Web Workflow file manager screen occasionally doesn't list files

[RetiredWizard]

CircuitPython version

Adafruit CircuitPython 8.0.0-alpha.1-69-gbc926b041-dirty on 2022-07-26; Adafruit QT Py ESP32C3 with ESP32-C3FN4
Adafruit CircuitPython 8.0.0-alpha.1-69-gbc926b041-dirty on 2022-07-26; Adafruit Feather ESP32S2 with ESP32S2
Adafruit CircuitPython 8.0.0-alpha.1-69-gbc926b041-dirty on 2022-07-26; Adafruit Feather ESP32S3 4MB Flash 2MB PSRAM with ESP32S3

Circuit Python Built from Pull Request #6651

Code/REPL

cmd = ""
while cmd.upper() != "EXIT":
    cmd = input(":>")

Behavior

Upon opening or refreshing the Web Workflow file manager, occasionally the displayed directory will be blank and no files will be listed.

Usually the browser dev tools console displays the following message:

The following messages have also been displayed though:

When this issue does occur, simply refreshing the file manager browser window usually resolves it.

Description

This issue is easiest to reproduce on the ESP32-C3 but I have seen it happen on both the S2 and S3. In my testing of the C3 board the networking has been getting better, but has been somewhat hit or miss. I may be at the edge of it's range from my wireless router.

Additional information

I did this testing using builds from PR #6651

[tannewt]

@RetiredWizard Are you still seeing this?

[RetiredWizard]

I am, but I"m not sure I'm running the latest bits, let me grab them for my S2 and C3 and give it another try

[RetiredWizard]

It's still happening on both boards using the newest builds from the S3 site. It takes a lot of refreshing to get it to happen on the S2 but it happens pretty quickly on the C3. The C3 takes a bit to get it connected to the WiFi, I typically have to place it closer to the router and give it a couple power cycles.

Given the less robust networking going on with the C3, I'm thinking that perhaps a network error is triggering the error.

[RetiredWizard]

I think @tannewt / @Jerryn suggested that a weak WiFi signal creates some intermittent issues, and that's probably what's going on here.

I was thinking that perhaps the net::ERR_INVALID_CHUNKED_ENCODING 200 (OK) error could be caught and either a message displayed in the browser window or a partial directory listing displayed but perhaps just understanding that a poor WiFi connection = intermittent issues is all there is to be done at this point.

[tannewt]

Could you try it with a curl command? I think the examples have detailed logging on. It may make it clearer what the issue is.

[RetiredWizard]

 C:\>curl -v -u :CPPasswd -H "Accept: application/json" -L --location-trusted http://10.0.0.206/fs/
 *   Trying 10.0.0.206:80...
 * Connected to 10.0.0.206 (10.0.0.206) port 80 (#0)
 * Server auth using Basic with user ''
 > GET /fs/ HTTP/1.1
 > Host: 10.0.0.206
 > Authorization: Basic OkNQMTIz
 > User-Agent: curl/7.84.0
 > Accept: application/json
 >
 * Mark bundle as not supporting multiuse
 < HTTP/1.1 200 OK
 < Transfer-Encoding: chunked
 < Content-Type: application/json
 < Access-Control-Allow-Credentials: true
 < Vary: Origin, Accept, Upgrade
 < Access-Control-Allow-Origin:
 <
 [{"name": "MyDOS.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946692482000000000, "file_size": 4536 },{"name":  "boot_out.txt","directory": false, "modified_
 ns": 946684806000000000, "file_size": 207 },{"name": "writefile.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685532000000000, "file_size": 256 },{"name":
  "basicpython.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685554000000000, "file_size": 2995 },{"name": "lib","directory": true, "modified_ns": 94668480
 4000000000, "file_size": 0 },{"name": "blink.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685564000000000, "file_size": 3376 },{"name": "boot.py","direct
 ory": false, "modified_ns": 946685574000000000, "file_size": 3757 },{"name": "cls.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685574000000000, "file_siz
 e": 22 },{"name": "main.sav","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946686148000000000, "file_size": 14 },{"name": "diff.py","directory": false, "modified
 _ns": 946685598000000000, "file_size": 6655 },{"name": "edit.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685598000000000, "file_size": 157 },{"name": "f
 ileview.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685652000000000, "file_size": 4951 },{"name": "fsedit.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 9466851
 68000000000, "file_size": 157 },{"name": "i2cscan.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685654000000000, "file_size": 935 },{"name": "lcdprint.py"
 ,"directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685662000000000, "file_size": 2220 },{"name": "lcdscroll.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685674000000
 000, "file_size": 4217 },{"name": "code.py","directory": false, "modified_ns": 946685574000000000, "file_size": 72 },{"name": "piano.py","directory":
 false, "modified_ns": 946685688000000000, "file_size": 4708 },{"name": "prtglbvar.py","directory": false, "
 9
 946685690000000000, "file_size": 404 },{"PyDOS.py","directory":
 5
 fal* Malformed encoding found in chunked-encoding
 * Closing connection 0
 curl: (56) Malformed encoding found in chunked-encoding

[RetiredWizard]

A little more detail from the dev console screen as well:

[RetiredWizard]

A slightly different message from curl:

 modified_ns": 946686086000000000, "file_size": 4750 },{"name": "menu.txt","directory": false, "modified_ns": 
 946686098000000000, "file_size": 101 },{"
 name": "cp","directory":
 5
 false
 2* Illegal or missing hexadecimal sequence in chunked-encoding
 * Closing connection 0
 curl: (56) Illegal or missing hexadecimal sequence in chunked-encoding

[RetiredWizard]

These error are really pretty easy to generate on the C3, it takes a lot more work on the other boards. I have the C3 powered from a phone charger right next to the WiFi router.

[tannewt]

I'm not able to reproduce this on a C3. Is there a code.py running at the same time? Is there another web request occurring?