NullPointerException when selecting Platform and Boards

[magic-icicle]

I added a Third Party Index URL for Sparkfun: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sparkfun/Arduino_Boards/main/IDE_Board_Manager/package_sparkfun_index.json"

Whenever I try to select "Sparkfun" from "Platforms and Boards", I get an error. The behaviour is the same as was already reported (and solved?) in Issue #1497.

My environment:

eclipse.buildId=4.32.0.20240606-1231
java.version=21.0.4
java.vendor=Eclipse Adoptium
BootLoader constants: OS=linux, ARCH=x86_64, WS=gtk, NL=en_GB
Framework arguments: -product org.eclipse.epp.package.cpp.product
Command-line arguments: -os linux -ws gtk -arch x86_64 -product org.eclipse.epp.package.cpp.product -data /home/user/eclipse-arduino

Stacktrace:

java.lang.NullPointerException: Cannot read the array length because "inScopeVersions" is null at io.sloeber.ui.preferences.PlatformSelectionPage.mustBeInstalled(PlatformSelectionPage.java:61) at io.sloeber.ui.preferences.PlatformSelectionPage$3$1.isChecked(PlatformSelectionPage.java:263) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.CheckboxTreeViewer.doUpdateItem(CheckboxTreeViewer.java:126) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer$UpdateItemSafeRunnable.run(AbstractTreeViewer.java:158) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:47) at org.eclipse.jface.util.SafeRunnable.run(SafeRunnable.java:174) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer.doUpdateItem(AbstractTreeViewer.java:1073) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer$UpdateItemSafeRunnable.run(StructuredViewer.java:426) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:47) at org.eclipse.jface.util.SafeRunnable.run(SafeRunnable.java:174) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer.updateItem(StructuredViewer.java:2111) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer.createTreeItem(AbstractTreeViewer.java:894) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer.createChildren(AbstractTreeViewer.java:872) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.TreeViewer.createChildren(TreeViewer.java:611) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer.createChildren(AbstractTreeViewer.java:819) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer.handleTreeExpand(AbstractTreeViewer.java:1603) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.TreeViewer.handleTreeExpand(TreeViewer.java:904) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer$3.treeExpanded(AbstractTreeViewer.java:1615) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.TypedListener.handleEvent(TypedListener.java:149) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:91) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.sendEvent(Display.java:5855) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1617) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1643) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1626) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Tree.gtk_test_expand_row(Tree.java:2620) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.windowProc(Widget.java:2624) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.windowProc(Display.java:6168) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.gtk3.GTK3.gtk_main_do_event(Native Method) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.eventProc(Display.java:1598) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.gtk3.GTK3.gtk_main_iteration_do(Native Method) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:4514) at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.runEventLoop(Window.java:823) at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.open(Window.java:799) at io.sloeber.ui.actions.OpenPreferencesHandler.execute(OpenPreferencesHandler.java:64) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.handlers.HandlerProxy.execute(HandlerProxy.java:277) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.handlers.E4HandlerProxy.execute(E4HandlerProxy.java:98) at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DirectMethodHandleAccessor.invoke(DirectMethodHandleAccessor.java:103) at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:580) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.MethodRequestor.execute(MethodRequestor.java:58) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.invokeUsingClass(InjectorImpl.java:299) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.invoke(InjectorImpl.java:233) at org.eclipse.e4.core.contexts.ContextInjectionFactory.invoke(ContextInjectionFactory.java:174) at org.eclipse.e4.core.commands.internal.HandlerServiceHandler.execute(HandlerServiceHandler.java:165) at org.eclipse.core.commands.Command.executeWithChecks(Command.java:488) at org.eclipse.core.commands.ParameterizedCommand.executeWithChecks(ParameterizedCommand.java:485) at org.eclipse.e4.core.commands.internal.HandlerServiceImpl.executeHandler(HandlerServiceImpl.java:204) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.HandledContributionItem.executeItem(HandledContributionItem.java:444) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.AbstractContributionItem.handleWidgetSelection(AbstractContributionItem.java:442) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.AbstractContributionItem.lambda$2(AbstractContributionItem.java:464) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:91) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.sendEvent(Display.java:5855) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1617) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.runDeferredEvents(Display.java:5065) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:4517) at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.runEventLoop(Window.java:823) at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.open(Window.java:799) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.views.log.EventDetailsDialog.open(EventDetailsDialog.java:198) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.views.log.EventDetailsDialogAction.run(EventDetailsDialogAction.java:102) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.views.log.LogView.lambda$2(LogView.java:624) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer$1.run(StructuredViewer.java:779) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:47) at org.eclipse.jface.util.SafeRunnable.run(SafeRunnable.java:174) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer.fireDoubleClick(StructuredViewer.java:776) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.AbstractTreeViewer.handleDoubleSelect(AbstractTreeViewer.java:1580) at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer$4.widgetDefaultSelected(StructuredViewer.java:1205) at org.eclipse.jface.util.OpenStrategy.fireDefaultSelectionEvent(OpenStrategy.java:271) at org.eclipse.jface.util.OpenStrategy$1.handleEvent(OpenStrategy.java:328) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:91) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.sendEvent(Display.java:5855) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1617) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.runDeferredEvents(Display.java:5065) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:4517) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$5.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1151) at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:339) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1042) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.E4Workbench.createAndRunUI(E4Workbench.java:152) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.lambda$3(Workbench.java:639) at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:339) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.createAndRunWorkbench(Workbench.java:546) at org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI.createAndRunWorkbench(PlatformUI.java:173) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.ide.application.IDEApplication.start(IDEApplication.java:152) at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.app.EclipseAppHandle.run(EclipseAppHandle.java:208) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:143) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:109) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:439) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:271) at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DirectMethodHandleAccessor.invoke(DirectMethodHandleAccessor.java:103) at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:580) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:668) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:605) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1481) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.main(Main.java:1454)

[jantje]

I notice you use
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sparkfun/Arduino_Boards/main/IDE_Board_Manager/package_sparkfun_index.json
Where the one published on https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/wiki/Unofficial-list-of-3rd-party-boards-support-urls is
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sparkfun/Arduino_Boards/master/IDE_Board_Manager/package_sparkfun_index.json

The 2 are clearly different.
Given the fact the same name (package_sparkfun_index.json) is used and my system already has the official one I can not install the "main" easily.
Please try the master.

[jantje]

I did some digging and I found the problem to be with the sparkfun provided json not being compliant with the arduino framework provided instructions you can find here https://arduino.github.io/arduino-cli/1.0/package_index_json-specification/

As you can see below the sparkfun json file contains 2 packages

What Sloeber supports (has to for the Arduino provided json) however the 2 packages have the same name (SparkFun)
Sloeber does not like that because the name is considered the ID.
One can discuss whether that is a good idea but the above mentioned specification states

Which means that a correctly implemented Arduino framework will install the different SparkFun packages in the same folder (because the packages have the same name) which makes one wonder why to separate them in the first place.

My conclusion is: this is a sparkfun json issue not a Sloeber issue

[magic-icicle]

The file from the "master"-Link above works as expected. I was using the "main" because it was referenced from the Sparkfun Tutorial.

Thanks a lot for your help!