Operations fail, supposedly due to "A problem reaching the server"
brent.mcinnis says:
I have renamed 20-30 tasks tonight. Most of these have gone without incident, but twice I have encountered a problem in that RTM just seemed unable to rename the task.
In both cases, the task looked renamed in the box on the right hand side of the screen, and, at first, the orange status message at the top of the list reported the rename was successful. But the task as shown in the list still retained the old name. Then, after 10 seconds or so, the orange status bar reported that the rename failed, due to difficulty reaching the server, and asks if I'm sure I'm connected to the internet. The box on the right hand side continued to display the new name.
I don't think I'm actually having internet connectivity problems. For one thing, non-RTM URLs still work fine. For another thing, I am able to succesfully switch between RTM lists during the time I'm having the problems, and access the forums to post this topic. It just seems as if, for some reason, the RTM server decides to refuse to perform the requested operation.
The problem is not just limited to task renaming. I saw very similar symptoms, just a few minutes before I had the task renaming problems, when I tried to set my default list. It just wouldn't work.
Sometimes, after a while (5-10 minutes), the problem seems to clear itself up and the requested operation can be performed successfully. So I was able to eventually set my default list, and rename the first task which was giving me difficulty. But, as of this writing, after retrying on and off for 20 minutes, I am still unable to rename the second task which is giving me difficulty.
In both cases, the task looked renamed in the box on the right hand side of the screen, and, at first, the orange status message at the top of the list reported the rename was successful. But the task as shown in the list still retained the old name. Then, after 10 seconds or so, the orange status bar reported that the rename failed, due to difficulty reaching the server, and asks if I'm sure I'm connected to the internet. The box on the right hand side continued to display the new name.
I don't think I'm actually having internet connectivity problems. For one thing, non-RTM URLs still work fine. For another thing, I am able to succesfully switch between RTM lists during the time I'm having the problems, and access the forums to post this topic. It just seems as if, for some reason, the RTM server decides to refuse to perform the requested operation.
The problem is not just limited to task renaming. I saw very similar symptoms, just a few minutes before I had the task renaming problems, when I tried to set my default list. It just wouldn't work.
Sometimes, after a while (5-10 minutes), the problem seems to clear itself up and the requested operation can be performed successfully. So I was able to eventually set my default list, and rename the first task which was giving me difficulty. But, as of this writing, after retrying on and off for 20 minutes, I am still unable to rename the second task which is giving me difficulty.
brent.mcinnis says:
A postscript: I have found a workaround that worked (at least one time). I got all the way out of RTM, and then got back in. (I got the error message saying that "a script on this page has stopped responding" several times on reloading. That doesn't usually happen - but at any rate, I just clicked "continue" 4 or 5 times, and the message finally stopped appearing, and my default list was loaded.)
Then I switched to the list containing the task I'd been trying to rename, and behold, it already had the new name!
Then I switched to the list containing the task I'd been trying to rename, and behold, it already had the new name!
emily (Remember The Milk) says:
Brent, would you mind clearing your cache and let us know if this problem continues, and if you receive the error on loading? Thanks!
brent.mcinnis says:
Emily,
OK. But since the problem doesn't happen most of the time, it might be a while before I see it again. (I saw it a few times the other day because I was doing a little reorganization in RTM, as opposed to just normal everyday use).
But yes, when I do see it again, I'll clear cache, and let you know whether that helps.
OK. But since the problem doesn't happen most of the time, it might be a while before I see it again. (I saw it a few times the other day because I was doing a little reorganization in RTM, as opposed to just normal everyday use).
But yes, when I do see it again, I'll clear cache, and let you know whether that helps.
emily (Remember The Milk) says:
Brent, thanks for this info. Just wondering, do you happen to remember what kinds of actions you would have been performing on the site when reorganising (apart from renaming tasks)? If you notice this happening with any particular behaviour, please let us know. Thanks!
brent.mcinnis says:
Emily,
Sure, what I was doing was as follows:
The situation was that I had some lists set up as to-do lists for my kids, and I wanted to remember to remind them to perform some, but not all, of their tasks. So, for instance, on the kid's list, it would say, "Perform task A", and on one of my lists, it would say, "Remind kid X to perform task A".
I realized after a while that, rather than having 2 separate tasks on 2 separate lists referring to the same task like this, I should put a label on those tasks of theirs that I wanted to monitor, and then add a search for that label on my smartlist. So what I was doing was:
a) Renaming the tasks I wanted to monitor to put their names in it, so I could tell at a glance which kid it was for;
b) Adding a label to those tasks (my first use of labels, BTW)
c) Changing my smartlists by adding a search term for that label;
There were about a couple of dozen tasks that I renamed and added a label to.
As far as I know, you can't edit the search terms of a smartlist directly. My method of editing my smartlists (I edited 3 of them) was to
a) Copy the search terms from the smartlist;
b) Paste the search terms into the search box;
c) Edit in the search box stuff as desired;
d) Press "enter" to create a new smartlist;
e) Delete the original smartlist I copied from;
In the course of doing this, I deleted my default smartlist, so one of the tasks I performed was to set a new default smartlist.
So those are the operations I was performing. Thanks for asking! You really provide terrific support!
Sure, what I was doing was as follows:
The situation was that I had some lists set up as to-do lists for my kids, and I wanted to remember to remind them to perform some, but not all, of their tasks. So, for instance, on the kid's list, it would say, "Perform task A", and on one of my lists, it would say, "Remind kid X to perform task A".
