Cannot open "Install KNIME Extensions..." when local .zip file is used in Available Software Sites

[ajackson]

I have KNIME AP 5.2.0 on Windows 10. I installed it from the downloaded .zip file a few weeks ago.

Today I downloaded :

• org.knime.update.analytics-platform_5.2.1.zip
• com.knime.update.partner_5.2.0.zip
• TrustedCommunityContributions_5.1_202401170807.zip

I added them to the Available Software Sites, and enabled just on item:

and then went to install an extension from it as normal.

I went to File > “Install KNIME Extensions…”
… and no dialog window opened (which I would expect). I got no response at all. AP didn’t hang. No windows opened, no error messages, nothing on the status bar. It was as though I had never clicked on that File menu option.

If I go back to Available Software Sites and disable org.knime.update.analytics-platform_5.2.1.zip, I am then able to open a dialog using File > “Install KNIME Extensions…” (albeit with nothing available of course).

I’ve tried restarting. I’ve tried re-adding the zip. Bottom line - if ANY local zip file is selected, then KNIME AP doesn’t open the dialog. If a local zip file AND a web URL are selected, then I try to “Install KNIME Extensions…”, it will open a dialog as follows:

No mention of a failure of the local zip file. There’s a failure to read the https repository because those sites are somehow blocked by our corp firewall (hence the need to download a local zip).

I had a colleague try on her machine with a new installation of KNIME 5.2.0 and she had the same problem. She opened a workflow that had an Excel Reader node, and it failed to even load that node (it looked as if it had been deleted - there wasn’t even a node there with a red hash mark). When she disabled the local zip in available software sites then she was then able to open the same workflow and Excel Reader loaded properly.

Any suggestions?

[AlexanderFillbrunn]

Hi,
When you try to open the dialog and it just does not open, does any error appear in the KNIME log? It is called knime.log and you can open it via View → Open KNIME Log… in the old UI or Menu → Show KNIME log in file explorer in the new UI.
Kind regards,
Alexander

[ajackson]

Thanks for replying. No error appears in the KNIME log when I try to open the dialog.

After trying to open it, I went back and toggled the available sites on/off, and tried the dialog again, and then tried once more with toggling on/off, then retried the dialog. Through all there there were no new entries in knime.log (I also opened in Notepad++ to ensure I had the latest log).
As I recall, my coworker’s machine also exhibited the same behavior.’

I’m happy to try other troubleshooting suggestions.

Cheers, Andy

[AlexanderFillbrunn]

Hi,
I would expect there to be an ERROR level message in the log file, but since there is not, can you set the log level to DEBUG (everything is printed in the log) and then try again and see if there is anything of interest in knime.log?
Kind regards,
Alexander

[ajackson]

I was on WARN. I changed it to ERROR and tried, and then changed it to DEBUG. Nothing was logged at all when going to ‘Install KNIME Extensions’ for either option. I do see other DEBUG entries that are unrelated, so I know I’m in the right place with DEBUG enabled at least.

If it helps, here is what I have:

