Uploading site problems...

[george]

Every morning this week we've had problems uploading our site, resulting in a cut-off just before completion stating "An error occurred while sending the merge request". Had this last week, cures with a site refresh taking the customary three hours + of not being able to use the software. We are making NO major changes just adding the odd new item, a few images and changing some stock levels, nothing that involves changing every page. Have tried opening and closing Actinic, even re-starting the pc.

?

Me no happy.

[george]

Just thought I'd add that I've compacted databases, purged everything since the initial problems but nothing seems to make the site uploadable.

I reckon this is a MAJOR ISSUE as we have orders to process but as the software is uploading we have to wait till the FULL refresh completes.

Me thinking suicide.

[cdicken]

What happens when you click 'Test' in 'Advanced | Network Setup'?

A merge is when Actinic executes a Perl script on your server which updates all the search indexes with the latest data. A failure to merge normally means:

1) The address for your cgi-bin URL is incorrect
or
2) Perl cannot execute on the site
or
3) A firewall is blocking the HTTP request sent to the Perl

[george]

Ran the test yesterday, and again today, both completed with no problems.

Site uploaded fine later on yesterday and this morning even after altering some items that affects all the pages. I don't think it was a server issue as the message appeared at the same point in the (broken) upload every time.

[cdicken]

George

How many products do you have? I'm wondering whether the Perl is taking too long to incorporate all your search words into the search index that the server is cancelling the operation.

[george]

About 5,500 at the moment. Intend listing a good lot more though...

[pinbrook]

IMHO this is a server/hosting issue.

I notice you've had issues with your host before, maybe its time to jump ship and move to a specialist actinic host.

[fleetwood]

George
Am I right in thinking your with Claranet, like ourselves?
We have also been getting the failure on merge warnings, but it happens on and off.
Have given up worrying about them, as dosen't seem to affect the operation of the site, and the orders still come on OK.
Or can someone tell me if it IS something we should be worrying about

[fleetwood]

ps: we also have a site with a lot of products (around 3,500), with heavy regular updates.

[george]

Yes, with Clara. I've been thinking of changig for a while now, bud thought I'd give Clara a chance to get their act together again. Agree with the on and off thing as well. Do you have to refresh eventually or just keep trying?

[nickcoleman]

We have had similar problems (again under Clara) and sometimes have to do the upload a couple of times before it goes through.

Our site is about 2000 items at the moment and will easily double or even treble very quickly. Is there an issue about the sheer number of products? Even now, when using the content navigation it is beginning to get slow to move around the tree.

Nick
www.colemans-online.co.uk

[darrentickle]

Hi Nick

Just had a look at you site 22:48 on Saturday 25th and it seems really slow. Also you art's and craft page doesn't load up with any content? Not sure if this is all related but thought I should let you know.

I'm with Techno Web who have been really good, I have had a some issue but they have been good a resolving these and giving you pointers.

I hope this helps a bit.

Cheers

Darren

[fleetwood]

George

RE: Refresh - I do it about once a week (Sunday mornings are good as it wizzes through), but no longer in response to any warning messages).

I'm sure the "Site needs a refresh" nag comes and goes regardless of whether of not you have actually refreshed.
The same applies to a similar nag stating that it can't complete because permissions aren't set. Somehow or other they sort themselves out, because I certainly don't reset permissions, and yet the problem clears itself.

I tend to think that the error messages/nags are not being triggered by the events they are warning you about, and so have given up trying to clear them.
It is frustrating and worrying though, as you always have the thought in the back of your mind that if you ignore a warning message, the site will fall over sometime (hasn't happened yet!)

[george]

George

I'm sure the "Site needs a refresh" nag comes and goes regardless of whether of not you have actually refreshed.
The same applies to a similar nag stating that it can't complete because permissions aren't set. Somehow or other they sort themselves out, because I certainly don't reset permissions, and yet the problem clears itself.

I have to refresh when I've tried to upload the site about ten times! Agree `normal` uploads can happen after getting the refresh warnings though.

[george]

Wouldn't `complete` upload until sixth attempt this morning...