show message when API is down

[mircealungu]

When API is down (which should not happen but unfortunately sometimes still does) the popup should show a corresponding message; something like "could not connect to the server".

[Emmategl]

True. So, on http://zeeguu.org/ we only display such a message if they try to login. So, that error message belongs to “Zeeguu_API.prototype.signIn”, which catches “There seems to be a problem with the server. Please try again later”. We also have this implemented in “Login.js” as errorMessage. But, as I recall, if the server is down, the extension is just empty. So, we have a problem before they click “login”.

Inside of popup.js we create the API “let api = new Zeeguu_API("https://api.zeeguu.org/”)”. But do we need to catch an error at this time? Looking at the code I does not look like we use the api, if the user is not logged in. And I guess, if the API is down, then the user is not logged in. But the extension does not work at all, if the API is down. So, we must use it for something, as soon as we click it. Hmm.

Is there a way to test this without the API being down?

[mircealungu]

But, as I recall, if the server is down, the extension is just empty. So, we have a problem before they click “login”.

The problem is also when I'm logged in and I try to open the popup... the extension tries to figure out whether the article is readable, and it gets stuck there I think.

However, maybe we can consider this low priority given that:

1. the API should just not be down...
2. If we're considering trying out the div at the top of the page with "cleanup and read with zeeguu" then this particular situation won't happen?

[mircealungu]

regarding testing w/o the API being down; locally you can change the API url to something that does not exist and the situation should be the same... or?

[Emmategl]

Sure, we can make it low priority. Though, even if we add the div at the top of the page with "cleanup", maybe we still have login in the popup? And maybe some settings. And maybe in the future something in regard to difficulty. So, my guess is, that we would still need to talk to the api in the popup.

[mircealungu]

It's a very good point. we'll definitely have to solve the same problem with the API communication.