erratic login failure

[garyoa1]

Users can login but rarely on the first try. Sometimes it takes more than 10 tries before a user can get in. What am I missing?

[kat]

It could be something as silly as a corrupt cookie. Try changing the cookie name, in Admin>Server settings.

If that doesn't sort it, try looking at Admin>Configuration>Server settings>Cookies and Sessions.

You'll see:

Enable local storage of cookies
(SSI won't work well with this on.)

Use subdomain independent cookies
(turn off local cookies first!)

One should be checked, the other not.

Try swapping them over.

[AngryHamsters]

Changed the cookie name and now everyone can log in. We couldn't post, so I had everyone close the forum tab, clear cookies, and reenter the forum. Members can now comment again.

There are still some glitches. I know we can't post with quotes or change settings like going from visible to invisible. Avatars don't show either, but that problem has been ongoing. Any more suggestions?

FWIW I only changed the cookie name. Neither box was checked for the other part you mentioned, so I left it alone to see if just changing the cookie name would fix the log in problem.

[kat]

Unless you use SSI, I'd suggest that you check "Enable local storage of cookies".

On the same page, you might want to try using "Use database driven sessions", too.

[AngryHamsters]

All right, I enabled the local storage. The database thing was already checked.

I can now post with quotes and settings can be changed. There are NO avatars anywhere though.

[AngryHamsters]

When I went to the Admin area to take another peek, I see that the title that says Attachments Directory is in red.

[kat]

I'm confused... Are garyoa1 and AngryHamsters the same person? **Scratches head**

The avatars... What IS appearing? Anything? A placeholder? Is there a link to an avatar, on your site, that we, as guests, can see?

Is the path in the path to the avatars, in the setting section, correct? Same with the attachments one?

Are we talking on-site avatars? Or, off-site ones, like mine, here?

From the post you just made, that I got a warning of and couldn't be arsed to retype my whole post after, I guess the paths are wrong.

[garyoa1]

The Hamster is a friend. It's really her board and she's been having problems with the board for probably about a year. I just posted here to see if I could get some info for her. I sent her the link to this thread. And I must say you've been great! Pretty much 99% of her problems have been solved.

Now if these olde' eyes could only read the dang verification pic... LOL

[kat]

That thing's silly. I don't know why they have it, now, coz it's been proven not to stop Spamtards.

Thanks for deconfusing (Is that a real word?) me, though.

[garyoa1]

Deconfusing works fer me!

The only problem I know of that remains is the avatars but that's really not critical. No one wants to see my ugly one anyway.

But I have no access to the back end. Don't want it either. LOL. But there is nothing appearing. Used to be like yours here.

[kat]

Got a page, where we can see an avatar that isn't, as it were?

[AngryHamsters]

Sorry... I was trying to reply and my browser hung up on me! (then I had to reenter the captcha several times... that thing IS silly)

I see Gary has already deconfused you... LOL

Gary's right... he's really ugly, but I'd like to see my cute little red shoe again... ROFL

*whispers* Don't tell him, but I can tolerate him just a bit... 

Feel free to take a peek: http://www.podforyou.com/forums [nofollow]

And I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY appreciate your help! I'm just glad to have the major problems sorted out. *smooches* 

[AngryHamsters]

And I can send you a screenshot of the Admin settings if that will help.

[kat]

Nope. I want to look at the code, on the page, if I can.

With Opera and Firefox, you can "Inspect element", which lets you look at code and stuff.

[AngryHamsters]

I'm running in and out at the moment, but if you happen to spot anything that you think needs to be fixed, I'd be more than happy to do so. 

[kat]

Link?

[garyoa1]

Oops. Sorry. I think we both assumed that hxxp one would work for you. Even tho... no clue how she got http to hxxp as a typo.

This one should work. I'm pretty sure it's in the area where you don't have to log in.

http://www.podforyou.com/forums/index.php?topic=3627.0 [nofollow]

Be with ya in about an hour. 4th time on the verification and counting...

[AngryHamsters]

Ha! Ha! Gary... I think the forum did the same thing to your link that it did with the link I added above! Apparently, it changes the t's in the first part to xx.

And sorry... I would have replied a bit sooner, but I thought you were just looking at the code or something.

[kat]

Nope. Login required.

I'll likely be hitting the sack, in an hour or so.

I'm in England, you see...?

If nobody else can chip-in, I'll catch-up, tomorrow morning.

[kat]

Ha! Missed the first link! Sorryyyyy!

