Katalyst: CAS search fails due to external materials service error (MaterialsServiceException)

Description

• In Katalyst, users searching for materials by CAS number (or from favorites) receive a generic error:
  “Unexpected error. Please refer to support.”
• The stack trace includes com.acdlabs.experimentaldesign.shared.exceptions.MaterialsServiceException.
• The issue is traced to an external materials service or datasource that Katalyst calls for material lookup.

Solution

• This is typically a problem with the external materials service, not core Katalyst logic.
• Steps:
  • Check health of the materials service endpoint:
    • Is the service reachable (network, DNS)?
    • Are there errors in the service’s own logs?
  • Verify the Katalyst configuration for the materials source:
    • Base URL, authentication, and query format.
    • Any recent changes in schema or API version.
• Coordinate with the materials service owner to:
  • Fix any service‑side errors (e.g., invalid JSON, authentication failures, index issues).
  • Ensure that queries from Katalyst (including CAS search) are supported and return valid responses.
• Once the external service is healthy:
  • Retest CAS search in Katalyst.
  • Confirm that searches from CAS or favorites succeed without throwing MaterialsServiceException error.