iOS 18.0 throwing error 5 when using actions

Arran · September 24, 2024, 8:58pm

My shortcuts that use Actions have broken since I updated to iOS 18.0. The attached shortcut actually does create the note and opens the note in Obsidian but the shortcut hangs until I return to it, when it then shows the error message.

Edit: I have Actions For Obsidian 2024.2.1.

czottmann · September 25, 2024, 8:22am

Welcome to the forum, @Arran! Thanks for the error report.

When this error occurs, then it means that Actions URI didn’t manage to send any results to AFO. So my first question is: Is the installed Actions URI plugin current, i.e. is it version 1.6.3 or higher? If not, please update it and try again.

If it is current, then providing some debug information (Obsidian → Command Palette → Show debug info) might help.

Arran · September 26, 2024, 6:34am

Thanks for the reply @czottmann, I’ve checked the Actions URI and I have version 1.6.4.

Here is the debug information

Operating system: ios 18.0 (Apple iPhone16,1)
Obsidian version: 1.6.7 (149)
API version: v1.6.7
Login status: logged in
Catalyst license: none
Live preview: on
Base theme: adapt to system
Community theme: Atom v0.0.0
Snippets enabled: 0
Restricted mode: off
Plugins installed: 3
Plugins enabled: 3
1: Actions URI v1.6.4
2: Git v2.27.0
3: Dataview v0.5.67

czottmann · September 26, 2024, 7:38am

Thanks. Nothing out of the ordinary, hmm. Since upgrading to iOS 18, have you rebooted the device yet? (I know it sounds stupid, but you would be surprised how often a simple reboot fixes an issue w/ the OS just because everything is re-initialized at once.)

Also, if you could show me the workflow or share it with me, I could take a look and maybe reproduce the issue. If you don’t want to do that publicly, sending a private message or an email is always an option.

halfcerulean · October 30, 2024, 4:42pm

What was the resolution to this issue? I’m seeing the same error. I’ve created a simple shortcut to check for a daily note using the Check For Note action followed by an if statement. The shortcut errors at the step Check For Note step.

czottmann · October 30, 2024, 4:57pm

Welcome, @halfcerulean. There was no resolution, as Arran didn’t get back to me, and I got sidetracked. Could you give me more details about your iOS environment, please? Debug info etc., maybe share the workflow or a screenshot of it?

halfcerulean · October 30, 2024, 5:40pm

SYSTEM INFO:
Operating system: ios 18.1 (Apple iPhone13,3)
Obsidian version: 1.7.4 (167)
API version: v1.7.4
Login status: not logged in
Language: en
Live preview: on
Base theme: dark
Community theme: Border v1.9.9
Snippets enabled: 3
Restricted mode: off
Plugins installed: 11
Plugins enabled: 9
1: Homepage v4.0.7
2: Trash Explorer v1.2.3
3: Style Settings v1.0.9
4: Hider v1.5.1
5: Advanced Tables v0.22.1
6: Supercharged Links v0.12.1
7: Iconize v2.14.4
8: Clear Unused Images v1.1.1
9: Actions URI v1.6.5

czottmann · October 31, 2024, 1:19pm

Thanks for the details. I’m also on 18.1, same Obsidian version, etc. And I can’t reproduce it. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any issues, because then we wouldn’t have this conversation

But I have a few more questions:

Does this happen every time you use this action?
Is your vault properly linked with AFO, or have you moved to another phone or restored your phone from a backup lately? (Because in either way, the vault(s) would need to be re-linked.)
Is your “Homebase” vault synced? If so, how? (Obsidian Sync, iCloud Drive, etc.)

halfcerulean · October 31, 2024, 1:43pm

It does not happen every time. This morning the daily note did not exist yet and I ran the shortcut without issue. After I created today’s daily note, I get the error message every time.

My vault is properly linked with AFO. I have not moved to a new phone or restored my phone from backup.

My vault is synced using iCloud Drive.

czottmann · October 31, 2024, 4:21pm

This might be a problem, because in the past, iCloud Drive sync was 90% nice and 10% infuriating. Did you set the vault folder to “Keep Downloaded” yet (new in iOS 18)? If not, could you try that, please? (Turn on, wait until it’s done, restart Obsidian, and test the workflow again.)

halfcerulean · October 31, 2024, 5:08pm

I wasn’t aware of the Keep Downloaded option, but I have now set the Obsidian folder to use this option. I didn’t see any sort of sync progress indicator. I waited for a while, restarted Obsidian, and tested the shortcut again. Unfortunately I’m seeing the same error.

czottmann · November 1, 2024, 7:33am

Thanks for checking. I still wouldn’t rule out iCloud shenanigans, because even tho it now can keep your files downloaded, it’s still a black box (see Can I use iCloud Sync with Obsidian and Actions for Obsidian?).

Please understand that I don’t want to deflect responsibility (I’ll keep looking into this issue!) but unfortunately, there were several cases where customers had problems that sound suspiciously like this, and they stopped as soon as they moved their vaults out of iCloud Drive.

Would you mind creating a local vault, i.e. outside of the iCloud Documents folder, link it to AFO, and try your Shortcuts workflow there? I know it sounds like poking around in the dark—which it partially is—but I have experienced iCloud introduce breaking behaviour in Obsidian, it’s worth a shot.

I wish debugging issues from afar would be easier and less burdensome for my customers, but there’s a lot of moving targets when working with 3rd party APIs in 3rd party apps on 3rd party cloud infrastructure

halfcerulean · November 1, 2024, 4:24pm

I created a local vault, linked it to AFO, and tried my shortcut again. I get the same results. I suspect there’s something I’m doing, but I’m not certain what.

I apologize for not stating this at the beginning, but I have paid for a license yet. I was waiting to confirm that I could make my shortcuts work before buying a license. Could that be part of the problem?

Update: I’ve successfully run the shortcut on my Mac against the vault that is stored in iCloud. I also updated the shortcut with the Append Note action. It worked as expected. Switching back to my phone, though, no luck.

czottmann · November 2, 2024, 3:30pm

Thanks for checking with a local vault! So that’s not it, either.

I apologize for not stating this at the beginning, but I have paid for a license yet. I was waiting to confirm that I could make my shortcuts work before buying a license. Could that be part of the problem?

No, both trial and licensed version are identical in what they do. There’s no difference apart from the post-trial purchase reminders that randomly pop up and stop the workflow execution.

As a next step, would you be willing to get me some log output from your iPhone? If so:

In your vault, please install my plugin Logstravaganza
Configure it to output NDJSON, log level “Debug”
Enable Logstravaganza
Disable Actions URI
Enable Actions URI again
Run the workflow you’re having issues with. (Alternatively, set up an isolated test workflow in Shortcuts that only contains the action you’re having problems with, and run that.) Run it until you run into an issue, please.
Disable Logstravaganza
Send me the output (via private message or email)

Thanks!

(Logstravaganza logs Obsidian’s internal output that usually goes to the hidden developer console. Actions URI is reporting to that console, so that log output might contain some clues about what’s going wrong.)

czottmann · November 6, 2024, 9:53am

Update: The ObsidianError error 5 is the “raw” placeholder for the purchase reminder. Seeing “error 5” means “Your trial period is over, please buy a license.” Shortcuts showing raw errors instead of readable ones is a new one, sorry about that.

The issue is already fixed, and the 2024.2.3 update is going into the App Review today!

/㏄ @Arran