Added exception handling that solves SchematicResponse exceptions

causing a 500 error.

When XModule raises a ProcessingError during an AJAX request,
this module_render now returns a 404 to further reduce number of 500
responses.

common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py

@@ -53,12 +53,17 @@ class LoncapaProblemError(Exception):
 
 class ResponseError(Exception):
     '''
-    Error for failure in processing a response
+    Error for failure in processing a response, including
+    exceptions that occur when executing a custom script.
     '''
     pass
 
 
 class StudentInputError(Exception):
+    '''
+    Error for an invalid student input.
+    For example, submitting a string when the problem expects a number
+    '''
     pass
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1151,7 +1156,7 @@ def sympy_check2():
                 # Raise an exception
                 else:
                     log.error(traceback.format_exc())
-                    raise LoncapaProblemError(
+                    raise ResponseError(
                         "CustomResponse: check function returned an invalid dict")
 
             # The check function can return a boolean value,
@@ -1226,7 +1231,7 @@ def sympy_check2():
         Handle an exception raised during the execution of
         custom Python code.
 
-        Raises a StudentInputError
+        Raises a ResponseError
         '''
 
         # Log the error if we are debugging
@@ -1236,7 +1241,7 @@ def sympy_check2():
 
         # Notify student with a student input error
         _, _, traceback_obj = sys.exc_info()
-        raise StudentInputError, StudentInputError(err.message), traceback_obj
+        raise ResponseError, ResponseError(err.message), traceback_obj
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -1912,7 +1917,14 @@ class SchematicResponse(LoncapaResponse):
         submission = [json.loads(student_answers[
                                  k]) for k in sorted(self.answer_ids)]
         self.context.update({'submission': submission})
-        exec self.code in global_context, self.context
+
+        try:
+            exec self.code in global_context, self.context
+
+        except Exception as err:
+            _, _, traceback_obj = sys.exc_info()
+            raise ResponseError, ResponseError(err.message), traceback_obj
+
         cmap = CorrectMap()
         cmap.set_dict(dict(zip(sorted(
             self.answer_ids), self.context['correct'])))

common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/capa_module.py

@@ -12,12 +12,13 @@ from lxml import etree
 from pkg_resources import resource_string
 
 from capa.capa_problem import LoncapaProblem
-from capa.responsetypes import StudentInputError
+from capa.responsetypes import StudentInputError, \
+                                ResponseError, LoncapaProblemError
 from capa.util import convert_files_to_filenames
 from .progress import Progress
 from xmodule.x_module import XModule
 from xmodule.raw_module import RawDescriptor
-from xmodule.exceptions import NotFoundError
+from xmodule.exceptions import NotFoundError, ProcessingError
 from xblock.core import Integer, Scope, BlockScope, ModelType, String, Boolean, Object, Float
 from .fields import Timedelta
 
@@ -454,7 +455,14 @@ class CapaModule(CapaFields, XModule):
             return 'Error'
 
         before = self.get_progress()
-        d = handlers[dispatch](get)
+
+        try:
+            d = handlers[dispatch](get)
+
+        except Exception as err:
+            _, _, traceback_obj = sys.exc_info()
+            raise ProcessingError, ProcessingError(err.message), traceback_obj
+
         after = self.get_progress()
         d.update({
             'progress_changed': after != before,
@@ -726,7 +734,7 @@ class CapaModule(CapaFields, XModule):
             correct_map = self.lcp.grade_answers(answers)
             self.set_state_from_lcp()
 
-        except StudentInputError as inst:
+        except (StudentInputError, ResponseError, LoncapaProblemError) as inst:
             log.exception("StudentInputError in capa_module:problem_check")
 
             # If the user is a staff member, include

common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/exceptions.py

 class InvalidDefinitionError(Exception):
     pass
 
-
 class NotFoundError(Exception):
     pass
+
+class ProcessingError(Exception):
+    '''
+    An error occurred while processing a request to the XModule.
+    For example: if an exception occurs while checking a capa problem.
+    '''
+    pass

common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_capa_module.py

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import random
 
 import xmodule
 import capa
+from capa.responsetypes import StudentInputError, \
+                                LoncapaProblemError, ResponseError
 from xmodule.capa_module import CapaModule
 from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 from lxml import etree
@@ -502,38 +504,52 @@ class CapaModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(module.attempts, 1)
 