KNIME Analytics Platform	5.2.0.v202311301918	org.knime.desktop.product
KNIME Chromium Embeded Framework (CEF) Browser	5.2.0.v202311291033	org.knime.features.browser.cef.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Columnar Table Backend	5.2.0.v202311011421	org.knime.features.core.columnar.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Connectors for Common Databases	5.2.0.v202310301554	org.knime.features.dbdrivers.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Data Generation	5.2.0.v202310301554	org.knime.features.datageneration.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Database	5.2.0.v202311272057	org.knime.features.database.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Ensemble Learning Wrappers	5.2.0.v202310301555	org.knime.features.ensembles.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Excel Support	5.2.0.v202311211020	org.knime.features.ext.poi.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Expressions	5.2.0.v202310301555	org.knime.features.expressions.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Gateway	5.2.0.v202311291724	org.knime.features.gateway.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Google Connectors	5.2.0.v202311281529	org.knime.features.google.api.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME HTML/PDF Writer	5.2.0.v202310301554	org.knime.features.ext.birt.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Hub Integration	5.2.0.v202310311514	com.knime.features.workbench.hubview.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Image Processing	1.8.3.v202307210919	org.knime.knip.feature.feature.group	University of Konstanz / KNIME
KNIME JavaScript Views	5.2.0.v202311071034	org.knime.features.js.views.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Javasnippet	5.2.0.v202310301555	org.knime.features.javasnippet.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME JSON-Processing	5.2.0.v202310301555	org.knime.features.json.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Math Expression (JEP)	5.2.0.v202310301555	org.knime.features.ext.jep.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Modern UI	5.2.0.v202312050851	org.knime.features.ui.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Office 365 Connectors	5.2.0.v202311282124	org.knime.features.ext.office365.filehandling.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Personal Productivity Tools	5.2.0.v202311281916	org.knime.features.personalproductivity.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Public Server Access	5.2.0.v202311300843	com.knime.features.enterprise.client.exampleserver.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Quick Forms	5.2.0.v202311300839	org.knime.features.js.quickforms.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Reporting	5.2.0.v202311292225	org.knime.features.reporting2.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME REST Client Extension	5.2.0.v202311081204	org.knime.features.rest.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME ServerSpace	5.2.0.v202311291113	com.knime.features.explorer.serverspace.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Statistics Nodes	5.2.0.v202311231052	org.knime.features.stats.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Textprocessing	5.2.0.v202311031340	org.knime.features.ext.textprocessing.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Timeseries nodes	5.2.0.v202310301556	org.knime.features.timeseries.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME Views	5.2.0.v202311291659	org.knime.features.base.views.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
KNIME XML-Processing	5.2.0.v202310301556	org.knime.features.xml.feature.group	KNIME AG, Zurich, Switzerland
Lhasa public plugin	1.1.500.v202307100959	org.lhasalimited.knime.public.feature.feature.group	Lhasa Limited (http://www.lhasalimited.org)
Palladian for KNIME	2.9.0.202309281529	ws.palladian.nodes.feature.feature.group	palladian.ws
Vernalis KNIME Nodes	1.36.5.v202312061125	com.vernalis.knime.feature.feature.group	Vernalis Research Ltd, Cambridge, UK

[ajackson]

Checking in to see if there are any further ideas for this please?

[AlexanderFillbrunn]

Hi,
I sent you a private message here in the forum. Can you check your inbox?
Alexander

[steffen_KNIME]

Hi @ajackson,

I found the following in the forum regarding the PKIX path building failed issue, does that help you already?

Help with the Extensions

Hello future reader I’d like to add one more option to the ones above when facing “PKIX path building failed” issues. Again, these issues are often caused by a company proxy intercepting SSL certificates in order to monitor encrypted traffic. Possibly, the proxy’s certificate has already been preconfigured in Windows by your IT. In that case you can simply instruct KNIME to use the Windows trust store. To do so, add these two lines at the end of the knime.ini file which is locat…

Best regards
Steffen

[marvin.kickuth]

And another friendly hello

PKIX path building failed does indeed suggest a networking / SSL issue. However, should you be only working with offline update archives, please note that there is a bug in KNIME 5.2.0.

A workaround is here:

Downloading Extensions by Adding Local Update Sites - Unhandled event loop exception

Hi @arushib30 , We can confirm that offline update archives do not work in KNIME 5.2.0. We are planning on providing a resolution in KNIME 5.2.1 (internal bug reference: AP-21958). 5.2.1 is scheduled for release within this month. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience. Kind regards Marvin

Apologies for any inconveniences.

Kind regards
Marvin

[ajackson]

Marvin, thanks so much for letting me know! I’m really glad this is a known issue already. This is great news.

[ajackson]

Steffen and Marvin - this is an absolute lifesaver and makes absolute sense.
I added those options in, restarted, and the updates immediately started working.
This is fantastic and gives a much-preferred solution to offline files.
Also since Marvin replied below that it’s a known issue, we can call this request closed.
Thanks all, and to Alexander too.