type=rule action=description-append is failing

[bethatasitmay]

Describe the bug

When I run a command with action=description-append it is failing.

Expected behavior

Baring too many description entries, a filter-matching rule's description should be updated. This was working prior to me upgrading from v2.0.73 to v2.1.13. I tried saved commands that previously worked and they do not work now. I've tried different filters to confirm it isn't getting stuck on a single rule.

Current behavior

PS C:\tools\pan> PS C:\tools\pan> PS C:\tools\pan>PS C:\tools\pan> php -r "require_once 'C:/tools/pan/pan-os-php/utils/pan-os-php.php';" type=rule in=api://panorama.domain.com location=firewall01 actions=description-Append:' Ticket-229 8-28-23',no 'filter=(dst has.recursive host01)'

---

*** pan-os-php.php type=rule UTILITY **

• PAN-OS-PHP version: 2.1.13 [WIN] [8.1.16]
• Downloading config from API...
• Detected platform type is 'panorama'
• No 'template' provided so using default ='any'
• No 'ruleType' specified, using 'security' by default
• filter after sanitization : (dst has.recursive host01)
• Loading configuration through PAN-OS-PHP library... (1.51 seconds, 113.25 mb memory)
• PAN-OS version: 91
• PAN-OS APP-ID version: 8741-8213
• PAN-OS Device timezone: US/Pacific is used. actual time: 2023/08/28 10:22:13

• processing ruleset 'PanoramaConf: / DeviceGroup:firewall01 / RuleStore:Security' that holds 2245 rules
  • object 'Rule01' passing through Action='description-Append' Args: stringFormula=Ticket-229 8-28-23, newline=no,
    • new description will be: 'Ticket-674 Ticket-940 11-13-22 Ticket-530 Ticket-3295 2-16-23 Ticket-665 5-11-23 Ticket-319 8-22-23 Ticket-229 8-28-23' ... PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mb_convert_encoding() in C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\lib\misc-classes\trait\ObjectWithDescription.php:62 Stack trace:

      0 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\lib\misc-classes\trait\ObjectWithDescription.php(86): Rule->setDescription()

      1 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\utils\common\actions-rule.php(2858): Rule->API_setDescription()

      2 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\utils\common\CallContext.php(112): {closure}()

      3 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\utils\lib\RULEUTIL.php(430): CallContext->executeAction()

      4 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\utils\lib\RULEUTIL.php(36): RULEUTIL->time_to_process_objects()

      5 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\utils\lib\UTIL.php(211): RULEUTIL->utilStart()

      6 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\lib\misc-classes\PH.php(1025): UTIL->__construct()

      7 C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\utils\pan-os-php.php(117): PH::callPANOSPHP()

      8 Command line code(1): require_once('...')

      9 {main}

      thrown in C:\tools\pan\pan-os-php\lib\misc-classes\trait\ObjectWithDescription.php on line 62

Steps to reproduce

php -r "require_once 'C:/tools/pan/pan-os-php/utils/pan-os-php.php';" type=rule in=api://lv-pamgmt01.dcswins.com location=any actions=description-Append:'TEST 8-28-23',yes 'filter=(tag has Migration-06)'

I've also tried filtering on a src has.recursive/dst has.recursive and using location any. With location any, it did update a Shared rule but then still failed with the above error.

Context

For audit purposes, we are required to make a rule description update that corresponds to a commit.

Your Environment

• Version used: 2.1.13 (PHP 8.1.16) [previously worked on 2.0.73 (PHP 8.1.16)]
• Operating System and version (desktop or mobile): Windows 10 & PowerShell 5.1.19041.3031

[swaschkut]

PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mb_convert_encoding()

mb_convert_encoding() is not part of PAN-OS-PHP, there was also no change between 2.0.73 and 2.1.13 of using this;

php-mbstring is an extension to PHP is still needed, please check on your PHP version that this is still working fine.

[bethatasitmay]

hmmm, I haven't touched my PHP install since I had to revert from v8.2 when I upgraded to it when I shouldn't have (around January). I'll uninstall/re-install and see how it goes.

I'm assuming that php-mbstring is part of the normal install and, in particular, a part of the Chocolatey method of installing PHP.

Also, do I still need to install a PHP version <8.2?

[swaschkut]

you can continue with PHP 8.2 since you reached out I fixed all of this, and run myself only 8.2

[bethatasitmay]

Ah, I missed that in the updates (I do read them, just too fast sometimes :-) )

[swaschkut]

ok, so I will close this case, as this is related to PHP and PHP module installation

[bethatasitmay]

All good now - thanks!

TL;DR

In my last PHP 8.1.6 install, I did not enable the mbstring extension (I didn't even have it in my notes to do that which makes me think it was never enabled). I uninstalled 8.1, installed 8.2, fixed the path, enabled the mbstring extension, and re-downloaded PAN-OS-PHP from GIT just to be sure.

I didn't think to check the php.ini for the extension being enabled and testing it prior to the uninstall - I only looked at it as with a new PHP install, enable_dl needs to be turned on and I had a note to enable the openssl extension (although I think you fixed that issue a while back).

The uninstall retains the php.ini since it's not the original and I did not have the mbstring extension enabled in my previous install. Strange that it worked for so long without issue.

The action=description-append is now working.