 
-    def test_check_problem_student_input_error(self):
-        module = CapaFactory.create(attempts=1)
+    def test_check_problem_error(self):
 
-        # Ensure that the user is NOT staff
-        module.system.user_is_staff = False
+        # Try each exception that capa_module should handle
+        for exception_class in [StudentInputError, 
+                                LoncapaProblemError, 
+                                ResponseError]:
 
-        # Simulate a student input exception
-        with patch('capa.capa_problem.LoncapaProblem.grade_answers') as mock_grade:
-            mock_grade.side_effect = capa.responsetypes.StudentInputError('test error')
+            # Create the module
+            module = CapaFactory.create(attempts=1)
 
-            get_request_dict = {CapaFactory.input_key(): '3.14'}
-            result = module.check_problem(get_request_dict)
+            # Ensure that the user is NOT staff
+            module.system.user_is_staff = False
+
+            # Simulate answering a problem that raises the exception
+            with patch('capa.capa_problem.LoncapaProblem.grade_answers') as mock_grade:
+                mock_grade.side_effect = exception_class('test error')
+
+                get_request_dict = {CapaFactory.input_key(): '3.14'}
+                result = module.check_problem(get_request_dict)
 
             # Expect an AJAX alert message in 'success'
             expected_msg = 'Error: test error'
             self.assertEqual(expected_msg, result['success'])
 
-        # Expect that the number of attempts is NOT incremented
-        self.assertEqual(module.attempts, 1)
+            # Expect that the number of attempts is NOT incremented
+            self.assertEqual(module.attempts, 1)
 
-    def test_check_problem_student_input_error_with_staff_user(self):
-        module = CapaFactory.create(attempts=1)
+    def test_check_problem_error_with_staff_user(self):
+        
+        # Try each exception that capa module should handle
+        for exception_class in [StudentInputError, 
+                                LoncapaProblemError,
+                                ResponseError]:
 
-        # Ensure that the user IS staff
-        module.system.user_is_staff = True
+            # Create the module
+            module = CapaFactory.create(attempts=1)
 
-        # Simulate a student input exception
-        with patch('capa.capa_problem.LoncapaProblem.grade_answers') as mock_grade:
-            mock_grade.side_effect = capa.responsetypes.StudentInputError('test error')
+            # Ensure that the user IS staff
+            module.system.user_is_staff = True
 
-            get_request_dict = {CapaFactory.input_key(): '3.14'}
-            result = module.check_problem(get_request_dict)
+            # Simulate answering a problem that raises an exception
+            with patch('capa.capa_problem.LoncapaProblem.grade_answers') as mock_grade:
+                mock_grade.side_effect = exception_class('test error')
+
+                get_request_dict = {CapaFactory.input_key(): '3.14'}
+                result = module.check_problem(get_request_dict)
 
             # Expect an AJAX alert message in 'success'
             self.assertTrue('test error' in result['success'])
@@ -541,6 +557,10 @@ class CapaModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
             # We DO include traceback information for staff users
             self.assertTrue('Traceback' in result['success'])
 
+            # Expect that the number of attempts is NOT incremented
+            self.assertEqual(module.attempts, 1)
+
+
     def test_reset_problem(self):
         module = CapaFactory.create(done=True)
         module.new_lcp = Mock(wraps=module.new_lcp)

lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from .models import StudentModule
 from psychometrics.psychoanalyze import make_psychometrics_data_update_handler
 from student.models import unique_id_for_user
 from xmodule.errortracker import exc_info_to_str
-from xmodule.exceptions import NotFoundError
+from xmodule.exceptions import NotFoundError, ProcessingError
 from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from xmodule.x_module import ModuleSystem
@@ -443,9 +443,18 @@ def modx_dispatch(request, dispatch, location, course_id):
     # Let the module handle the AJAX
     try:
         ajax_return = instance.handle_ajax(dispatch, p)
+
+    # If we can't find the module, respond with a 404
     except NotFoundError:
         log.exception("Module indicating to user that request doesn't exist")
         raise Http404
+
+    # For XModule-specific errors, we respond with 404
+    except ProcessingError:
+        log.exception("Module encountered an error while prcessing AJAX call")
+        raise Http404
+
+    # If any other error occurred, re-raise it to trigger a 500 response
     except:
         log.exception("error processing ajax call")
         raise