504 Error When Attempting To Make Remote API Calls

Hi there. Thanks for the library, it has helped me build some really cool stuff and I appreciate all the work you’ve put in.

However, I’m attempting to connect remotely for the first time and I just can’t get things to work, despite pretty directly following the docs. Filing this here on the off-chance this is the library rather than the user.

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Goal: Connect to a Hue Bridge via connectWithTokens() and make an API call Problem: Every API request returns a 504 error, even after a seemingly successful connectWithTokens() connection using just-generated credentials. Context: The Hue error docs and this tweet make me think a 504 error is the result of a bridge being not being connected to the internet. My understanding is that connectWithCode() only works if a connection to the bridge has been established.

As a further complication: I checked locally and I can see that no user associated with my new app which makes me think I’m missing something?

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Flow That I Would Expect To Work

1. Send visitor to authorization URL created via getAuthCodeUrl()

const remoteBootstrap = hue_api.api.createRemote(CLIENT_ID, CLIENT_SECRET);
document.location.href = remoteBootstrap.getAuthCodeUrl('my-app', APP_ID, STATE)

1. In node catch callback from above URL and use it to connect to bridge via connectWithCode()

const remoteBootstrap = hue_api.api.createRemote(CLIENT_ID, CLIENT_SECRET);
remoteBootstrap.connectWithCode(authCode, USERNAME)
    .catch(err => {
         // Error stuff

1. Then swap code for refresh and access tokens from bridge via getRemoteAccessCredentials()

      }).then(api => {
        const remoteCredentials = api.remote.getRemoteAccessCredentials();
        // Store remoteCredentials.tokens
        
        res.redirect(`app.com`)
     })

1. Use those tokens to do anything you might with the local API via connectWithTokens()

const remoteBootstrap = hue_api.api.createRemote(CLIENT_ID, CLIENT_SECRET);
remoteBootstrap.connectWithTokens(ACCESS_VALUE, REFRESH_VALUE, USERNAME)
  .catch(err => {
     // Error stuff
  })
  .then(api => {
    // **This times out** 
    api.lights.getAll()
    .then(allLights => {
      // do something with allLights
    }
})

The first three steps are no problem but working with the API in step 4 results in an error every time 😕

Anything I’m overlooking? Am I misinterpreting remoteSetup.md?

[peter-murray]

It looks like something has changed somewhere (its been over a year since I last tested this). Now that I know the version I can puts some debugging time into it tomorrow 😄

[brokyo]

Embarrassing! Yes, you’re absolutely right and my bridge was not connected to the portal and that was the source of the issue (I changed routers, didn’t reconnect, and the site gives unclear messaging 😰) this all works now. Thank you and, oof, apologies.

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While reimplementing this I may have found a different bug, however. I’m not convinced passing a custom username to connectWithCode works

To Reproduce

Failed Process After getting auth code connect with:

const username = `foo`
remoteBootstrap.connectWithCode(authCode, username)
.then(api => {
   const remoteCredentials = api.remote.getRemoteAccessCredentials();
   // save username as `customUser`
   // save remoteCredentials.tokens as `tokens`
})

Then connect on an arbitrary API call:

remoteBootsrap.connectWithTokens(tokens.access.value, tokens.refresh.value, customUser)
.then(api => {
   api.lights.getAll()
   .then(lights => {
      // fail to do something with allLights
   })
})

When I do this I get ApiError: unauthorized user

Successful Process Whereas if I do the entire above process without passing in a username things work:

remoteBootstrap.connectWithCode(authCode)
.then(api => {
   const remoteCredentials = api.remote.getRemoteAccessCredentials();
   // save remoteCredentials.username as `defaultUser`
   // save remoteCredentials.tokens as `tokens`
})

remoteBootsrap.connectWithTokens(tokens.access.value, tokens.refresh.value, defaultUser)
.then(api => {
   api.lights.getAll()
   .then(lights => {
      // successfully do something with allLights
   })
})

It’s possible I’m missing something here but as I have no reason not to just use a default user haven’t dug too deep. Failed on a couple pass throughs so I thought I’d flag it 😃

Thank you!