New problem attaching images

[Chris Scott]

There seems to be another problem with attaching images.
I tried repeatedly to attach an image to a post and got this error message:

Internal Server Error

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
Please contact the server administrator, webmaster@jtrforums.com and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.
More information about this error may be available in the server error log.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

[Howard Brown]

Lets see if this works...

[Chris Scott]

Many thanks How
I'll give it a go
Chris

[Chris Scott]

Sorry How - I just tried three times with three different images - still getting the same error message as I posted earlier
Chris

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

You're probably attempting to upload a jpeg attachment, correct ?

Let me try one more and then if you still can't do it after this attempt, I'll notify Tim.

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

Until Tim sorts the problem out, if you want me to try and place it on a specific thread, I'll be glad too.

How large is the attachment ? Is it over 1Mb ?

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

I tried to upload the two attachments Mike had problems with...and even though they were only 155Kb combined ( which is only 1/7th of 1Mb ) it would not work for me either...and it only worked with the photobucket scans.

It might be a matter of the size of the attachment, as the Drexel poster is only 80Kb.

I'll try posting just one of Mike's attachments now on this thread.

I could not load both of them at the same time, Chris....which tells me that there's a size issue with whats being uploaded.

By all means, if you want me to try it for you, don't hesitate...until Tim reads the email I sent the two of you.

HB

[admin tim]

testing 123

[admin tim]

testing 1 2 3

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_042611/content/01125109.Par.89380.ImageFile.jpg

[admin tim]

Not that I doubt anyone's tale of image posting woe, but all functions seem to work fine for me.

Who is now having posting problems?

[Howard Brown]

Timmers:

It worked for me just now.

[admin tim]

This was undoubtedly a server problem that has now been fixed.

Post away and let's see a new contest image muy pronto.

[Chris Scott]

Thanks for the work to fix this guys
I will try posting again
Chris

[Chris Scott]

Sorry guys but I have tried again in various formats and sizes and in all cases I am getting the same error message
I am going to try on my second PC in case it is a problem on my main computer
Chris

[Chris Scott]

I just tried uploading various format and size images on 2nd desktop and also on laptop
All give the same error message
Sorry guys but I don't know what the problem is

[Chris Scott]

Hi How
The image I was trying to upload is a .jpg and is only 138Kb

Chris:

Until Tim sorts the problem out, if you want me to try and place it on a specific thread, I'll be glad too.

How large is the attachment ? Is it over 1Mb ?

[Chris Scott]

Sorry to swamp the thread...
Just as a test I tried uploading the image I was trying to submit using the file attachment mechanism on Casebook which is identical to that on Forums. This accepted the image attachment without any problem at all
Chris

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

Lets try this until the issue is resolved.

Send Tim or I any attachment...any jpeg, even a non-Ripper attachment.

We'll try to upload it.

If it works, then this problem is affecting only some people.

In any event, I sent a note to Tim once more amigo.

I'm very sorry about this.

How

[Chris Scott]

Hi How
I have e-mailed you the pic I was trying to upload so maybe we can find where the issue is
Thanks again
chrios

[Chris Scott]

Chris....

Its me, How...
I will now try to post the attachment as if you were doing it.

And this is what I got :


Internal Server Error

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
Please contact the server administrator, webmaster@jtrforums.com and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.
More information about this error may be available in the server error log.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Chris....use that special password I sent you, as I am going to go back to my screen name. As soon as you enter with that password, change it back...but you have to use the one I sent first.

You're right...it is something inside the control panel and not your computer.

[Howard Brown]

Chris....I'm back on as meself,old bean.

I will contact our maintenence guy right away.

[Chris Scott]

Hi How
many thanks for all your help and glad it wasn't me:-)
Take care buddy and thanks again
Chris

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

Here is the attachment :

Please let me know what thread to put it on...

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/Easter%202011/mitresqsmall.jpg

[Chris Scott]

I was gonna start a thread under Eddowes as it was a version of Mitre Square I hadnt seen before...

[Chris_Scott]

Hi How
Thanks for all your efforts but not good news.
I am currently signed in under the new account name as Chris_Scott
I just tried to post on the testing thread but immediately got the same error message
I tried three times with three different images but still cannot post
I just don't understand it
Chris

[String]

It must be the images themselves.
The images must be .jpg and below a certain size.
There is is also some problems with some jpg images, they aren't created equally. I find this occasionally when posting the caption pics.
If you can find a program that converts the images to jpg's even though they are already jpg's and these pictures upload reliably you can run any uncooperative images through that program when you have problems uploading.
I use the preview app on the mac so I can't advise on a program to do this, maybe someone else can but I'm sure there are free ones available on windows if indeed you are using windows.
All I do is open the image and then re-save image as a jpg.

[Chris_Scott]

Hi String
Certainly all the images I tried were well below the threshold for size. Thanks for your suggestion about various jpg formats but I had tried that. Two of the images I tried to upload yesterday I converted from jpg to jpg (!) via bmp and still no luck.
Anyway I dont think the problem relates to the type of jpg format used as yesterday when I was experimenting, one pic I was trying to upload was rejected twice. About 10 minutes later, having done nothing to the picture, it was happily accepted and uploaded.
The rejection seems to be completely random, as Mike Covell said.