No avatars and no placeholders. That's kinda weird. Did you check the paths?

Are the Avatars and Attachments directories read-enabled?

[AngryHamsters]

 

Yeah.... a lot of the forum is open to the public, but that link may have been a hidden area that Gary gave you....

I think the paths look ok, but like I said, the titles are red, so that makes me think something is off.... Keep in mind that I don't think I've ever changed any settings in there until today, so it's probably still at whatever setting it was at when I originally uploaded... and I haven't changed hosts or anything...

I changed the CHMOD to both the attachments and avatars directory to 777, but still nothing...

[garyoa1]

Didn't you say eons ago that you disabled them due to bandwith problems? Possible they're just disabled? Don't know the software so no clue what it's capable of.
And here we go with the verification...

[kat]

Yeah, sux, that. I goes after ten posts.

The fact that it's in red makes me think that it has to be wrong.

The avatar directory's usually something like /home/site/public_html/avatars

whereas the Avatars URL is the actual path, like http://www.site.com/avatars

[AngryHamsters]

I double checked.... attachments are enabled... I DID change the file size at one time though because of bandwidth... the avatars still worked after that change though...

The attachments directory is site/forums/attachments

The avatar directory is site/forums/avatars

The avatar URL is site/forums/avatars

It's a subdomain, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.

Ah, well... we can read... we can comment... we can do just about anything else... avatars were the least of my worry... You don't know how much I appreciate you taking the time to answer and helping me get the log in issue resolved... 

[garyoa1]

Interesting that there's no mention of "avatars" in the source code. It's all singular. "avatar".

[kat]

OK. Just an off-chance, with this. It checks paths and things, just to make sure they're OK.

Have you tried this?

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Repair_settings.php

[AngryHamsters]

Ouch! I uploaded it and kept getting either page not found or a 500 Internal Server error, so I deleted it. I also tried changing the path to avatar without an s, but nothing.

I think I've been staring at the problem too long. I'm going to step away for a bit and come back to reread everything later and go through it one more time. I'll let you know if I stumble across anything, or if you think of something, just let me know and I'll try it.

Thanks so much!  You're a stinkin' sweetie for helping me with the login issue and trying to sort this out!

[AngryHamsters]

Well, I'll be a danged hornswaggled hornet's nest!!! I see avatars!!! What the heck!!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kat]

[garyoa1]

Interesting that this is marked unsolved as the original problem was solved. I think! The only problem remaining as I see it (that wasn't even brought up) is that the email notifications don't work.

[kat]

For posts, PMs, or both?

[garyoa1]

Didn't know PM's would send a notify. They do notify when you open the web page but not via email. Neither will send email.

[kat]

OK. I'll assume that you have them enabled, in admin and in your profile...

On the Admin>Maintenance<Mail section, are all the details correct?

Has the mail ever worked?

[garyoa1]

I'll have to track KC (the hamster) down to see. She may have missed a message so doesn't even realize this is continuing. She's ecstatic over the progress so far.

From what I understand the admins do get them. But it used to work for users as well. It's been a good year that they stopped for users.

And yes, they are enabled in the users (my) profile.

[kat]

I really can't see why they're not happening, if the settings are correct. If admins get them, one has to assume that the settings are correct.

[garyoa1]

I sent her a PM to get her back here. She's probably out and about. Weather wise it's probably the first nice day we've had in 8000 years.

Personally I think it's a critical part of a board. Brings a lot of folks back in that may have just forgot about it and builds traffic.

FWIW, I ran a bunch of boards in the past but basically CGI/Perl. Never really got into PHP.

[kat]

Yeah, it's trying to be spring, here, too. Might even manage it, come October.

Again, I'm gonna hit the sack, soon.

I'll take another look, here, tomorrow, to see how you get on.

[garyoa1]

Thanx. You've been amazing. And you have a cute cat too!

[kat]

Had to take her to see the vet, today.

[AngryHamsters]

Yay! Finally! The host had changed something. I was using an email to send messages that was not hosted on their server and that, apparently, is no longer allowed. *sigh*

I changed emails to one hosted by them and BAM! Messages once again!

Hope your kitty is ok.

[dantruong]

The problem here is that I care.
  follow me Hamster is a friend. It's really her board and she's been having problems with the board for probably about a year. I just posted here to see if I could get some info for her. I sent her the link to this thread. And I must say you've been great! Pretty much 99% of her problems have been solved. Well come to visit hxxp:www.technewonline.com [nonactive]