POST limits

[scratchmalogicalwax]

Does anyone have an idea on the limit to the amount of data WC can handle from a single POST action.

My setup

Box1

WebSTAR 4.5 ...... Mem allocated 150 meg

Lasso 3.x ...... Mem allocated N/A

WSC 1 ...... Mem allocated N/A

Box2

FMPro 5U ...... Mem allocated 100 meg

Box 2a

FMPro 5U ...... Mem allocated 100 meg

Box 3

FMPro Server 5.5 ...... Mem allocated 100 meg

Scenario:

I have a form with eight text elements and 4 text areas. The text areas each have c. 150 words ("average" sized words).

When I post this form using lasso update (wc = edit) action I get an error, sadly lasso or wc don't want to tell me which one, it just doesn't work.

I assume a limit has been reached because the form works fine when I reduce the amount of text in the text areas.

There are two confusing elements to this problem however:

The amount of text that causes the error varies with different browsers, but it happens with all.

The lack of actual error information, I am not being told which part is failing

I have built a solution. I return an error if any form element contains more than 200 words a sensible amount of information (I use LDML for this not JavaScript). With inlines I then post the text area elements and their associated text fields seperately (4 inlines)

This is a real pain in the butt - I would like to know if anyone else has experienced this problem or knows the limit of data that WC can handle in a single POST action.

Hopefully I have something wrong with my setup!

[Keith M. Davie]

scratch..., as a test I recently put over 1500 lines of text into a record using cdml and WC. The only thing I had to do was make sure the size of the textarea was large enough. Since you wrote, "The amount of text that causes the error varies with different browsers, but it happens with all." it could be that you need to increase the size (rows) of your textarea to allow for browser differences (and non-average-sized words).

[Anatoli]

On our PR portal we are publishing all Press Releases through FM5U with WC only for more than 2 years without ever reaching limit. The IBM

[Vaughan]

I know little about SMTP stuff, but I believe that mail servers can be set up to reject postings over a certain size -- a way of preventing attachments from being sent, for instance.

Perhaps your mail server has such a restriction, wheras Anatoli's does not.

[scratchmalogicalwax]

hmmmmmm

Anatoli.....

It would seem that there is something in my setup causing this error........although is the news letter added to or updated in your DB with a http form POST or are you just displaying the data for people to read. This obviously makes a big difference.

Keith....

Im not sure what difference the rows attribute of the text area will make to my problem. All data in a text area is submitted whether it is visible or not - hence the scroll bar

Vaughan

My problem is relating to submitting data to the database with a post method and is unrelated to mail.

If indeed no one else has found this problem than I assume it is specific to my setup.....I will let you know if I track the problem down...I will start by taking Lasso out of the loop and post directly to WC on port 591.....

wish me luck

[scratchmalogicalwax]

I have just tested the same setup without WSC

- (I have only recently (with WebSTAR 4.5) managed to get a Lasso / WSC combination to work) -

and the error no longer occurs.....this is a test with a total of 7,500 words (20 ish A4 pages). I can only assume the error is occuring somewhere along the communiction path of: Lasso Remote - WSC - WC and is not a linitation of WC itself ......

another one for the FM X files!!

[Garry Claridge]

One of the programs in the chain may be guarding against the 'buffer overload' attack. This is where an input field can be overloaded with data which will cause a partial crash, and open a hacker door. I think this may only occur on WinTel computers.

Good Luck.

Garry

[scratchmalogicalwax]

Hi Garry

true....buffer overflow is a common way to get commands into other areas of memory or "steal" an applications' root privilages on WinTel and Unix based systems.

All my systems are Mac but that doesn't mean to say that one of the applications isn't invoking a security measure that stops a connection being held open too long. I have changed settings where ever i can - WebSTAR - with regard to connections....I am thinking that the problem may be increased by the fact that there are quite a few elements in the page in question (images, form elements etc) and the browser default is 4 concurrent connections ...... something to play around with in the morning

It really would help if I got some kind of error message - but i s'pose that would just make things easy!!!

PS has anyone else noticed you have to edit your post to get line breaks added or is it just me

[Garry Claridge]

PS has anyone else noticed you have to edit your post to get line breaks added or is it just me

Yes, it is a pain!

Garry

[Anatoli]

RE> Anatoli.....

It would seem that there is something in my setup causing this error........although is the news letter added to or updated in your DB with a http form POST or are you just displaying the data for people to read. This obviously makes a big difference.

Everything goes only through web. The database started as empty and ALL records where added via POST -- short and long ones.

IMHO -- WebCompanion is handling that with Grace.

[scratchmalogicalwax]

Hi Anatoli

The error seems to be much worse (it takes less data in the text fields) when I run WSC with Lasso and WC ....... I haven't had time to do much other experimentation as it can take a long time to change setups and format files to try different ideas. I will let you know if I find the cause of the unknown error.

Thanks for your responses

[Anatoli]

Hmm... I am not experienced in Lasso. Can the WSC talk to Lasso? And Lasso to the WC?

I suggest trying it without Lasso. We are using on our new server WSC talking to our Security Filter, which talks to WC. It runs great!

[Keith M. Davie]

re: "Im not sure what difference the rows attribute of the text area will make"

In retrospect, I'm not sure either. All I know is as I had the textarea set up originally, it would not handle the load. I changed it and have since changed it back. It works fine now. When all else fails...

[moleanardo]

I submitted the following message to the XML forum thinking that there was a limit to the number of characters associated with the XML API. However, after reading all of your messages, I think it may be a limit of WC. I am using a PC and WC with the XML API available with the CD that comes with the developer version. I think it is a limit or a configuration issue with WC. Not a lasso or XML API issue directly. I even called Filemaker for help on the issue and they said on the phone "we know of this issue and there is no workaround". I was suprised by their reply and inability to even look into it and see if there is a workaround. I look forward to any solutions or configuration suggestions you may have.

-John

I purchased FileMaker 5.5 Developer and the CD comes with an XML API and an example implementation called inventory. I loaded it up and got it to work. I can request data and submit it back into the database successfully. However, when you type in more than 400 characters it refuses to submit the data. I also noticed many problems submitting fields using the API when special characters are used (sometimes simple carriage returns don

[Anatoli]

My honest believe is that the XML and ODBC was request from Marketing department and now they can put that on the box.

But it doesn't work, as it should. Again -- I have few problems with standard WC serving through CDML.

A bit more with WS Connector

[scratchmalogicalwax]

Thanks again for all your responses

I havent tried without Lasso Ive got a couple of jobs on at the moment (never a bad thing ) so I don't have time to recode the pages for WC.

Lasso Remote is taliking to WSC no problem...the database list is available and the Layouts are available in Field security : add field (always a good way to check connectivity between Lasso and WC).

When I do get some time I will have a closer look and try to isolate the problem ...... my initial feelings are that it is a limitation of WC compounded by the use of WSC (now removed), the amount of connections required to upload the page (ie the number of elements on submitted page) and the amount of concurrent users at the time - the error seems to occur more frequently when the amount of database hits is very high.

[Anatoli]

RE: ie the number of elements on submitted page

Maybe there is the problem. My solution has up to 10-15 fields submitted from browser. How it is with yours?

[scratchmalogicalwax]

The problem appears to be solved .... the web companion for FMPro 5.0 (5.0v6) isn't man enough for the job. I have tested 5.5v3 with FMPro 5.5v2 and the error doesn't occur.

I have tested up to 15,000 words (70,000 - 80,000 characters) and no more error -1.

This means I will have to spend

[Anatoli]

I believe it will not go over 64K-field limit