Python error Json decode

[pcav]

JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/home/paolo/.qgis2/python/plugins/qgisgbifapi/qgis_occurrences_dialog.py", line 167, in load_occurrences
count = count_occurrences(filters)
File "/home/paolo/.qgis2/python/plugins/qgisgbifapi/gbif_webservices.py", line 34, in count_occurrences
resp = req.json()
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/requests/models.py", line 808, in json
return complexjson.loads(self.text, **kwargs)
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/simplejson/init.py", line 516, in loads
return _default_decoder.decode(s)
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/simplejson/decoder.py", line 370, in decode
obj, end = self.raw_decode(s)
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/simplejson/decoder.py", line 400, in raw_decode
return self.scan_once(s, idx=_w(s, idx).end())
JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)

Versione Python: 2.7.11 (default, Jan 11 2016, 21:04:40) [GCC 5.3.1 20160101]
Versione di QGIS: 2.13.0-Master Master, exported

[pcav]

Searching for Taxon key: mammalia in Country: Malaysia

[niconoe]

Thanks for your report!

According to the GBIF API Documentation (http://www.gbif.org/developer/occurrence), taxonKey should be an integer, not a taxon name. The API therefore returns Invalid integer range: mammalia, which makes the plugin crash.

I suggest:

1. Fixing the plugin so it reports a proper error message instead of that traceback.
2. Adding some info in the UI so the user know what to type in each filter (see Add "help" infobox for filters #15 )

What do you think?

[pcav]

IMHO:

• the plugin should not crash
• in case of error, the user should be presented some useful hint on what's wrong
• the field should accept only type of data compatible with what the backend accepts
• maybe for higher level taxa a dropdown list could be used
• a suggestion (tooltip, ?, or similar) is always good
• some documentation could be added, with an Help button.
  Thanks!

[niconoe]

Thanks, all excellent suggestions!