs on first load set to No

[iliajie]

That one is most likely dated (unless updated manually, which i doubt) and insecure, this is why it's not working.

The File Manager shipped with Webmin is the one that open in the same window and considered to be built-in. You can also open it in separate window if you need.

[MorningSleeper]

Ok, thanks for clarifying further, I deleted the likely insecure version of filemin I installed through Webmin's install modules from www.webmin.com and installed the one that ships with Webmin from GitHub and can confirm I am able to edit files again with latest authentic theme.

[Bulmer]

@qooob - I will try and get a video done later today, but just letting you know that edit_file.cgi query parameters for "file" and "path" are both empty (edit_file.cgi?file=&path=) when opening the empty file.

[iliajie]

@Bulmer Do you have latest filemin from Webmin repo installed and the latest Git version of the theme? Please make sure that you do, when you test it.

[sle44102]

I am also having the same issue (on CentOS 7.23)
I have latest beta Version 18.47beta7 and i BELIEVE latest filemin. I deleted filemin directory and reinstalled via webmin modules install page, previously i tried by copying github directory, but that was a total failure.

I get blank file when I open for edit.

[iliajie]

Use one from GitHub and replace Perl shebang. It's described in this post above.

[sle44102]

OK, I will go through the thread again, it is not sinking in what is the clear directions to fix this. I did not see anything about shebang.

[iliajie]

Can you download Webmin from GutHub, exctarct it and try with filemin from downloaded package?

You would need to replace in filemin folder /usr/bin/local/perl to /usr/bin/perl

[sle44102]

This might be where some pain is, maybe language barrier.

I do not have a /usr/bin/local/perl directory (is that distro specific?)
[root@host bin]# cd /usr/bin/local/perl
/usr/bin/local/perl: No such file or directory

I do have a /usr/local/bin/perl but dont think that is it.
[root@host bin]# cd /usr/local/bin/perl
[root@host perl]# ls
hello_world.pl

I do have /usr/libexec/webmin/filemin, but if i replace that dir with the one from git download, I get a type error.

[iliajie]

It's something that has to be replaced in files.

[MorningSleeper]

I updated to authentic theme 18.47 today and the files are back to being blank again. Looks like the value of the file query string is blank in edit_file.cgi ...

Downgraded to 18.46 and it works again and the value of the file query string is correct in edit_file.cgi

[iliajie]

18.47 has never been released.

[MorningSleeper]

My bad about the version number, It was working fine then I got the update button like so ...

When I clicked the change log it showed 18.47 so got confused about what version I was updating to.

In any case, what I ended up upgrading to was 18.46-git-201704281139 and then 18.46-git-201704282201 and the files went back to being blank in both. Any idea what might cause the file query string to be blank in those but ok in 18.46-git-201704271541?

[iliajie]

Try the latest commit. I don't think there could be anything that would make any change. It just should work.

You could always try the other OS, at least, for testing purposes, for instance Fedora Linux.

Remember: You need latest filemin from webmin/webmin repo

[MorningSleeper]

Definitively using latest filemin from webmin/webmin repo, reinstalled just now to make sure.

Tried the latest commit again and same result. It showed 18.46-git-201704282201 after installing. When I tried to edit a file, no file contents were displayed in file editor and file query string was blank. When I went back to 18.46-git-201704271541 editor shows file contents and file query string contains file name. Since then I have updated to 18.46-git-201704282348 but issue still occurs so went back to 18.46-git-201704271541 and all is working as expected.

Unfortunately I do not have another server to test a different OS.

[iliajie]

In Chrome Ctrl+Shift+R to hard reload cache?

[MorningSleeper]

Tried hard reload of cache as suggested but issue still occurs with any version greater than 18.46-git-201704271541

[iliajie]

If you look at the changes made - there were no change to File Manager.

I don't see how it can be broken now. I tested it all possible ways on my systems and it works?

[MorningSleeper]

I did a bit more testing today and found that when I click the gear icon in upper right of File Manager for the module configuration page and uncheck the checkbox to the left of "Type" the file contents are displayed in file editor with any of the versions greater than 18.46-git-201704271541 including 18.47. If I check the box, issue returns. Also noticed the fourth checkbox has no description after it but that does not seem related as the results are the same with or without it checked. Hope that helps narrow down the cause.

[iliajie]

Damn, that's true! 😞

[iliajie]

I made a fix into 18.47, please upgrade and tell me how it is.

[iliajie]

..description for the checkboxes will be fixed in the next Webmin, it's not the theme issue.

[MorningSleeper]

I reinstalled 18.47 from latest commit but issue still occurs when Type checkbox is checked.

[iliajie]

This time it will load the sane files unless you hard load cache.

It shouldn't be.

By the way, thank you very much!!

[MorningSleeper]

Ok got it, after clearing cache it is working with latest theme in both Chrome and Firefox. Thanks for your help.

[iliajie]

Ok, good to know. And thank you!

[swelljoe]

Sounds like we need a more clear way to differentiate Filemin (as developed/maintained by Alexandr, aka Real Gecko) and the forked File Manager in Webmin. It's caused a lot of confusion in this thread.

I'll talk to Jamie about moving the Webmin file manager to another path and removing all mentions of Filemin; they've, unfortunately, diverged and it's confusing that there's two different things with the same name that install in the same path within Webmin.

Ilia, it's usually a bad idea to send folks out to git to grab pieces of Webmin, unless there's something that was hasn't made it into a release. Installing outside of the normal Webmin module install process is confusing for folks who don't know about the shebang. The version of a module from Webmin.com using the Webmin modules page should always be the latest released version of the module (sometimes newer than what's in the latest released Webmin, but never older). It is reasonable to tell people to install using that page.

But, if we get the Webmin file manager moved into its own directory, no one will need to think about it; Filemin and Webmin File Manager won't be able to conflict with each other.