Summary

After attaching certain PowerPoint files on a Confluence page and publishing it, the preview keeps loading indefinitely and eventually shows the error "There was a problem converting this attachment".

Environment

Confluence Server or Data Center

Diagnosis

1. While the preview fails, the file can be downloaded successfully.

2. The following error is seen in the application logs:

   atlassian-confluence.log

   2020-08-22 12:20:41,807 ERROR [DefaultSlideCacheManager:thread-1] [com.benryan.conversion.AbstractSlideConversionTask] call problem while converting test.pptx
   -- referer: https://example.site.com/display/AA/Test+Page | url: /plugins/servlet/pptslide | traceId: d153768c7837eeb8 | userName: user1
   java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: image == null!

Cause

The preview is timing out for certain PowerPoint files as Confluence is not able to perform the document conversion within the default configured time of 30 seconds.

Solution

1. Shutdown Confluence

2. Add the following properties to <Confluence-Install>/bin/setenv.sh (when using Linux) or setenv.bat (when using .bat file in Windows):

   • Data Center
   • Server

   Data Center has separate Sandbox processes to do conversions. We need to use conversion.sandbox.java.options (Recognized System Properties) to pass the required parameters to external processes. For further information kindly review the Document conversion for Confluence Data Center KB article.

   setenv.sh

   CATALINA_OPTS="-Dconversion.sandbox.java.options=-Dconfluence.document.conversion.slides.convert.timeout=120,-Dconfluence.document.conversion.imaging.convert.timeout=120 ${CATALINA_OPTS}"

   setenv.bat

   set CATALINA_OPTS=-Dconversion.sandbox.java.options=-Dconfluence.document.conversion.slides.convert.timeout=120,-Dconfluence.document.conversion.imaging.convert.timeout=120 %CATALINA_OPTS%

   To ensure each Sandbox system property is recognized correctly, please separate them with commas.

   setenv.sh

   CATALINA_OPTS="-Dconfluence.document.conversion.threads=3 ${CATALINA_OPTS}"
   CATALINA_OPTS="-Dconfluence.document.conversion.slides.convert.timeout=120 ${CATALINA_OPTS}"
   CATALINA_OPTS="-Dconfluence.document.conversion.imaging.convert.timeout=120 ${CATALINA_OPTS}"

   setenv.bat

   set CATALINA_OPTS=-Dconfluence.document.conversion.threads=3 %CATALINA_OPTS%
   set CATALINA_OPTS=-Dconfluence.document.conversion.slides.convert.timeout=120 %CATALINA_OPTS%
   set CATALINA_OPTS=-Dconfluence.document.conversion.imaging.convert.timeout=120 %CATALINA_OPTS%

   
   

   In case you are running Confluence as service in Windows, refer to Configuring System Properties (under Windows service)

3. Delete the contents from inside the folder <Confluence-Home>/viewfile/
4.  For Data Center instances, also delete the contents inside:
   <Confluence-Home>/shared-home/dcl-document/
<Confluence-Home>/shared-home/dcl-document_hd/
5. Clear Confluence plugins cache
6. Startup Confluence