Large message body issue

[radarsymphony]

Summary

We are experiencing an issue related to purifying html when pasting it into the body of message. When we paste an image into a google doc, and then copy the image out of the doc and paste it into the message body, the conversation appears "blank" or empty when viewed in the inbox. (see logs below)

System Specs

PHP version: 8.2 FreeScout version: 1.8.77

Steps to Replicate

1. Open up a blank google doc.
2. Expand the section below, Right-click on the puppy photo and select Copy Image (firefox).
   Example Image

Source http://inspirationseek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Cute-Dog-Photography.jpg

3. Paste the photo into the google doc.
4. Add one "new line return" after image.
5. Go open up a new conversation in Freescout instance.
6. Go back to the google doc with the image and Right-click and select Copy
7. Paste image into the new conversation body.
8. Add recipient and subject and send.
9. Click on the Mine view in sidebar.
10. Locate pending conversation and open it.
11. Message should appear "blank" or empty.

Current Behavior

When some content types are pasted into the Freescout conversation body and sent, Freescout returns a strip_tags(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated error in the Send Logs. The message usually sends. However, on several occasions the message lands in the job queue and after a few days does return an error to the original sender (see screenshots below). In these cases, the message does not send. (We are still working to understand circumstances that cause the message to fail entirely.)

Additional aspects of behavior

• The majority of the strip_tags errors correlate with users copying images or text from google docs and pasting it into a Freescout conversation.
• Message preview in the list view (in Mine folder, for example) will show "text" if any has been added, even when the body appears blank when opening that conversation.
• Selecting the right-side dropdown on a blank conversation and selecting View Original will also show the message content as expected.

Additional actions that may lead to error

The following seem to cause the error. We are still investigating to better identify the consistent steps to replicate.

• Closing a conversation which has this unpurified html in the body
• Replying to a message that had/has unpurified html in body

Expected Behavior

Pasted content is successfully purified and able to be displayed in the Freescout conversation view. If the message is undeliverable, the original sender/inbox is notified.

