passbolt/passbolt_api · error · FormValidationException

Could not validate the metadata key data.

Error message

Could not validate the metadata key data.

What it means

Payload guard in the metadata key update action: after the UUID check, the request body data failed validation (e.g. missing or malformed fields such as expired date), and a 400 summarizing the invalid metadata key data is thrown before the service layer runs.

Solutions

1. Read the form errors attached to the exception and correct the offending fields.
2. Send a complete valid body matching MetadataKeyUpdateForm rules (e.g. metadata_key_type, armored_key, key_info).
3. Ensure Content-Type: application/json and a non-empty payload.
4. Confirm the key is not expired/f revoked per update rules.

Example fix

// before
put(`/metadata/keys/${id}`, {metadata_key_type: 'shared'});
// after
put(`/metadata/keys/${id}`, {metadata_key_type: 'shared_key', armored_key: armored, key_info: info});

const required = ['metadata_key_type', 'armored_key', 'key_info'];
if (required.some(k => !(k in body))) throw new Error('missing fields: ' + required.filter(k => !(k in body)));

const isValidUpdate = (b) => typeof b === 'object' && b !== null && ['shared_key','user_key'].includes(b.metadata_key_type);

try { await api.put(`/metadata/keys/${id}`, body); } catch (e) { if (e.response?.status === 400 && e.response?.data?.body?.metadata_key?.errors) applyFieldErrors(e.response.data.body.metadata_key.errors); else throw e; }

When it happens

Trigger: Update call with missing required fields, invalid metadata key type, malformed armored key, or extra invalid fields in the JSON body.

Common situations: Patching only some fields when the form requires them; sending v4 field names; forgetting the JSON body entirely; content-type mismatch causing empty data.

Understand the failure class

Background: Schema validation failed / invalid input schema: payload rejected because its shape doesn't match the expected schema — this error's family across 28 libraries.

Related errors

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• " " is not a valid search filter. It should be between 1…

AI-assisted analysis of passbolt/passbolt_api@31c1bbc10f (2026-09-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e0d659683d620df0. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at plugins/PassboltCe/Metadata/src/Controller/MetadataKeyUpdateController.php:51

     * @param string $id key uuid
     * @return void
     * @throws \Cake\Http\Exception\NotFoundException if the key does not exist or is already expired
     * @throws \Cake\Http\Exception\BadRequestException if the key format is invalid or some conditions are not met
     * @throws \Cake\Http\Exception\InternalErrorException if there was an issue during the save/delete
     */
    public function update(string $id): void
    {
        $this->assertJson();
        $this->User->assertIsAdmin();
        $this->assertNotEmptyArrayData();

        if (!Validation::uuid($id)) {
            throw new BadRequestException(__('The metadata key ID should be a valid UUID.'));
        }

        $form = new MetadataKeyUpdateForm();
        if (!$form->execute($this->getRequest()->getData())) {
            throw new FormValidationException(__('Could not validate the metadata key data.'), $form);
        }

        $dto = MetadataKeyUpdateDto::fromArray($form->getData());
        (new MetadataKeyUpdateService())->update($this->User->getAccessControl(), $id, $dto);
        $this->success(__('The operation was successful.'));
    }
}

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