I realized after a while that, rather than having 2 separate tasks on 2 separate lists referring to the same task like this, I should put a label on those tasks of theirs that I wanted to monitor, and then add a search for that label on my smartlist. So what I was doing was:
a) Renaming the tasks I wanted to monitor to put their names in it, so I could tell at a glance which kid it was for;
b) Adding a label to those tasks (my first use of labels, BTW)
c) Changing my smartlists by adding a search term for that label;
There were about a couple of dozen tasks that I renamed and added a label to.
As far as I know, you can't edit the search terms of a smartlist directly. My method of editing my smartlists (I edited 3 of them) was to
a) Copy the search terms from the smartlist;
b) Paste the search terms into the search box;
c) Edit in the search box stuff as desired;
d) Press "enter" to create a new smartlist;
e) Delete the original smartlist I copied from;
In the course of doing this, I deleted my default smartlist, so one of the tasks I performed was to set a new default smartlist.
So those are the operations I was performing. Thanks for asking! You really provide terrific support!
emily (Remember The Milk) says:
Brent, thanks for these details (I'm impressed that you remember the specifics! :) We'll see if it's possible to reproduce this problem -- if you're able to let us know if this problem continues after clearing cache, that would be great. Thanks!
brent.mcinnis says:
Emily,
OK, I think I have another data point for you. When attempting to rename a task today, I experienced almost the same symptom. I say "almost" because, today, the task retained it's old name in the box on the right hand side, which is different from what I reported having happen earlier. Anyway, both the box on the right hand side and the list itself showed the old name, but the orange status bar area at the top of the screen reported that the name had been changed. Then, after 10 seconds or so, the orange status bar reported that there had been a problem reaching the server.
At that point, I cleared my cache, and reloaded the page, and indeed, that did clear everything up. The box on the right hand side and the list itself both showed the new name.
Where does that leave us? Is this something you can fix, or are you dealing with a limitation of the browser, and users will just have to know to clear their cache when things like this happen?
Thanks!
OK, I think I have another data point for you. When attempting to rename a task today, I experienced almost the same symptom. I say "almost" because, today, the task retained it's old name in the box on the right hand side, which is different from what I reported having happen earlier. Anyway, both the box on the right hand side and the list itself showed the old name, but the orange status bar area at the top of the screen reported that the name had been changed. Then, after 10 seconds or so, the orange status bar reported that there had been a problem reaching the server.
At that point, I cleared my cache, and reloaded the page, and indeed, that did clear everything up. The box on the right hand side and the list itself both showed the new name.
Where does that leave us? Is this something you can fix, or are you dealing with a limitation of the browser, and users will just have to know to clear their cache when things like this happen?
Thanks!
emily (Remember The Milk) says:
Hmm, we'll see if this behaviour can be reproduced -- thanks for this. Please do let us know if you notice this happen again though -- it's helpful for us to know if it continues happening after starting with a clean, cache-cleared browser. Thanks!
brent.mcinnis says:
Emily,
FYI, upon renaming a task, I experienced exactly the same symptoms today as I reported in my post of December 24. Once again, clearing cache cleared everything up.
At that point, I performed one successful rename of another task, without incident.
Then, I tried another rename of a different task, and experienced the symptoms again. In fact, I tried renaming it several times in succession, and experienced the symptoms each time.
As I reported on December 16, after the orange status box at the top reports "a problem reaching the server", the task still appeared as successfully renamed in the "floating" task details box on the right, though the list itself still shows the old name.
Doing this several times in a row, though, I noticed that, if I move my mouse over a different task in the list, (which causes the floating task details box to display the details of that task), and then move my mouse back over the task I was attempting to rename, the task details box at that point will display the old name, as it is shown in the list. This is what I reported seeing on December 24, though I didn't realize at that time that where I moved my mouse made a difference. But it seems that whether the old name or the (attempted) new name is displayed in the floating task box depends on whether or not you have moved your mouse over any other tasks since the problem was reported in the orange status bar.
So, as to your question as to whether the symtpoms can happen after starting with a clean, cache-cleared browser - the answer seems to be "yes", or nearly so. After clearing cache, I performed only a single successful rename, and then, upon attempting a second rename, I started experiencing symptoms again.
Thanks again for your attention. Other than this, RTM is continuing to work very well for me.
FYI, upon renaming a task, I experienced exactly the same symptoms today as I reported in my post of December 24. Once again, clearing cache cleared everything up.
At that point, I performed one successful rename of another task, without incident.
Then, I tried another rename of a different task, and experienced the symptoms again. In fact, I tried renaming it several times in succession, and experienced the symptoms each time.
As I reported on December 16, after the orange status box at the top reports "a problem reaching the server", the task still appeared as successfully renamed in the "floating" task details box on the right, though the list itself still shows the old name.
Doing this several times in a row, though, I noticed that, if I move my mouse over a different task in the list, (which causes the floating task details box to display the details of that task), and then move my mouse back over the task I was attempting to rename, the task details box at that point will display the old name, as it is shown in the list. This is what I reported seeing on December 24, though I didn't realize at that time that where I moved my mouse made a difference. But it seems that whether the old name or the (attempted) new name is displayed in the floating task box depends on whether or not you have moved your mouse over any other tasks since the problem was reported in the orange status bar.
So, as to your question as to whether the symtpoms can happen after starting with a clean, cache-cleared browser - the answer seems to be "yes", or nearly so. After clearing cache, I performed only a single successful rename, and then, upon attempting a second rename, I started experiencing symptoms again.
Thanks again for your attention. Other than this, RTM is continuing to work very well for me.