From 691ace354313d5eadb55131355022126b7aaf611 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: awsr <43862868+awsr@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 02:25:43 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 1/5] Add warning messages

---
 modules/json_helpers.py | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/modules/json_helpers.py b/modules/json_helpers.py
index e06c835f4..3c2facda0 100644
--- a/modules/json_helpers.py
+++ b/modules/json_helpers.py
@@ -59,11 +59,13 @@ def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False, *, as_type
     except Exception:
         locking_available = False
     if isinstance(data, list) and as_type == "dict":
+        log.warning(f"Read: Expected dictionary from '{filename}' but got list")
         data0 = data[0]
         if isinstance(data0, dict):
             return data0
         return {}
     if isinstance(data, dict) and as_type == "list":
+        log.warning(f"Read: Expected list from '{filename}' but got dictionary")
         return [data]
     return data
 

From 70081e0d7475b149bb9044f07d17bfa2f2a4a4b3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: awsr <43862868+awsr@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 02:38:17 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 2/5] Fix default value

---
 modules/json_helpers.py | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/modules/json_helpers.py b/modules/json_helpers.py
index 3c2facda0..5cb495437 100644
--- a/modules/json_helpers.py
+++ b/modules/json_helpers.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False, *, as_type
 def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False) -> dict | list: ...
 def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False, *, as_type="") -> dict | list:
     global locking_available # pylint: disable=global-statement
-    data = {}
+    data = {} if as_type == "dict" else []
     lock_file = None
     locked = False
     if lock and locking_available:

From 66f55a7d7c10e2c31c868b9b2a95790732d6a18c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: awsr <43862868+awsr@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 02:59:51 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 3/5] Better data handling

---
 modules/json_helpers.py | 6 ++++--
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/modules/json_helpers.py b/modules/json_helpers.py
index 5cb495437..600f5fc8c 100644
--- a/modules/json_helpers.py
+++ b/modules/json_helpers.py
@@ -59,13 +59,15 @@ def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False, *, as_type
     except Exception:
         locking_available = False
     if isinstance(data, list) and as_type == "dict":
-        log.warning(f"Read: Expected dictionary from '{filename}' but got list")
+        if not data:
+            return {}
         data0 = data[0]
         if isinstance(data0, dict):
             return data0
         return {}
     if isinstance(data, dict) and as_type == "list":
-        log.warning(f"Read: Expected list from '{filename}' but got dictionary")
+        if not data:
+            return []
         return [data]
     return data
 

From 89fd729d74069a3ea1aa51352e3c5c8191b6588d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: awsr <43862868+awsr@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 03:02:39 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 4/5] Restore accidental deletion

---
 modules/json_helpers.py | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/modules/json_helpers.py b/modules/json_helpers.py
index 600f5fc8c..16fe0a55a 100644
--- a/modules/json_helpers.py
+++ b/modules/json_helpers.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False, *, as_type
     except Exception:
         locking_available = False
     if isinstance(data, list) and as_type == "dict":
+        log.warning(f"Read: Expected dictionary from '{filename}' but got list")
         if not data:
             return {}
         data0 = data[0]
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False, *, as_type
             return data0
         return {}
     if isinstance(data, dict) and as_type == "list":
+        log.warning(f"Read: Expected list from '{filename}' but got dictionary")
         if not data:
             return []
         return [data]

From 7c01fd71de3d0368ecf316d40443a65924e79aa6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: awsr <43862868+awsr@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 03:10:22 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 5/5] Don't warn about file if not reading from a file

Leave that up to the other log messages
---
 modules/json_helpers.py | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/modules/json_helpers.py b/modules/json_helpers.py
index 16fe0a55a..2615d1a03 100644
--- a/modules/json_helpers.py
+++ b/modules/json_helpers.py
@@ -59,17 +59,17 @@ def readfile(filename: str, silent: bool = False, lock: bool = False, *, as_type
     except Exception:
         locking_available = False
     if isinstance(data, list) and as_type == "dict":
-        log.warning(f"Read: Expected dictionary from '{filename}' but got list")
         if not data:
             return {}
+        log.warning(f"Read: Expected dictionary from '{filename}' but got list")
         data0 = data[0]
         if isinstance(data0, dict):
             return data0
         return {}
     if isinstance(data, dict) and as_type == "list":
-        log.warning(f"Read: Expected list from '{filename}' but got dictionary")
         if not data:
             return []
+        log.warning(f"Read: Expected list from '{filename}' but got dictionary")
         return [data]
     return data