Hamsters got the sniffles today?

[gotpasswords]

It's been a while since there's been technical troubles here, but we appears to have had them today.

A couple hours ago, I got one of those firewall errors about how the server failed to give a timely and complete response, and about 15 minutes ago, was greeted with an understatement:

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/includes/init.php on line 715
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/includes/init.php on line 715
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/includes/init.php on line 715
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/includes/init.php on line 715
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/includes/init.php on line 715
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/includes/init.php on line 715
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/includes/init.php on line 715

There seems to have been a slight problem with the Straight Dope Message Board database.
Yup. :D

[Gaudere]

Jerry says they just did an upgrade. The problem with the boards seems to have been shortlived, however.

[gum]

Sniffles? I think they're suffering from a double pneumonia and are in need of a nice hamster-nurse who can give them hamster-size anti-biotic shots. :D

Same here, gotpasswords.

[Lobsang]

At almost exactly the same time as the wierdness here, another board I browse went down, and when it came back up one of the mods had a post about tweaking with the sql underneath.

So they employ sqls as well as hamsters?

[TubaDiva]

We're an equal opportunity employer. :)

your humble TubaDiva
Administrator

[gotpasswords]

So they employ sqls as well as hamsters?
This brings to mind an old commercial where the Happy Suburban Couple is in rapture over their breakfast cereal or flavored coffee, and the family dog is trying to alert them to the activities of a squirrel, so he spells out "SQUIRREL!" in kibble.

Dog's can't spell very well, so it should have been "SQL!" in kibble.

And thanks to Jerry and staff for the mysterious upgrade. The boards have been rather well-behaved and speedy lately.

[Exgineer]

I can't get into the BBQ Pit for some reason.

[Pleonast]

Something is not right.

When on the site front page The Straitdope (http://www.straightdope.com/) the link Comment on Cecil's recent columns (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/) give me the error:You have chosen to open

which is a: application/x-httpd-php
from: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/

What should Firefox do with this file?Obviously, I'm using Mozilla Firefox. This error has never happened before today.

Please advise.

[Loopydude]

When I try to open IMHO from the main fora menu, I instead download a small file named "forumdisplay.php". I'm using Safari 1.3 on MacOS 10.3.7. Thinks worked groovy yesterday. I can still enter threads in that forum, so long as they're linked from other places, FWIW.

[yojimbo]

You have chosen to open

which is a: application/x-httpd-php
from: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/

What should Firefox do with this file?

I get this also. Using Firefox.

[Exgineer]

I get the same trying to get into the Pit, except replace "Firefox" with "Netscape."

[manhattan]

It happened to me in IE (I'm at work! It's not my fault!). Killing all windows and starting over ended the glitch. Or maybe it ended by coincidence. Either way, it's clear the hamsters didn't qualify for flu shots this year. :)

[TubaDiva]

I'll let Jerry know about our problem. Sorry.

your humble TubaDiva
Admnistrator

[Ed Zotti]

These problems appear to be sporadic and short-lived; the board is working OK now. We upgraded to a new version of PHP yesterday, which may be the cause. To help us troubleshoot, pls post problem reports here stating:

1. Time you noticed the problem (hours/minutes/AM-PM/time zone/date, e.g., 1:30 PM CST, 12/22/04)

2. Details of what you were doing on the board immediately prior to the problem, as well as details of the problem itself, e.g., "I had written a reply to thread <name> in <forum name> and clicked on 'submit.' I got a message saying <whatever>."

3. Browser type, version, operating system, e.g., "IE6, Win XP Pro."

4. Time when you noticed the problem had gone away (assuming it goes away) and what you did to clear things up, e.g., refreshed your browser, started all over again, etc.

Thanks.

[Exgineer]

1. Approximately 1:00 pm EST, 22 DEC 04

2. From SDMB front page, clicked the BBQ Pit link, received a popup error message like the one yojimbo described.

3. Netscape 7.0, Windows XP Pro

4. Problem ongoing.

Thanks, Ed.

[Loopydude]

I still wind up downloading an unreadable file "forumdisplay.php" when attempting to enter IMHO from the SDMB. This is, again the only forum which causes this problem.

Oh, and I can't "Search". I can click other links and follow, but "Search" leaves the wheel spinning indefinitely.

OSX 10.3.7, Safari 1.3

[Pleonast]

No problems for me now.

My computer did have a crash, which required a hard reboot. You'd think Windows XP Pro wouldn't have blue screens of death...

Anyway, no problems at all for me. Tested several forums, the search function, and I posted this.

[Loopydude]

Wish I could say the same. Still have the same problems listed above.

[Pleonast]

Wish I could say the same. Still have the same problems listed above.Well, just do what I did: play Counterstrike until the inevitable blue screen of death comes, and then reboot. ;)

[Loopydude]

Well, I can get in again, so thanks to whoever!

[h.sapiens]

I'm still having the same problem Loopydude described: when I click the "Message Boards" link on the Straight Dope home page, my browser downloads a file called "sdmb" to my desktop.

When I click on the "Threadspotting" link, it goes to the thread, and I can navigate from there.


Mac OSX version 10.3.7 (just upgraded today, but the problem began yesterday)

Safari version 1.2.4

10:00 am 12/23/04

[Loopydude]

Oddly, the problems are back. I swear. I didn't change anything, I just tried to click on IMHO just now, and downloaded "forumdisplay.php" again. Weird. :confused:

[Iceland_Blue]

Sniffles? I think they're suffering from a double pneumonia and are in need of a nice hamster-nurse who can give them hamster-size anti-biotic shots. :D


Or an overdose of Christmas spirit and boozy parties

[yojimbo]

Started yesterday at approx 17:00 GMT.

I get the message as I described on my work machine. Running Firefox 1 and IE6 on XP SP1 and both give the same. It started when I was reading the boards and tried to open a pit thread(can't remember which one)

It works with my laptop though with the same browsers :confused:

[Voyager]

I saw the same problem with Mozilla 1.4. Since this is a version customized for my company, I assumed it was just me - perhaps not.

It only affected the Pit for me for some weird reason. It's been fine all of today.

If we can get enough error messages, maybe we can reverse engineer the code. ;)

[Loopydude]

I can now get into IMHO AND search! Woo-hoo! Thanks Hamsters! :D