Uncaught Syntax Error: Unexpected token < (in lib/sendgrid.js triggered on a response object)

[iamgollum]

Issue Summary

After sending out a templated email using SendGrid's email helper utility. The server response from SendGrid's API is returning invalid JSON according to this wrapper (sendgrid-nodejs).

Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected token <
      at Object.parse (native)
      at node_modules/sendgrid/lib/sendgrid.js:110:42
      at IncomingMessage.<anonymous> (node_modules/sendgrid/node_modules/sendgrid-rest/lib/client.js:108:9)
      at endReadableNT (_stream_readable.js:921:12)

Line 110 is:

  //Use callback
  self.client.API(request, function(response) {
    response.body = response.body ? JSON.parse(response.body) : response.body;

Steps to Reproduce

1. Ensure sendgrid node package -->"sendgrid": "^4.7.1",
2. Create a template with substitutions in SendGrid and activate that template
3. Create a full email for the template using the email helper. apply .toJSON at end.

Example:

const BaseWelcomeEmail = (function(){
    const helper = require('sendgrid').mail,
        from_email = new helper.Email(testEmail),
        to_email = new helper.Email(testEmail),
        subject = "Welcome to Bedly",
        content = new helper.Content("text/plain", "hello"),

        mail = new helper.Mail(from_email, subject, to_email, content),
        personalization = new helper.Personalization();

    let substitution = new helper.Substitution(":firstname", "Aaron");

    personalization.addSubstitution(substitution);
    substitution = new helper.Substitution(":lastname", "Elk");
    personalization.addSubstitution(substitution);
    substitution = new helper.Substitution(":address", "96 Washington Avenue");
    personalization.addSubstitution(substitution);
    substitution = new helper.Substitution(":neighborhood", "Washington Heights");
    personalization.addSubstitution(substitution);
    substitution = new helper.Substitution(":unitNumber", "N/A");
    personalization.addSubstitution(substitution);
    substitution = new helper.Substitution(":roomNumber", "2J");
    personalization.addSubstitution(substitution);

    mail.addPersonalization(personalization);
    
    return mail;
})();

You can even create a mocha test, I ran this from this test environment:

    describe('Test Email Template', function () {
        it('test template ${TEMPLATE_ID} is active and is complete', function (done) {
            BaseWelcomeEmail.setTemplateId(TEMPLATE_ID);
            SendEmailImpl.sendEmail(BaseWelcomeEmail.toJSON(), done, function(error, response){
                assert_OKResponse(error, response, done);
            });
        });
    });

The sendEmail function contains the normal POST V3 setup to call the APIas described in the documents.

Technical details:

• sendgrid-nodejs Version: 4.7.1
• Node.js Version: 4.6.1

[thinkingserious]

Hello @iamgollum,

Thanks for taking the time to submit an issue! I have added this to our backlog for review.

Meanwhile, perhaps this will help: https://github.com/sendgrid/sendgrid-nodejs/blob/master/USE_CASES.md#transactional_templates

Thanks!

[thinkingserious]

@iamgollum,

Are you still having an issue?

[adamsingle]

I'm having this issue. And I'm using a transactional template as in the link you posted.

[thinkingserious]

Hmm, I'm thinking this issue is related: #347

I'm reclassifying this one as a bug and will check them out together.

[thinkingserious]

@adamsingle,

Meanwhile, do you have a code sample we can use to help reproduce? Thanks!

[iamgollum]

@thinkingserious I will try and provide a code sample this weekend. I am coming back to sendgrid now at work and going to revisit everything. I apologize for falling off the face of the earth

[bradseefeld]

Bah! Have been getting this exact problem for a few hours. Turns out the path is sensitive to the leading slash.

var request = sendgrid.emptyRequest({
    method: 'POST',
    path: '/v3/mail/send',
    body: mail.toJSON()
});

vs

var request = sendgrid.emptyRequest({
   method: 'POST',
   path: 'v3/mail/send',
   body: mail.toJSON()
});

The first snippet works, whereas the second will give you the json parse error :(

We've been a long time sendgrid customer, but just started playing with the api and this lib. Perhaps this detail is well documented and I have overlooked it? Would be nice for the lib to automatically prefix the slash if we omit it.

[thinkingserious]

@bradseefeld,

Sorry you had to deal with that :(

We are working on a better helper that hides all of those details from you. You should not have to care about any of the parameters.

You can follow the project here: https://github.com/sendgrid/sendgrid-nodejs/projects

Thanks!

[bradseefeld]

No worries. We love the service!

[thinkingserious]

The new helper is in development here: #378