[Bug]: Scheduling/iTip: TypeError in IMipService::generateOccurringString() — DateTime::diff(null) when recurrence set is exhausted, invitation mails never sent

[wellenreiter]

Bug description

IMipService::generateOccurringString() crashes with a TypeError while building an iTip invitation email for a recurring event whose recurrence set is already exhausted (last occurrence lies in the past).

The first call to $er->recurrenceDate() is passed straight into DateTime::diff() without a null check:

https://github.com/nextcloud/server/blob/stable33/apps/dav/lib/CalDAV/Schedule/IMipService.php#L658-L662

// forward to current date
$er->recurrenceAdvanceTo($this->timeFactory->getDateTime());
// calculate time difference from now to start of next event occurrence and minimize it
$occurrenceIn = $this->minimizeInterval($this->timeFactory->getDateTime()->diff($er->recurrenceDate()));

Once recurrenceAdvanceTo(now) has advanced past the final occurrence, EventReader::recurrenceDate() returns null, so the call throws:

TypeError: DateTime::diff(): Argument #1 ($targetObject) must be of type DateTimeInterface, null given

Notably, the branches a few lines further down in the same method do guard this (if ($er->recurrenceDate() !== null)) — only this first call is missing the check.

Consequence: the scheduling email is never built, so attendees silently receive no iTip invitation (no mail with accept/decline buttons). From the organizer's point of view everything looks fine, which makes this hard to notice and debug.

The code is identical in stable33, stable34 and master (checked 2026-07-31).

Possibly related: #52556 (null-handling regression in IMipService reported for 31.0.4).

Suggested fix: guard the first recurrenceDate() call like the ones below it and fall back to a sensible string (or skip the "occurring in" fragment) when the recurrence set is exhausted.

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a recurring event whose recurrence set ends in the past (e.g. weekly with an UNTIL before today, or an exhausted COUNT)
2. Invite an attendee (external email address) so an iTip invitation mail is generated
3. Mail generation crashes with the TypeError above; the attendee never receives the invitation

We hit this repeatedly in production with a user-created event series on 33.0.3 through 33.0.5. Deleting the affected event from the calendar trash bin stops the crashes (the event URI had the -deleted.ics suffix in oc_calendarobjects).

Expected behavior

The invitation email is generated even when the recurrence set is exhausted.

Installation method

Official community Docker image (nextcloud:33-apache)

Nextcloud Server version

33.0.5 — but the affected code is unchanged in stable34 and master

Web server / Database

Apache (bundled in image), PostgreSQL 16

Is this bug present after an update or on a fresh install?

Observed at least since 33.0.3, unchanged through 33.0.5.