DocuSign' requestJWTUserToken method errors out with 'Not Initialized" - node.js

Question

I'm trying to implement the DocuSign JWT Auth following this code example: https://github.com/docusign/eg-01-node-jwt/blob/master/lib/dsJwtAuth.js
But I get this error when calling requestJWTUserToken():
Error: Not initialised
at Sign.update (crypto.js:99:16)
at Object.sign (/code/node_modules/jwa/index.js:159:23)
at Object.jwsSign [as sign] (/code/node_modules/jws/lib/sign-stream.js:32:24)
at Object.module.exports [as sign (/code/node_modules/jsonwebtoken/sign.js:190:16)
at generateAndSignJWTAssertion (/code/node_modules/docusign-esign/src/ApiClient.js:63:16)
at exports.requestJWTUserToken (/code/node_modules/docusign-esign/src/ApiClient.js:892:19)
at ConsentGateway.<anonymous> (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:73:53)
at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
at /code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:19:71
at new Promise (<anonymous>)
at __awaiter (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:15:12)
at ConsentGateway.getToken (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:64:16)
at ConsentGateway.<anonymous> (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:54:41)
at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
at /code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:19:71
at new Promise (<anonymous>)
at __awaiter (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:15:12)
at ConsentGateway.checkToken (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:46:16)
at ConsentGateway.<anonymous> (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:139:24)
at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
at /code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:19:71
at new Promise (<anonymous>)
at __awaiter (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:15:12)
at ConsentGateway.getTemplateList (/code/app/gateways/ConsentGateway.ts:132:16)
at ConsentService.<anonymous> (/code/app/services/ConsentService.ts:58:50)
at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
at /code/app/services/ConsentService.ts:19:71
at new Promise (<anonymous>)
the code calling the method looks like this:
private async getToken(reqId: string): Promise<any> {
try {
const pathToPrivateKey = fs.readFileSync(path.resolve('/code/app/gateways/', 'test.pem'));
this.dsApiClient.setOAuthBasePath(this.authServer);
const jwtToken = await this.dsApiClient.requestJWTUserToken(
this.integrationKey, // clientId
this.guidAccountId, // userId
'signature',
pathToPrivateKey,
10 * 60
);
const expiresAt = moment().add(jwtToken.body.expires_in, 's');
return { accessToken: jwtToken.body.access_token, tokenExpirationTimestamp: expiresAt };
} catch (e) {
this.logger.error(
'Consent Error', reqId, ['accessToken'], { status: e.response.body.errorCode, message: e.response.body.message }
);
}
}
I cannot find any documentation for the requestJWTUserToken method which makes this error hard to debug.
Is there anyone familiar with the JWT Auth flow in node that could help out with this?

Answer 1

Here are the things that you must ensure:
You have an Integration key (clientID) that is configured correctly.
You have an RSA Private key. that key was copied/pasted exactly as given to your configuration file. New lines must be preserved
Your URLs are matching the environment. Meaning you use account-d and demo.docusign.net for the sandbox env endpoints.
You need the userId which is a GUid for the user that would be impersonated. That user must consent to the application. You have to ensure you pass userId and not accountId and that it is for the same account that you would be using.
If you confirm all of this and still get an error - I would consider to use our code example to start. I don't see code in your question, but our code example should be a good way to start.