Splunk 5.0 Error - An error occurred while rendering the page template. See web_service.log for more details

[watsm10]

I keep getting this error "An error occurred while rendering the page template. See web_service.log for more details" appear when I try to click on a saved search in manager in Splunk Web. After I restart Splunk, I can access that saved search, but after I've made my change and saved it I keep getting the same error message until I've restarted Splunk again.

I can't create, edit or delete saved searches through the GUI.. which is really annoying!

Can anyone help me out?

Thanks.

[hexx · Accepted solution]

@Drainy is correct.

This problem is caused by a regression in Splunk 5.0 and 5.0.1 which impacts certain methods to list indexes, such as:

• The eventcount command
• REST API calls to the /services/data/indexes endpoint

In 5.0 and 5.0.1, these methods fail to use cached assets and end up iterating over the files of your indexes themselves. This results in a much slower execution, which eventually affects whatever consumer calls the method.

In the Manager user interface, this affects some of the pages that need to present a list of indexes such as:

• The page showing the details of a saved search (Manager > Searches & Reports > $SAVED_SEARCH_NAME)
• The setup page for most data inputs (Manager > Data Inputs > Files & Directories > Add new)
• The page where you can list and edit indexes (Manager > Indexes)
• The page where you can edit roles (Manager > Access controls > Roles)

If the index-listing method takes more than 30s to complete, Splunkweb will time out on it and display a "500 - internal server error" message.

This issue will be fixed in maintenance release 5.0.2, which we are aiming to deliver early in 2013. We are also working on intermediary patch release 5.0.1.1 to specifically address this issue.

For reference, the bugs behind this problem are SPL-57518 and SPL-58650.

[hexx]

@Loscil: Given that this error can be very generic, I would recommend that you open a support case and indicate under which circumstances exactly you witnessed this error:

• Which UI page were you accessing?
• Did the error appear immediately or did it appear after ~30s?
• Is the error reproducible at will? If yes, what are the steps to follow?

It will also be useful to attach a diag of the instance where that happened right away.

[watsm10]

Try backing up your apps (etc/apps) and data (var/lib/splunk) and re-install splunk?

[Loscil]

I have just encountered this error in version 5.0.3, build 163460

[watsm10]

Good point there @hexx. The issue was with 5.0.1, so Splunk's latest public release of 5.0.2 addressed the problem

[mike_lebrun]

Oddly enough, the issue went away on its own a few hours after it started to appear. Is it possible that this error occurs when a scheduled search is running and one tries to edit it?

[hexx]

@mike.lebrun: If you have a distributed search environment, please ensure that all instances (search-heads and indexers) have been upgraded to 5.0.2.

[watsm10]

I spoke to Splunk support, who made some suggestions which didn't work..

We got around it by backing up our apps and settings, then a clean install of Splunk. Haven't had any issues on 5.02 so far...

[mike_lebrun]

Running 5.0.2 here and getting the same error "An error occurred while rendering the page template" when I click on either the saved search itself or try to Clone it.

Any suggestions?

[Drainy]

This sounds a lot like bugs, (SPL-57518, SPL-58650)

http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/5.0.1/ReleaseNotes/Knownissues

Best bet is to get in touch with support