[Howard Brown]

String;

Chris is 100 percent correct and so was Covell-Cremers...it is a random acceptance-rejection .
I tried a kupla two three times to upload an attachment...at first,no go...second try..it worked.

We'll get this corrected eventually. The patience you folks have had about this is appreciated.

[Howard Brown]

Just to let those of you who generously provide JTRForums jpeg attachments know what sort of progress we're making or not making in determining the source of attachments being randomly accepted in some cases and not accepted in others :

1. One of the gents involved with maintenence has been notified but we haven't heard back from him.

2. In order to lighten the load, I'll be taking attachments and converting them until we're down to zero. I just converted 8 or 9 Mb this past hour and the load diminished accordingly. I suppose I'll be doing this until the end of the year.

3. Should anyone have an attachment that for one reason or the other you cannot load, by all means contact me and I will be more than happy to accomodate you.

[Howard Brown]

Hi folks...me again.

I sent a message to the proprietor of the server requesting he send one of his team to investigate the attachment problem.

I was able to remove 21Mb from the boards this morning ( almost two and a quarter hours worth of work ) by taking current jpegs and converting them to photobucket. I have no choice but to lighten the load in case of any future disruption such as we had back on April 18th.

Once more, I apologize for this damned inconvenience. Its not Tim's fault,nor mine, and hopefully within a year I will be able to have all the attachments ( 4000 to go ) converted, making it easier for people to move about on the site.

Once the attachment problem is sorted out, please continue to place attachments whenever you see fit.

Thanks for your patience.

How

[Howard Brown]

On the "Whiggishness" thread, Stephen Thomas was able to post two attachments this morning...whereas two other Forums members were unable to. I appreciate ST's effort because it illustrates the primary problem.

The server seems to accept some attachments and reject others...as well as accept some on occasion but reject the very same ones at a different time.

This is the most unusual circumstance I can personally recall in regard to board maintenence and I'm sure Tim is at a loss on how to explain it.

All I can suggest is to either jettison anything you want posted over to me if you can't upload them or make more than one attempt to do so.

Thanks again.

[Roy Corduroy]

I was able to remove 21Mb from the boards this morning ( almost two and a quarter hours worth of work ) by taking current jpegs and converting them to photobucket.

Howie, you've been as busy as a two pecker biillygoat. :pound:

Roy :pop2:

[Howard Brown]

I hear that Roy...and the two peckers barely work !

I'll get 'em all converted eventually.

[Nemo]

I no longer seem to be receiving email notifications if that's an indicator to anything Tim

[Howard Brown]

Neems;

I'll reset your settings.

How ya like that logo on the left ?

[Howard Brown]

I just realized I phrased something I said before incorrectly.

By all means...try to upload your attachments at any time you wish. Do not worry about it adding to the data load. Thats my job to fix the load problem..

I have a new technique of converting which prevented the two and a quarter hours job from being a four hour job.

Fire away at any time.

[Nemo]

Yes, the logo looks nice Howard - it looks better the smaller it gets

The reference to the GSG is apt I think :thumb:

Good luck with it!

[Chris_Scott]

Hi How
I don't know if this helps at all but Ive tried various options today as i have some new pics to upload.
I tried under both account names, I tried three different browsers (IE, Chrome and Firefox) but I cannot seem to upload at all now even with multiples attempts.
I tried to upload one particular image 18 times - all were rejected.
This is not a nag - hope it might help
Chris

[String]

Had a problem with that jpg for the caption contest today. I changed it to a gif and it worked.

[Chris_Scott]

Hi
Thanks for the suggestion but no joy.
I tried the image I want to upload as
.jpg
.gif
.bmp and
.png
but all were rejected

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

You're not being a nag,amigo...I feel badly that this issue hasn't been addressed...and have yet to hear from the proprietor of the server.
If you want me to convert any attachments in the interim,please send them to me.

[admin tim]

I am waiting for Chris to try a new fix I have proposed, but he seems to be smitten with that Ripper figure on eBay at the moment. Maybe later.

[Chris Scott]

I received PMs from Tim and How but there is a problem replying (see below)...

