Problem with long threads

[Gary]

Has anyone else noticed how slowly this thread now opens? 

[Ted]

Has anyone else noticed how slowly this thread now opens? 

Yes. I just open the last page now.

[Gary]

Would appear its a know issue when a thread has more than six pages Rik tells me xild 

[Simon]

Would appear its a know issue when a thread has more than six pages Rik tells me xild 

Crikey, that would mean sitting for hours waiting for some of the games threads to open!  Haven't noticed any lag myself this morning. 

[Rik]

I don't see a huge delay, Simon, only a pause before a blank page or a server 500 error is displayed.

[Simon]

No problem at all here.

[Rik]

Have you clicked on an 'All' link?

[Simon]

Have you clicked on an 'All' link?

Nope, but have now.  Blank page.    I never use the 'All' link anyway.

[Ann]

The 'all' link worked fine for me.  I've never used it before but will do so now as it's useful.

Edit:  okay I take that back.. 12 pages fine, 17 pages blank.. oops.

[Rik]

If the thread is more than about 6 pages, Ann, you may either get a blank page or a server error. We know the problem exists, we just haven't worked out how to cure it yet.

[Ann]

I shall experiment to find out exactly where it falls over.  12 pages is good.

[Rik]

Not here, it's not, Ann. Remind me what browser you use, will you?

[Glenn]

If you lot keep adding waffle to this already long thread, it will never open.. 

opens just fine here, no delays what so ever

[Simon]

It's the 'All' link that seems to be problematic, Glenn. 

[Inactive]

opens just fine here, no delays what so ever

This thread has been split off from the original Glen.

That is why this opens OK.

[Gary]

This thread has been split off from the original Glen.

That is why this opens OK.

Have to sort that out then

[Ann]

Not here, it's not, Ann. Remind me what browser you use, will you?

IE7 here.

[Rik]

Thanks. We think we may have the answer now - testing in progress.

[Rik]

We think the problem has now been solved, so if anyone continues to encounter problems, please let us know.

[Ann]

It's solved here because I no longer get the little 'all' to hit when there's more than 4 pages.  So where's it gone then?

[Adam]

We worked out that around 4 pages is all the server would manage before giving errors or putting up a blank page, so the limit before the all link is removed was reduced to around 4 pages.

[Ann]

So not really solved then.. I think that's hilarious.. ROFL.

[Adam]

That depends on how you look at it; the feature was not designed to be set as high as it was, therefore the old (high) setting was "broken" so the new setting "solved" the problem of the "broken" setting.

[Gary]

That depends on how you look at it; the feature was not designed to be set as high as it was, therefore the old (high) setting was "broken" so the new setting "solved" the problem of the "broken" setting.

You would make a great spin doctor Adam   

[Simon]

Let's face it, who would want to load a single page with 300 posts on it anyway!

[Gary]

Let's face it, who would want to load a single page with 300 posts on it anyway!

to true Simon

[Inactive]

That depends on how you look at it; the feature was not designed to be set as high as it was, therefore the old (high) setting was "broken" so the new setting "solved" the problem of the "broken" setting.

Your surname isn't Blair by chance is it Adam?

[Rik]

So not really solved then.. I think that's hilarious.. ROFL.

Oh the problem is solved, Ann. By empirical testing, we established the point at which the server fell over when assembling messages for the 'All' link, and then set the level so that it didn't happen anymore.

Of course, we didn't try to solve the problem of getting the system to display more than 100 posts at a time.

[Inactive]

In all seriousness, thanks to those involved with sorting this.

[Rik]

It came down to an issue with server memory, which we don't control, In. Because each post in the forum is a database entry, the software had to assemble the complete table of posts in memory when 'All' was selected, before it could display them. With several hundred as the limit, it just choked - hence the blank page, or occasionally, a server error.

The All limit is now set at 100 posts, which should be enough for most purposes. When a thread exceeds that, the All link simply disappears.

[Inactive]

" All " sorted then Rik.. 

Thanks.

[Ann]

You broke it for me.  I used to be able to view many more pages than 4 and now I can't.  But it doesn't matter, was just tickled by the explanation.

[Rik]

Maybe you had your own dedicated server, Ann?