ANS-1823 · PRINTING, PDF & EMAIL TEMPLATES
Why Does an Empty Freemarker Template Body Cause an Error in NetSuite?
NetSuite Freemarker templates require content within the `<body>` tag to render correctly, preventing unexpected system errors.
Short answer
An empty `<body>` tag in a NetSuite Freemarker template, even if resulting from conditional logic or loops that output nothing, will trigger an error. Headers or footers within the body do not satisfy this requirement. Always ensure the `<body>` tag renders some content to prevent unexpected system errors.
Scenario
Users may encounter unexpected errors when a NetSuite Freemarker template's `` tag renders without any content. This issue arises even if the `` tag contains conditional statements or loops that ultimately produce no output, such as when a condition evaluates to false or a loop does not execute. The presence of a `header` or `footer` within the `` tag does not prevent this error; explicit content is still required.
Solution
To prevent unexpected errors in NetSuite Freemarker templates, ensure that the ` tag always renders with some content. The system generates an error if the tag's *rendered content* is entirely empty. This issue occurs even when conditional statements evaluate to false or loops do not execute, resulting in no output within the body. The presence of a header or footer within the ` tag does not satisfy this requirement; explicit content within the main body section is still necessary to avoid errors. Developers should implement logic to ensure at least a minimal output, such as a non-breaking space or a default message, if dynamic content might otherwise be absent.
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