Screenshots & Logs

Blank message

Send Logs screenshot

Example of message that failed to send

Full stack trace

freescout/laravel.log

``` [2023-05-29 16:57:04] production.ERROR: strip_tags(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated (View: /www/html/resources/views/emails/customer/reply_fancy_text.blade.php) {"exception":"[object] (ErrorException(code: 0): strip_tags(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated (View: /www/html/resources/views/emails/customer/reply_fancy_text.blade.php) at /www/html/vendor/html2text/html2text/src/Html2Text.php:371, ErrorException(code: 0): strip_tags(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated at /www/html/vendor/html2text/html2text/src/Html2Text.php:371) [stacktrace] #0 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/View/Engines/PhpEngine.php(45): Illuminate\\View\\Engines\\CompilerEngine->handleViewException(Object(ErrorException), 0) #1 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/View/Engines/CompilerEngine.php(59): Illuminate\\View\\Engines\\PhpEngine->evaluatePath('/data/storage/f...', Array) #2 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/View/View.php(137): Illuminate\\View\\Engines\\CompilerEngine->get('/www/html/resou...', Array) #3 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/View/View.php(120): Illuminate\\View\\View->getContents() #4 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/View/View.php(85): Illuminate\\View\\View->renderContents() #5 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Mail/Mailer.php(328): Illuminate\\View\\View->render() #6 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Mail/Mailer.php(307): Illuminate\\Mail\\Mailer->renderView('emails/customer...', Array) #7 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Mail/Mailer.php(218): Illuminate\\Mail\\Mailer->addContent(Object(Illuminate\\Mail\\Message), 'emails/customer...', 'emails/customer...', NULL, Array) #8 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Mail/Mailable.php(119): Illuminate\\Mail\\Mailer->send('emails/customer...', Array, Object(Closure)) #9 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Mail/Mailer.php(250): Illuminate\\Mail\\Mailable->send(Object(Illuminate\\Mail\\Mailer)) #10 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Mail/Mailer.php(205): Illuminate\\Mail\\Mailer->sendMailable(Object(App\\Mail\\ReplyToCustomer)) #11 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Mail/PendingMail.php(99): Illuminate\\Mail\\Mailer->send(Object(App\\Mail\\ReplyToCustomer)) #12 /www/html/app/Jobs/SendReplyToCustomer.php(240): Illuminate\\Mail\\PendingMail->send(Object(App\\Mail\\ReplyToCustomer)) #13 [internal function]: App\\Jobs\\SendReplyToCustomer->handle() #14 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/BoundMethod.php(28): call_user_func_array(Array, Array) #15 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/BoundMethod.php(87): Illuminate\\Container\\BoundMethod::Illuminate\\Container\\{closure}() #16 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/BoundMethod.php(27): Illuminate\\Container\\BoundMethod::callBoundMethod(Object(Illuminate\\Foundation\\Application), Array, Object(Closure)) #17 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/Container.php(549): Illuminate\\Container\\BoundMethod::call(Object(Illuminate\\Foundation\\Application), Array, Array, NULL) #18 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Bus/Dispatcher.php(94): Illuminate\\Container\\Container->call(Array) #19 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Pipeline/Pipeline.php(114): Illuminate\\Bus\\Dispatcher->Illuminate\\Bus\\{closure}(Object(App\\Jobs\\SendReplyToCustomer)) #20 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Pipeline/Pipeline.php(102): Illuminate\\Pipeline\\Pipeline->Illuminate\\Pipeline\\{closure}(Object(App\\Jobs\\SendReplyToCustomer)) #21 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Bus/Dispatcher.php(98): Illuminate\\Pipeline\\Pipeline->then(Object(Closure)) #22 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/CallQueuedHandler.php(48): Illuminate\\Bus\\Dispatcher->dispatchNow(Object(App\\Jobs\\SendReplyToCustomer), false) #23 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/Jobs/Job.php(76): Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler->call(Object(Illuminate\\Queue\\Jobs\\DatabaseJob), Array) #24 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/Worker.php(320): Illuminate\\Queue\\Jobs\\Job->fire() #25 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/Worker.php(270): Illuminate\\Queue\\Worker->process('database', Object(Illuminate\\Queue\\Jobs\\DatabaseJob), Object(Illuminate\\Queue\\WorkerOptions)) #26 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/Worker.php(114): Illuminate\\Queue\\Worker->runJob(Object(Illuminate\\Queue\\Jobs\\DatabaseJob), 'database', Object(Illuminate\\Queue\\WorkerOptions)) #27 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/Console/WorkCommand.php(100): Illuminate\\Queue\\Worker->daemon('database', 'emails,default,...', Object(Illuminate\\Queue\\WorkerOptions)) #28 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/Console/WorkCommand.php(84): Illuminate\\Queue\\Console\\WorkCommand->runWorker('database', 'emails,default,...') #29 [internal function]: Illuminate\\Queue\\Console\\WorkCommand->handle() #30 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/BoundMethod.php(28): call_user_func_array(Array, Array) #31 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/BoundMethod.php(87): Illuminate\\Container\\BoundMethod::Illuminate\\Container\\{closure}() #32 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/BoundMethod.php(27): Illuminate\\Container\\BoundMethod::callBoundMethod(Object(Illuminate\\Foundation\\Application), Array, Object(Closure)) #33 /www/html/overrides/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Container/Container.php(549): Illuminate\\Container\\BoundMethod::call(Object(Illuminate\\Foundation\\Application), Array, Array, NULL) #34 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Console/Command.php(183): Illuminate\\Container\\Container->call(Array) #35 /www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Command/Command.php(255): Illuminate\\Console\\Command->execute(Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Illuminate\\Console\\OutputStyle)) #36 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Console/Command.php(169): Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Command\\Command->run(Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Illuminate\\Console\\OutputStyle)) #37 /www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(992): Illuminate\\Console\\Command->run(Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Output\\ConsoleOutput)) #38 /www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(255): Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Application->doRunCommand(Object(Illuminate\\Queue\\Console\\WorkCommand), Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Output\\ConsoleOutput)) #39 /www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(148): Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Application->doRun(Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Output\\ConsoleOutput)) #40 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Console/Application.php(88): Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Application->run(Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Output\\ConsoleOutput)) #41 /www/html/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Foundation/Console/Kernel.php(121): Illuminate\\Console\\Application->run(Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Output\\ConsoleOutput)) #42 /www/html/artisan(60): Illuminate\\Foundation\\Console\\Kernel->handle(Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Input\\ArgvInput), Object(Symfony\\Component\\Console\\Output\\ConsoleOutput)) #43 {main} "} ```

Potential Solutions

Source code files referenced:

• View: https://github.com/freescout-helpdesk/freescout/blob/dist/resources/views/emails/customer/reply_fancy_text.blade.php
• Vendor file: https://github.com/freescout-helpdesk/freescout/blob/dist/vendor/html2text/html2text/src/Html2Text.php#L371

Similar issue regarding a deprecation of passing null to parameter of type string: https://github.com/freescout-helpdesk/freescout/issues/3020

This user suggested adding a null check before calling the function. The current line 371:

        $text = strip_tags($text);

Modified line:

        $text = (!is_null($text) && strip_tags($text));

That being said, I don't know php very well and this seems like only half the solution. I haven't been able to identify why this $text parameter is null to begin with.

I'll add addition details as I identify them. The main concern right now is that the blank conversation is disconcerting for some users who think the message hasn't sent and the strip_tags error in the Send Log is also displayed when messages fail to send.

Please let me know what additional information I can provide to help with troubleshooting.

[radarsymphony]

Persistent Google HTML

Inspecting the Original of the messages that look "blank" shows that they still retain html from the google docs (e.g., span elements, google-specific ids, etc).

HTML of body with image that caused Blank Message

<div><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" id="docs-internal-guid-4f7ccf59-7fff-1a4a-0a27-1bd0845d5de7"><span style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:624px;height:391px;"><img src="data:image/png;base64, ...

HTML of body with image that did not cause error/issue

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" id="docs-internal-guid-ffdc140a-7fff-50ec-4779-4462f17bc2a9"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"><span style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:474px;height:411px;"><img src="data:image/png;base64, ...

[freescout-helpdesk]

HTML of body with image that caused Blank Message

Could you please attach full HTML.

[radarsymphony]

For sure! Attached to this comment you should find the full html for the blank email (4.2MiB) which contained an image and no text.

20230530_freescout-blank-email.txt

[radarsymphony]

I also tested on Freescout v1.8.78 with php8.1. I was able to replicate with that setup too.

[freescout-helpdesk]

Fixed in the master branch. It should work with new messages.

[radarsymphony]

I was able to test the changes in master on a development instance and they have resolved the "blank conversation" issue I was seeing. Thank you for the quick work on this.