Blank page after preview (also here on SMF forum!!)

[sangham.net]

Dear SMF-Team,
Dear SMF-Supporter,
Dear SMF-Friends,

Just wanted to post a table and as I pushed preview, I got a white page (maybe luckily did not push "post")

Its a simple BBC table.

I have tried it here as well, just preview. Its the same here on SMF - white page, if I push preview. 

I am afraid that it would damage something if I post it. It is possible to post it inside the code tag, but since "funny" people could copy it and try it, I thought it is better to do not.

Maybe it is good to report it via PM or email to somebody so that you could look trough. In that case, just let me know the process.

Would be great to find the reason. I think somehow for everybody.

[margarett]

Just put in in "code" tags, don't worry

[sangham.net]

Margarett

I hope it does not look disrespect full but I am don't think that it is a good idea for now, do give it public. I am not sure what it could cause here and there.

[margarett]

OK, PM it to me, then.

[sangham.net]

Done so far. Thanks for your care!

[margarett]

You are right, it does generate a white page with PHP memory limit = 32M. Do note that that table has 47948 characters! It's an immense table!

In my test board, increase PHP memory limit to 64M fixed the error.

[sangham.net]

What would it cause if posted? Or would it be not possible?

[margarett]

If you would have posted here in code tags, nothing should happen as it is not parsed (and the memory consumption is caused by processing multiple BBC tags).
If you would have posted it directly, you would be able to post it but no one else would be able to view the topic

[sangham.net]

If you would have posted here in code tags, nothing should happen as it is not parsed (and the memory consumption is caused by processing multiple BBC tags).

I have seen so, yes.

If you would have posted it directly, you would be able to post it but no one else would be able to view the topic

That means yes or no? Does it only effect the poster, or will it come into the machine as well? (please explaining for IT dummies). Still worry to post the code.

Maybe you do, it it is really no problem. (please not if not sure!!)

You must have a lot of fun with "scared" people sometimes, doesn't you 

[margarett]

No, I don't. You are right to be scared. If you had posted your table, it would have been submitted to the database. When I (or anyone else) would attempt to open your topic, a white page would be returned. For everyone.
It would not break the forum, but your topic would be trashed because it would be inaccessible

Now, as for the reason it happens: when parsing (displaying) BBC, SMF consumes memory by doing some... internal stuff The more BBC in the message, the more memory it consumes. At some point, you might exceed the available memory for PHP and get yourself beautiful white page
The changes in 2.0.7 (for compatibility with PHP 5.5) make this a bit worse...

The solution, as I've told you, is to increase PHP memory.

[sangham.net]

That means if a user likes to close his topic, he just need to post such? 

I am not sure, if more memory is a solution...    Should I try? (I would of course not, just a "bad joke")

And if somebody would do such, how could I solve it again?

[margarett]

That means if a user likes to close his topic, he just need to post such? 

Well, yes... But that's not something people would do, methinks. That's not a bot behavior and if someone was caught doing that, he would be banned. So don't worry

I am not sure, if more memory is a solution...

It is. I understand why the problem occurs and why it is a little worse in 2.0.7. And I did that in my test board, solving it by increasing memory

And if somebody would do such, how could I solve it again?

2 possibilities: delete the topic so that the error doesn't occur or edit the content in the database directly
In any case, do note that this doesn't affect the forum as a whole: it just returns a white screen to the person actually looking at it. Other users and other pages are unaffected

[Illori]

i would think if you manually build the edit link you may be able to edit the post

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?action=post;msg=3678344;topic=519789.0

we have had to this when users blocked a thread with an attachment that was too large to be processed.

[sangham.net]

That means if a user likes to close his topic, he just need to post such? 

Well, yes... But that's not something people would do, methinks. That's not a bot behavior and if someone was caught doing that, he would be banned. So don't worry

I am not sure, if more memory is a solution...

It is. I understand why the problem occurs and why it is a little worse in 2.0.7. And I did that in my test board, solving it by increasing memory

And if somebody would do such, how could I solve it again?

2 possibilities: delete the topic so that the error doesn't occur or edit the content in the database directly
In any case, do note that this doesn't affect the forum as a whole: it just returns a white screen to the person actually looking at it. Other users and other pages are unaffected

So I am still not sure... I had posted a smaller table (1/5 of the original) directly and the white page was happening as well. But at least it came through. The topic runs well so far.

i would think if you manually build the edit link you may be able to edit the post

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?action=post;msg=3678344;topic=519789.0

we have had to this when users blocked a thread with an attachment that was too large to be processed.

Thanks a lot for this practical hint, Illori. One just needs to know the numbers at least to build it...  How would I know/find out them as a normal user and "lousy" Admin?

[Illori]

if the post shows up in recent posts you can get the message/topic id that way. otherwise it may be difficult

[sangham.net]

if the post shows up in recent posts you can get the message/topic id that way. otherwise it may be difficult

I see. Thanks for this hint. Seems to not so funny stuff at this time. Had a lot of white page sessions so far in this topic I posted tables, but at least all posts came into the database and the topic is still view able if not  "posting" or "previewing".

To come back to Mr. margarett's hint: How can I increase the php memory?

[margarett]

If you're on shared hosting, you need to ask your host. If not, edit your php.ini and increase this line:

Code Select Expand

memory_limit=
(you should have a number after the "=" sign, just increase it.
In my test board, 32M returned white screen, with 64M it didn't anymore.

[sangham.net]

Ok, I could figure the php.ini out and I found the line

Code Select Expand

memory_limit = 128M
existing

so...    Don't say it's to much of the good, Mr margarett.

[sangham.net]

i would think if you manually build the edit link you may be able to edit the post

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?action=post;msg=3678344;topic=519789.0

we have had to this when users blocked a thread with an attachment that was too large to be processed.

Now it has become a real case. Today I am no more able to access this topic. The hand-build in version does not work as well.

Any ideas?

If I access the topic only http://sangham.net/index.php?topic=971 moved
there is no problem, but as soon as the link includes certain posts, it will give a white page.

I can view the topic sometimes and so click the delete link, which causes a white sreen as well but the action is done. In the recycling board (the deleted post forum) it is no problem then, to modify this posts and delete the item.

Strange, strange...

I could manage to delete this posts form this topic, but now they are all lost. Even new splitted topic are no where visible.

/index.php?action=recent gives a white page as well.

[sangham.net]

Hmmm... now I have it even with smaller amouts of BBC

Before it was never such a problem to use even much lager content and amount of BBC. Ohh time is running 

_()_
Johann

[sangham.net]

I could find the error message:

[Fri Mar 14 15:29:59 2014] [warn] [client XXX] mod_fcgid: stderr: PHP Fatal error:  Allowed memory size of 134217728 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 30720 bytes) in /var/www/vhosts/XXX/Sources/Subs.php(2549) : runtime-created function(11) : runtime-created function on line 62, referer: XXX?action=post;topic=971.30;last_msg=4608

So it's over the limit of 128MB and such seems to be produced easier then before even by smaller BBC amounts.

_()_
Johann

[margarett]

Yes, that is the issue with excess memory consumed in 2.0.7.

If you're not using PHP5.5 your best bet, for now, is to return to 2.0.6

[sangham.net]

Seems so. Our provider kindly put us on 256MB and still problems.

What to do, to return to 2.0.6 or 2.0.5? Just remove package? Or has that effects to mods or other stuff?

_()_
Johann

[margarett]

It depends on how you got to 2.0.7. If it was by updating/patching 2.0.6 just uninstall the patch

[sangham.net]

Yep, thanks for your care. Lets see.

_()_
Johann