Nextcloud for Android Crash with Error: Host parameter is null

[coder0987]

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⚠️ Before posting ⚠️

• [X] This is a bug, not a question or an enhancement.
• [X] I've searched for similar issues and didn't find a duplicate.
• [X] I've written a clear and descriptive title for this issue, not just "Bug" or "Crash".
• [X] I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct.

Steps to reproduce

1. Set up a nextcloud instance
2. Proxy it behind a reverse proxy (specifically boringproxy in my case)
3. Connect using the android app

Expected behaviour

App loads and allows access to files

Actual behaviour

App crashes with error:

Cause of error

Exception in thread "Thread-3" java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: host parameter is null
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpConnection.<init>(HttpConnection.java:206)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpConnection.<init>(HttpConnection.java:155)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager$HttpConnectionWithReference.<init>(MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.java:1145)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager$ConnectionPool.createConnection(MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.java:762)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.doGetConnection(MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.java:476)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.getConnectionWithTimeout(MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.java:416)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpMethodDirector.executeMethod(HttpMethodDirector.java:153)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpClient.executeMethod(HttpClient.java:397)
    at org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpClient.executeMethod(HttpClient.java:323)
    at com.owncloud.android.lib.common.OwnCloudClient.executeMethod(OwnCloudClient.java:195)
    at com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.status.GetCapabilitiesRemoteOperation.run(GetCapabilitiesRemoteOperation.java:256)
    at com.owncloud.android.lib.common.operations.RemoteOperation.execute(RemoteOperation.java:204)
    at com.owncloud.android.operations.GetCapabilitiesOperation.run(GetCapabilitiesOperation.java:48)
    at com.owncloud.android.lib.common.operations.RemoteOperation.execute(RemoteOperation.java:143)
    at com.owncloud.android.lib.common.operations.RemoteOperation.execute(RemoteOperation.java:152)
    at com.owncloud.android.operations.common.SyncOperation.execute(SyncOperation.java:64)
    at com.owncloud.android.ui.activity.DrawerActivity.lambda$fetchExternalLinks$5$com-owncloud-android-ui-activity-DrawerActivity(DrawerActivity.java:1156)
    at com.owncloud.android.ui.activity.DrawerActivity$$ExternalSyntheticLambda6.run(Unknown Source:4)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:919)

App information

• ID: com.nextcloud.client
• Version: 30210090
• Build flavor: gplay

Device information

• Brand: motorola
• Device: ginna
• Model: moto e
• Id: QPGS30.82-141-15-4
• Product: ginna_retail

Firmware

• SDK: 29
• Release: 10
• Incremental: 47077

Android version

10

Device brand and model

Motorola Moto e

Stock or custom OS?

Stock

Nextcloud android app version

3.21.0

Nextcloud server version

24.0.3

Using a reverse proxy?

Yes

Android logs

No response

Server error logs

No response

Additional information

No logs available. I'm running stock android with Google Family link (no rooting/Dev options)

I believe this error is being caused by boringproxy rather than Nextcloud, but Nextcloud should have some form of try catch in case the Host header is null.

I was reffered to this error report by the app when it crashed.

[AlvaroBrey]

When does the app crash? Before or after login?

[coder0987]

The app crashes after login

[coder0987]

To provide more info, I've reset my Nextcloud for Android. Here's the exact steps taken to reproduce the issue:

1. Press log in
2. Input my self-hosted address (eg nextcloud.example.com)
3. Press log in again, to confirm I do want to give Nextcloud access to Nextcloud
4. Input my Nextcloud username and password
5. Press Grant Access to finish log in process
6. App crashes with the above-given error log and the option to report the issue on GitHub

[fregie]

I had the same issue.Is there any solution?

[fregie]

I think the key is the reverse proxy,I met this problem after I use a reverse proxy writen by myself

[joshtrichards]

This appears to have been an issue with boringproxy not fully/properly handling the Host: HTTP header. The issue on their end is still open but a probable fix was merged awhile ago it looks like.

One could argue we could handle it cleaner, but:

• we'd still fail hard since it's a broken thing the app can't do anything about (and a 100% showstopper preventing the app from proceeding)
• we detected the bogus state properly (that's the point of IllegalArgumentException essentially)

I'm going to close this. If someone gets bored and feels like adding a fancy pop-up error message about a low likelihood event... Feel free. But I'm not sure telling an end-user to fix their Host: header is really going to be productive IMO.