Ferdi: Unidentified blank screen (app unusuable)

[azorpax]

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Describe the bug
After installing the new version, Ferdi app won't load the content, even the login page. I only get a blank screen.

To Reproduce
Install 5.4.4-beta.3 or 5.5.0-gm.
after that, try to open the app.
the app will now display the blank window.

Expected behavior
should display the login page.

Screenshots

Desktop:

• OS: Ubuntu 19.10
• Ferdi Version: 5.4.4-beta.3 and 5.5.0-gm
• Server Used: https://api.getferdi.com

Debug information: can't open/find the menu

Additional context

[kytwb]

Experienced by @dorukkarinca on Windows (see https://github.com/getferdi/ferdi/issues/264#issuecomment-616113120)

[dorukkarinca]

Is there a way to open the Electron console from this screen so I can take a screenshot of the logs?

[dorukkarinca]

I solved this issue by reverting back to the older version, removing the password lock, and then reinstalling 5.5.0-gm!

Therefore this bug has something to do with the lock screen.

[kytwb]

@dorukkarinca Awesome investigation work! I was also looking at the changelog and trying to see where we could have gone wrong (migration for To-Dos settings?); but apparently it's related to the lock 🙃 I can't see why right now, will have to investigate 🙏

[kytwb]

@all-contributors please add dorukkarinca for bug

[allcontributors[bot]]

@kytwb

I've put up a pull request to add @dorukkarinca! :tada:

[azorpax]

Thank you @dorukkarinca and @kytwb. I am now able to open the app after removing the lock.

[ckkoen]

Hi, instead of reverting back to an older version to deactivate the Password lock, you can also go to C:UsersUsernameAppDataRoamingFerdiconfig, then open settings.json & then set "lockingFeatureEnabled" to false.

I had the same issue, but after changing the value & reopening Ferdi, everything was working again :)

[dorukkarinca]

@ckkoen it sounds like this option still disables password lock so it is not possible to use this version password-protected. Does the issue come back when you re-enable it?

Also, can this trick be used to circumvent password protection altogether?

[ckkoen]

@ckkoen it sounds like this option still disables password lock so it is not possible to use this version password-protected. Does the issue come back when you re-enable it?

Also, can this trick be used to circumvent password protection altogether?

Hmm, well I did some troubleshooting, here are my findings/issue with Password Protection:

1. If I re-enable it via GUI or the JSON-file ("lockingFeatureEnabled": true), with "useTouchIdToUnlock" set to true (as it is by default) in the JSON-file, Ferdi won't start (black/white screen).

2. If I re-enable it via the Settings in the Ferdi GUI with "useTouchIdToUnlock" set to false in the JSON-file, I immediately get a 'Something went wrong'-error. The settings-screen displays this error and it's unable to close, however, if I restart Ferdi, I am still able to lock, unlock & use Ferdi. My password is even being asked before loading my services. If I go to the Settings after restarting & unlocking Ferdi, I still get the same 'Something went wrong'-error, making the Settings unable to be used & closed. You can't even use them to disable the Password Protection again.
   This behavior only goes away if I disable the Password Protection via the JSON-file again. After restarting Ferdi, the GUI Settings are usable.

3. As you suspected, it seems this trick can be used to circumvent the password protection. If you enable it in the GUI & then lock Ferdi and shut it down, you can easily disable it via the JSON-file. If you then start Ferdi, there's no password protection & all services load as normal.

4. Not only can you disable Password Protection via the JSON-file, you can also change its state. Meaning that if you leave Password Protection enabled, you can also just set the value of "locked" to false. If you then start Ferdi, you can sometimes (can take a couple of Quit & Start of Ferdi) start it without having to input the password, however, Password Protection is still in place, so if you lock it again, its "locked"-state will change.

5. Perhaps the BIGGEST issue is the password being available in plain-text. And it being changeable. So not only can you read the user's password, you can also change it to your own liking. So that even the legitimate user can't open his/her Ferdi anymore.

These are the 3 lines I'm talking about, found in JSON-file C:UsersUsernameAppDataRoamingFerdiconfigsettings.json :
"lockingFeatureEnabled": false,
"locked": false,
"lockedPassword": "MyPassword",
"useTouchIdToUnlock": true,

IN SHORT:

• If you still want to Password Protect your Ferdi, set "lockingFeatureEnabled" to true & "useTouchIdToUnlock" to false. However, do notice that you can't open the Settings in the GUI anymore. If you do, you'll have to restart Ferdi, so there's no way to use the GUI to change any of the other settings.
• If you don't need the protection or you want to be able to use the GUI Settings, then set "lockingFeatureEnabled" to false.

Hope this can help you :)

[keunes]

Sounds like #543. And the password lock (plaintext) storage issue was addressed four days ago in #694 :)

[avlach]

Hi, instead of reverting back to an older version to deactivate the Password lock, you can also go to C:UsersUsernameAppDataRoamingFerdiconfig, then open settings.json & then set "lockingFeatureEnabled" to false.

I had the same issue, but after changing the value & reopening Ferdi, everything was working again :)

For Linux same file resides at: ~/.config/Ferdi/config/settings.json

[dmagliano]

Ran into the same issue today.
As said by @ckkon I just changed "useTouchIdToUnlock" to false and Ferdi opened again.

Using 5.6.0 beta 2

[echeverriadev]

i think that i have the same problem, i tried to do settings in the json file but it's not working yet. Can someone help me to solve it?

[schousda]

I'm on Linux Mint and have kind of the same issue.
A fresh installation of the software only shows an empty window on start. This also happend with Franz and was a reason to try Ferdi.
The window itself is not totally empty. If i move it, its like i move a screenshot of the underlaying screen.
I already tried to change the parameters in the config, but didn't help.
Is there any solution?

[stale[bot]]

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