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How to debug notifications/emails?

Started by jindroush, January 23, 2023, 05:45:28 AM

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jindroush

Hi,
running 2.1.3, on Rocky Linux/Php 8/MariaDb. Majority of my users are using czech translation (which I mostly translated by myself).

The problem is that they report 'missing' notifications. Ie. they have 'full' subscription to a thread, they have all necessary setting for getting the notifications, but they are getting nothing. I verified their notification settings multiple times - they all seem okay. Is there anything else, like permissions of the board? or whatnot to check?
I'm sure that email system is working as the reporting user is getting some notifications from other threads, I checked maillog to see the mails are getting through etc.

What I see is simply SMF not sending the notification for unknown reasons.

Question: How do I debug it?

jindroush

I did some hocus-pocus and to me it seems that no notification gets through if there are both BOARD and TOPIC notifications in the same place.

Github issue (not yet verified by devs)
https://github.com/SimpleMachines/SMF/issues/7680

nc3man

I just confirmed the issue for SMF 2.1.3. If I have an open TOPIC set to receive emails and alerts and the corresponding BOARD is also set for emails and alerts, I get neither an email nor an alert for further replies to the open TOPIC. If I remove the watch on the BOARD, then updates to the TOPIC correctly receive both an email and an alert.

shawnb61

I cannot reproduce this.  If I set up notifications for a board (email + alert), and also setup notifications for a topic within that board (email + alert), I get the email & the alert after new posts to the topic. 

I tested twice, both under 2.1.3 & under current GitHub code. 

I have two suspicions:
 - There is a BIG distinction between "Immediate" and "Immediate but only for the first unread message".   If the setting is set to the latter, you will only get the first notification when multiple updates are posted after the last time you read the topic.  I suspect the user's notification setting is set for the "first time only". 
 - Make sure there is plenty of forum activity when testing...  SMF relies on user activity to trigger background processing like notifications.  Usually not an issue in production, but a big issue during testing where you may be the only active user.  You need to simulate activity.
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

shawnb61

#4
I have confirmed this issue.  The sequence of events is important...

If a new topic in a watched board, is followed by a reply in a watched topic, both notifications are sent. 

If a reply in a watched topic, is followed by a new topic in a watched board, only the first notification is sent.

The issue is that when a topic notification is sent, it is flagging both the topic & board as sent.
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

Steve

DO NOT pm me for support!

shawnb61

Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

Steve

Thanks. Just wanted the OP to know it's being tracked.  :)
DO NOT pm me for support!

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