Hi How and Tim
Not good news I'm afraid as we seem to have a new problem as well.
However there may be a clue as to what is happening with the attachment problem
When Tim sent me a PM asking me to try sending an attachment, I logged into the Chris Scott account (I have two - How set up a test one)
I tried sending an attachment and got exactly the same error message. But this time something appeared which I hadn't seen before. On the Message Attachment dialogue box, which appears when you try to send an attachment, there was a bar at the top (like the bar that fills up to show you how much of a download has been completed.) This box was full - red in colour and above was the message:
Sum of all attachments owned by Chris Scott: 28.18 MB
This suggested that there was a limit for each user and I had reached or exceeded mine and that is why I could not post. I did not know if this is the case.
To test this I logged into the Chris_Scott account that How had set up as that has hardly been used. This time when I tried to send an attachment I got the same error message but there was no red bar. That may give some useful pointer.
However - the new problem.
Today I received three private messages - two from Tim and one from How. When I went into each of them in turn there was no facility to reply. My Inbox on Forums is far from full so it cant be that.
All private messages now list three boxes:
Private message - the content of the message
Message History
Delete this message
The only option to do anything with the message is to delete it - there is no button, dialogue box or option to reply to it.
Sorry to bear bad news again
Chris

PS: I have just checked again and at the head of each private message, where it says how many messages I have and how many allowed, ir reads:
Inbox contains 19 messages.
You have 19 messages stored, of a total 0 allowed
Again there is a bar that is all red.
Both these suggest there is some limit (one on attachments and one for PMs) which somehow have been set as exceeded (even when they are not) and so all activity is barred.

[Chris_Scott]

I looked in the PM section of the test account (Chris_Scott) and all seems to be OK and the reply facility is present.
It seems as though for some reason all activity measures on the Chris Scott account have been maxed out and the bar is down on doing anything.
Of course that does not explain the attchment problem on the test account or the problems that other members have had.
Chris

Sorry to air all this in detail on the open forums but as I couldnt reply by PM I had to
C

[Howard Brown]

testing

[Howard Brown]

It figures that when I tried another attachment of 137 Kb, it failed.

I sent another letter 2 minutes ago folks...thanks for your patience.

[admin tim]

OK, have Chris try again under either name.

[Howard Brown]

Tim:

I disabled almost all the attachment types...except the ones members use the most.

We have jpeg, jpg, bmp, gif, and pdf.

It still doesn't work Tim.

I reset the tables like the guy told me...I didn't alter anything...and it still doesn't work.

Lets try a little jpeg

Voila...that worked.

[Howard Brown]

Now a larger one...around 155 Kb.

No go Tim...it won't work.

Now back to a smaller one

It worked with two small ones : 19 and 55 Kb

[Howard Brown]

Now with three or four small ones

4 attachments totaling 141 Kb

[admin tim]

let me try now

[Howard Brown]

Now a larger one

Nope.

It still won't take a 120 Kb attachment, which is smaller in size than the combined 4 attachments in the previous post.

[admin tim]

and again we see

[admin tim]

the last was 120 kb

i'm hitting the wall above about 150 kb. from the error message I'd say that the server has issues.

[Howard Brown]

I'll try a 118.6 Kb

[Howard Brown]

One a little larger didn't work.

If Chris is looking in, could you try one Chris ?

[Chris Scott]

Sorry How
Tried 3 different images but all were rejected with the usual error message...

[Nemo]

A different error has appeared in that a post I just made appears on the thread, but the thread did not move to the top of the list in "New Posts"...

Strange

(In the Schwartz inquest thread)

[Howard Brown]

Neems,Chris...

I received a response from the fellow who runs the server. He gave me another suggestion and I'll pass it along to Tim right now.

[Chris Scott]

Many thanks How
Much appreciated

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

I really appreciate your patience ( and everyone else's )....this has been a real pain in the ass for almost a month now.

[Howard Brown]

Knowing Tim. he's probably stuffing his face about now.

Hopefully, he'll take a stab at the problem with the destructions I sent him by tomorrow when the fork is loosed from his beefy mitts.

[Howard Brown]

Just concluded removing 22 1/2 Mb from the attachment file and successfully converted them to Photobucket.

That took 3 and 1/4 hours.

[String]

Is there a way of people uploading pictures/images to a shared photobucket account (for members only) instead of attaching them to posts?
This would have a couple of advantages:
No more nonsensence from the server complaining about pictures,
Any size picture could be used,
If the server goes south the pictures aren't lost,
Less problems with backups etc,
Howard gets his life back.

Only disadvantage if it is one is too teach people to use photobucket.

[Howard Brown]

String:

Thanks for the suggestions....

I think things will be fine as they are now. Of course, if someone wanted to learn how photobucket works, I'd be happy to show them.

I converted the largest attachments on the boards and it ought to be easier working it out as time goes by.

[Howard Brown]

While Tim isn't doing anything to resolve the attachment problem, I've been pervertin' and convertin' all this afternoon. 34 more Mb in fact and I'll be putting them back in a new format soon.

I'm doing my best to reduce the load in case that was part of the problem...but it may be down to a corrupted file.

[Howard Brown]

The problem has been resolved.

Our apologies to one and all for the inconvenience.

[Chris Scott]

Hi How
All seems to be up and running:-))
many thanks to all those involved in getting this fixed
Chris

[Nemo]

Good job guys :thumb:

[Howard Brown]

We're down to 180Mb ( I have converted 240 Mb over the last month ) in the attachment load.
We're gettin' there :whoo:

[Howard Brown]

Down to 153 MB ( that makes 267 MB worth o' converted attachments)...56Mb in one quarter of a day.
Another 3 hours on top of the first three. 6 hours total today on the convertin' and pervertin'.
:thumb: