Some people can not reply in some boards

Started by AlanDewey, April 09, 2019, 02:12:23 PM

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AlanDewey

I was only able to make this problem appear myself twice.   If I could make it happen more often, maybe I could figure it out.

I have no reports that anyone has trouble creating a topic.

However, some people can not REPLY to a topic in all boards; then, there is one moderator can not reply anywhere except that he can reply in "MODERATORS & ADMINS"

This trouble started April 1.  Only change made on March 31 / April 1 was installation of a router before the server with a lot of firewall rules.

He is using an Apple product;  but I did manage to get the error myself using p.c. & firefox. 

When I got this to happen for me, I got the  " ...  SMF version 2.0.15 .... but database is 2.0 ...."   type message.

I recently took over this forum which had been around for 16 years, moved to a new server etc.   So it may be something I did.

I have run the "Optimize all tables" which reports that it runs successfully.

Any and all suggestions for things I can try, are welcomed and appreciated.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version Information:
Forum version: SMF 2.0.15 (more detailed)
Current SMF version: SMF 2.0.15
GD version: bundled (2.1.0 compatible)
Database Server: MySQL
MySQL version: 8.0.15
PHP: 7.1.26
Server version: Microsoft-IIS/10.0

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SMF File                   Your Version    Current Version
SMF Package           SMF 2.0.15    SMF 2.0.14
Sources                    2.0.15    2.0.15
Default Templates    2.0.15    2.0.14
Language Files    2.0.14    2.0.14
Current Templates    2.0            2.0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

Arantor

So what happens when your users try to post? Is the issue that the option isn't there, or that it fails in various ways when they try?

I suspect the issue is the firewall blocking things it shouldn't.

AlanDewey

All appears to go well until he clicks "post".   Enter the message, etc, the wysiwig looks good. 

This is what he copy&pasted when he got an error.  ( I got the SMF / database version message.)

-----------------------------------------------------
Database Error

Please try again. If you come back to this error screen, report the error to an administrator.
Modify message
-----------------------------------------------------

Firewall  is blocking huge ranges of i.p. addresses around the world.  Basically, if it isn't North America it is blocked.

I am only letting through

port 80   http://
port 443 https://
and my smtp ports.

Is there another port that the forum needs? 
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

Doug Heffernan

Can you check the error log for a detailed description of the error?

AlanDewey

 :-[

Help Error Log
  Apply filter of type: All errors (0)
  Pages: [1]
There are currently no error log entries.
  Pages: [1]


------------------
meanwhile I am reading up on what other port(s) might be necessary.
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

AlanDewey

I used performance monitor on the server to watch what ports are being used when I successfully make a reply to a posting from another computer (not on the lan).   I can only see port 443 being used.   So unless I am missing something, I don't know what else to look at in the firewall.

Though the timing of the firewall install is interesting.....

If I could find someone that had this posting issue somewhat consistently, I could turn off the firewall to see if that does make a difference.
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

AlanDewey

I see in many other posts that PHP 7.1 is compatible.
Does anyone know for a facti if PHP: 7.1.26 is ok ?
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

Sir Osis of Liver

Quote from: AlanDewey on April 09, 2019, 02:29:07 PM
Enter the message, etc, the wysiwig looks good.

Did you try disabling wysiwyg?
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend,
 we were all equal in the end.

                                     - R. Waters

AlanDewey

Interesting.....

I checked "Disable WYSIWYG editor"  and I still have the wysiwyg  ? ? ? ?
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

Doug Heffernan

Quote from: AlanDewey on April 09, 2019, 03:24:39 PM
I could turn off the firewall to see if that does make a difference.

That is a good idea. Like that you will know for sure if the firewall is causing the issue or something else is if the issue will still be present after the disable of the firewall.

Tonyvic

Quote from: AlanDewey on April 09, 2019, 06:27:17 PM
Interesting.....

I checked "Disable WYSIWYG editor"  and I still have the wysiwyg  ? ? ? ?
Did you select 'Save' after checking disable, I know I missed that early in my SMF life? ;)

GigaWatt

Quote from: AlanDewey on April 09, 2019, 03:24:39 PM
If I could find someone that had this posting issue somewhat consistently, I could turn off the firewall to see if that does make a difference.

That is actually the best test scenario. Get in touch with the user that can't post and meet up online, tell him/her to post when you've got the firewall off, see if the same error appears ;).
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

AlanDewey

 :(   It is not the firewall.

It is now only 2-3 people.   So it's either 'their problem' or something about their membership data. 

I have looked in the database (with mysql workbench) a little bit and compared to other users.   Can not see a difference.  But there are dozens of tables I did not look at.
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

GigaWatt

Hmmm... have you tried telling them to switch browsers? Or maybe you could tell them to name the browsers they are using, see if they are using the same browser.
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

AlanDewey

The one person that I know for sure is having problems claims it is the same on his iphone or his apple laptop.

If he lived closer than 1,500 miles I would go visit and see.    If it was anyone else in the world, I would probably start ignoring him.  But he is our most important user.


Off-topic......

In the 80's we had a small remote office where the 4 employees had been complaining for months that their new telephone system was no good because they almost always got what they claimed was a busy signal..... almost every single call, almost never able to call back a customer waiting for assistance.

Finally the upper level management sent me on a day-long round drive to investigate.  I found the problem when I walked in the door, before they even noticed I was there.   They would pick up the phone in their hand and start pushing buttons immediately with that same hand, the receiver in their hand, right there over the keypad.

They never listened for the dial tone.  Which in those days, took nearly one second.  So the system never received a valid telephone number and gave them the 'error' tone.

I had to go in the equipment room for an hour to give me time to think up how to politely, diplomatically, tell them they were idiots.
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

GigaWatt

Quote from: AlanDewey on April 11, 2019, 11:31:05 AM
The one person that I know for sure is having problems claims it is the same on his iphone or his apple laptop.

OK, could you ask him to do the same thing from a different IP, from work or a coffee shop? Oh, and preferably, clear the cache before he tries to do that.
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

Sir Osis of Liver

Anything interesting in server error log?
Link to your forum?
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend,
 we were all equal in the end.

                                     - R. Waters

AlanDewey

#17
https://www.ccsforum.com

No errors for the server in 12 days (before last few failed attempts to post.)
No errors in mysql log either.

SMF error log:
===========================
Help Error Log
  Apply filter of type: All errors (0)
  Pages: [1]
There are currently no error log entries.
  Pages: [1]

I think I will let this "problem" fade away and see what happens.   It is now down to just one person with a 'problem' and now more than ever, I think the problem is the link between the keyboard and the chair.
Causing lots of electrons to push each other around since 1985.

Sir Osis of Liver

Quote from: AlanDewey on April 09, 2019, 02:12:23 PM
I was only able to make this problem appear myself twice. 

If you were able to replicate the glitch, and it's been reported by several members, it's not likely to be a user problem.  What exactly happened when you tried to post?
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend,
 we were all equal in the end.

                                     - R. Waters

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