What causes "app.error_connect_first" in different-ai/openwork?

Run the connection check (connect/test) so a client is created before saving.

app.error_connect_first

app.error_connect_first

Error message

app.error_connect_first

What it means

Thrown by the remote workspace connection editor when saving an OpenWork-type connection without an established client. The hook only has a connected client after a successful connection check; if the form is in 'new/edit OpenWork connection' mode and `client` is still null, saving is rejected with 'app.error_connect_first' telling the user to test/connect first.

Source

Thrown at apps/app/src/react-app/domains/workspace/use-remote-workspace-connection-editor.ts:110

      try {
        const displayName = fields.displayName?.trim() || null;
        const directory = fields.directory?.trim() || null;
        const openworkToken = fields.openworkToken?.trim() ?? "";
        if (isDesktopRuntime()) {
          await workspaceUpdateRemote({
            workspaceId: id,
            baseUrl,
            openworkHostUrl: baseUrl,
            openworkToken,
            openworkClientToken: "",
            openworkHostToken: "",
            displayName,
            directory,
            remoteType: "openwork",
          });
          await onSaved(id);
        } else {
          if (!client) throw new Error(t("app.error_connect_first"));
          const connectionChanged = baseUrl !== (initialValues.openworkHostUrl?.trim() ?? "") ||
            openworkToken !== (initialValues.openworkToken?.trim() ?? "") ||
            directory !== (initialValues.directory?.trim() || null);
          if (connectionChanged) {
            const result = await client.createRemoteWorkspace({
              baseUrl,
              openworkHostUrl: baseUrl,
              openworkToken: openworkToken || null,
              displayName,
              directory,
              remoteType: "openwork",
            });
            await onSaved(result.activeId ?? id);
          } else {
            await client.updateWorkspaceDisplayName(id, displayName);
            await onSaved(id);
          }
        }

View on GitHub (pinned to 2b7df46e8a)

Solutions

Run the connection check (connect/test) so a client is created before saving.
Verify the OpenWork host URL and token are correct if the check failed.
Ensure network access to the remote host; retry the connect step.

Example fix

// before
if (!client) throw new Error(t("app.error_connect_first"));
// after — auto-run the check instead of throwing
let activeClient = client;
if (!activeClient) activeClient = await runConnectionCheck(baseUrl, openworkToken);
const connectionChanged = /* unchanged */;

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

const canSave = remoteType !== "openwork" || client != null;
if (!canSave) { showHint(t("app.error_connect_first")); return; }

Type guard

function hasClient(c: Client | null | undefined): c is Client {
  return c != null;
}

Try / catch

try {
  await editor.save();
} catch (error) {
  if (error.message === t("app.error_connect_first")) {
    await editor.runConnectionCheck(); // recover by connecting
  } else throw error;
}

Prevention

Disable the save button until the connection check has succeeded.
Auto-run the connection check on blur of host/token fields.
Show inline validation state (untested / connected / failed).

When it happens

Trigger: Submitting the connection editor form with remoteType 'openwork' when the user has not run the connect/check step (or the check failed), so the `client` variable from the connection check is still undefined.

Common situations: User types a host URL and token but skips pressing the connect/test button; connection check failed silently (wrong token, unreachable URL); editing a connection and changing fields without re-validating.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of different-ai/openwork@2b7df46e8a (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2ac615c7c4e7c5c1. Report an issue: GitHub.