Internal error: Failed to parse metadata, File aps_php.php

Symptoms

• The Plesk > Domains page cannot be opened due to the following error:

  PLESK_ERROR: Internal error: Failed to parse metadata

  Message Failed to parse metadata
  File aps_php.php
  Line 12559
  Type Exception

• The same error appears in an attempt to create/remove a customer/subscription.

• APS package settings cannot be checked:

  # /usr/local/psa/bin/aps –get-packages-global-settings

  Failed to parse metadata

  OR

  # /usr/local/psa/bin/aps –get-packages-global-settings

  PHP Warning : aps_registry_packageconfiguration_getglobalsettings(): Entity: line 7: parser error : Char 0x0 out of allowed range; File: /usr/share/aps_php/aps_php.php, Line: 10024
  PHP Warning : aps_registry_packageconfiguration_getglobalsettings(): ; File: /usr/share/aps_php/aps_php.php, Line: 10024
  …
  Failed to parse metadata

• It is not possible to install an application.

• Unable to clear cache at Tools & Settings > Application Vault > Clear Cache on Plesk:

  PLESK_ERROR: Internal error: Cannot find package cache directory: ‘/usr/local/psa/var/apspackages/apscatalog7R2ZJ5.zipb17fa7a9-c64e-c0’
  Message Cannot find package cache directory: ‘/usr/local/psa/var/apspackages/apscatalog7R2ZJ5.zipb17fa7a9-c64e-c0’
  File Content.php
  Line 73
  Type CommonPanel_Aps_Cache_Exception

• When creating a server backup, the following error message appears in the backup task sumary:

  PLESK_INFO: Warning: server “server”
  Unable to get Global settings for APS Applications (ErrorCode: 3, STDOUT:).

• The /opt/psa/var/apspackages or /usr/local/psa/var/apspackages was accidentally cleared.

Cause

The metafile_uri directory (from the apsc.aps_package table) is missing on the server or the APP-META.xml file is corrupted.

Resolution

If the apspackages folder was accidentally cleared, the best way is restoring it from the full server backup.

If it does not contain all applications, follow steps below as well as for other cases.