---
name: arr-v1-api-validator-peeling
description: "When driving Sonarr/Radarr (v3) vs Lidarr/Readarr/Prowlarr (v1 .NET) APIs over HTTP: probe endpoints by status code, peel validators one live call at a time, and treat config.xml on disk as truth — v1 rejects literal enum strings that break AuthorizationMiddleware."
---

# *arr v1 API validator peeling

Use when creating root folders, profiles, or settings via the *arr HTTP APIs, or when a v1 (.NET) arr 500-sprawls after a config edit/restart.

## API version split
- Sonarr/Radarr: `/api/v3/...`. Lidarr/Readarr/Prowlarr: `/api/v1/...` (Prowlarr port 9696, NOT 8090 — that's Jackett).
- Probe endpoints by status code first: **empty body = endpoint absent**, not a failure. v1 has no `/api/v1/profile` endpoint at all.

## Peel validators one live call at a time
POST a minimal body and let the validator error name the next required field, instead of guessing payload shapes:
- `DefaultMetadataProfileId must be >0` → that field is required; fetch real ids from `GET /api/v1/metadataprofile` (returns rows like `(1,'Standard')`).
- `'Name' must not be empty` → include `name`.
- `Quality Profile does not exist` → the id you sent doesn't exist; list real ones first (`GET /api/v1/qualitydefinition` returns the quality catalog, ids ≠ profiles).
Then POST the full body with **existing** ids: `{"name":"music","path":"/music","defaultQualityProfileId":1,"defaultMetadataProfileId":1}`.

## Auth-config pitfall (v1 .NET apps)
- `<AuthenticationMethod>None</AuthenticationMethod>` + `<AuthenticationRequired>Enabled</AuthenticationRequired>` = self-contradictory: UI Save permanently disabled, and any save throws `DryIoc.ScopedItemException` in `AuthorizationMiddleware` → 500 on every page after restart.
- The valid no-auth representation is **absence of the `<AuthenticationRequired>` key**, not the literal string `Disabled`. Fix = delete the key from `/config/config.xml` (`sed -i "/<AuthenticationRequired>/d"`), restart container.
- Tell-tale: one v1 app boots clean while siblings 500-sprawl → diff their config.xml auth blocks; the healthy one shows the correct shape.

## General rules
- Container `State=running` ≠ app serving; read `podman logs --tail 12 <c>` before theorizing.
- When a UI gate blocks saving, go under it: these apps keep plaintext XML config on disk (`/config/config.xml`) — read/edit it directly via `podman exec`.
- API keys live in each container's `/config/config.xml` `<ApiKey>`; grep them live rather than trusting docs.