From 7f0cd0f801d3c670fcc96350f2910757261d79be Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Miduo666 <lambadajester50@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2026 01:18:50 +1100
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] resolve initialization failure when encryption directory
 exists

---
 lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart | 51 ++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 44 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart b/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
index 4e03b605..68f4aefa 100644
--- a/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
+++ b/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
@@ -189,12 +189,37 @@ Future<void> initPod(
     dirUrls = [for (final d in defaultDirs) await getDirUrl(d)];
   }
 
-  // Require the creation of the encryption directory and
-  // the encKeyFile and indKeyFile in it.
+  // Determine whether the encryption directory needs to be created.
+  //
+  // The encryption directory is essential for key management. It may or may
+  // not already be in [dirUrls] depending on whether [initialStructureTest]
+  // detected it as missing. We check the server to decide:
+  //   - If it already exists on the server → skip creation, just set the key.
+  //   - If it does NOT exist            → ensure it is in the creation list
+  //     and perform full key initialisation.
 
   final encDirUrl = await getDirUrl(await getEncDirPath());
-  if (!dirUrls.contains(encDirUrl)) {
-    throw Exception('Can not initialise POD without creating $encDirUrl');
+  var needsEncSetup = dirUrls.contains(encDirUrl);
+
+  if (!needsEncSetup) {
+    // Encryption directory is not in the creation list.
+    // Check whether it actually exists on the server.
+
+    final status = await checkResourceStatus(encDirUrl, isFile: false);
+    if (status == ResourceStatus.notExist) {
+      // The directory is missing on the server AND was not in the creation
+      // list (e.g. because initialStructureTest returned forbidden/unknown,
+      // or because the caller only passed partial dirUrls). Add it so that
+      // it gets created below together with the other directories.
+
+      dirUrls.add(encDirUrl);
+      needsEncSetup = true;
+      debugPrint(
+        'initPod: encryption directory missing on server, '
+        'added to creation list',
+      );
+    }
+    // else: directory exists on the server → needsEncSetup stays false.
   }
 
   // Create the required directories.
@@ -220,10 +245,22 @@ Future<void> initPod(
     }
   }
 
-  // Create the encKeyFile, indKeyFile and pubKeyFile
-  // and remove them from the fileUrls list.
+  // Handle encryption key setup.
+
+  if (needsEncSetup) {
+    // First-time setup: create encryption key files from scratch.
+
+    await KeyManager.initPodKeys(securityKey);
+  } else {
+    // Encryption already initialised: just verify and set the security key
+    // so that encrypted operations work in this session without overwriting
+    // existing keys.
+
+    await KeyManager.setSecurityKey(securityKey);
+  }
+
+  // Remove encryption key file URLs from the list (already handled above).
 
-  await KeyManager.initPodKeys(securityKey);
   fileUrls.remove(await getFileUrl(await getEncKeyPath()));
   fileUrls.remove(await getFileUrl(await getIndKeyPath()));
   fileUrls.remove(await getFileUrl(await getPubKeyPath()));

From a030c6dc35c9f060f0565bb6b12eb3b7f67bd4a6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Miduo666 <lambadajester50@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2026 02:03:11 +1100
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] clarify empty list vs Null

---
 lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart | 10 +++++++---
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart b/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
index 68f4aefa..a34a1f0e 100644
--- a/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
+++ b/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
@@ -183,8 +183,10 @@ Future<void> initPod(
   }
 
   // Check (and generate) the directory URLs.
+  // Only regenerate when the caller did not provide any list (null).
+  // An empty list means "no directories to create" and should be respected.
 
-  if (dirUrls == null || dirUrls.isEmpty) {
+  if (dirUrls == null) {
     final defaultDirs = await generateDefaultFolders();
     dirUrls = [for (final d in defaultDirs) await getDirUrl(d)];
   }
@@ -233,14 +235,16 @@ Future<void> initPod(
   }
 
   // Check (and generate) the file URLs.
+  // Only regenerate when the caller did not provide any list (null).
+  // An empty list means "no files to create" and should be respected.
 
-  if (fileUrls == null || fileUrls.isEmpty) {
+  if (fileUrls == null) {
     final defaultFiles = await generateDefaultFiles();
     fileUrls = <String>[];
     for (final entry in defaultFiles.entries) {
       final d = entry.key;
       for (final f in entry.value as List) {
-        fileUrls.add([d, f].join('/'));
+        fileUrls.add(await getFileUrl([d, f].join('/')));
       }
     }
   }