Why Do Queries Fail To Run Sometimes?

[+Thot]

I created a query on Monday and marked it to run Tuesday (yesterday). It didn't. I've had this kind of thing happen other times. Why are requested queries not delivered sometimes?

[+The Leprechauns]

This post by Elias in another current thread here in the Geocaching.com forum provides a good current summary, along with links to another thread from a short while back, that had an even more complete explanation.

[+Thot]

This post by Elias in another current thread here in the Geocaching.com forum provides a good current summary . . .

He says:

 

But the short answer to your question is that queries that run on Saturday or Sunday will probably not be run on Monday as Monday is the 3rd busiest day for PQs. Tuesday is the lightest day for PQs so all PQs scheduled for Tuesday will run. [emphasis added]

 

The PQ I'm asking about was scheduled for Tuesday.

[Jeremy]

Quick question. Did it already run Monday?

[+maleki]

I usually do not have any probs(thanks for the fine work) but queries I submitted early Monday for Monday run never processed. I resubmit them for today several hours ago and they've not run yet. Not important yet - just so I can get updated for the weekend.

Edited August 3, 2005 by maleki

[+Thot]

Quick question. Did it already run Monday?

Yes, it ran Monday, but I had an error in the request. That's why I set it to run again Tuesday. Because it didn't run Tuesday, about 4 hours ago I checked it to run today -- I still haven't gotten it.

[+Thot]

Incidentally, I'm also tracking this topic but I have gotten no email notices of any of the replies it has received.

[+sbell111]

Yes, it ran Monday, but I had an error in the request. That's why I set it to run again Tuesday. Because it didn't run Tuesday, about 4 hours ago I checked it to run today -- I still haven't gotten it.

As I understand it, since it ran on Monday, its priority for Tuesday would be very low. Maybe you'll get it today, maybe not.

[+carleenp]

Incidentally, I'm also tracking this topic but I have gotten no email notices of any of the replies it has received.

I got my PQs fine and have received several forum notification emails today as well. Perhaps there is something going on with your own email then? Sometimes my email will delay stuff. It happens.

[+beejay&esskay]

Yes, it ran Monday, but I had an error in the request. That's why I set it to run again Tuesday. Because it didn't run Tuesday, about 4 hours ago I checked it to run today -- I still haven't gotten it.

I have a PQ that ran Monday afternoon (3pm PDT) that hasn't run today yet. I think it's probably too early to cry "foul"...we are both in line behind every PQ that hasn't run since Sunday or earlier.

 

(E-mail notifications are a separate issue, since if you know the PQ didn't run yet it doesn't make any difference what's going on with e-mail. However, I am receiving e-mail notifications to threads, so if you aren't (1) you aren't really subscribed, (2) there is a problem with your own e-mail or (3) there is an issue with your ISP throttling e-mail from Groundspeak.)

[+Thot]

am receiving e-mail notifications to threads, so if you aren't (1) you aren't really subscribed, (2) there is a problem with your own e-mail or (3) there is an issue with your ISP throttling e-mail from Groundspeak.)

None of the above.

[+Thot]

Perhaps there is something going on with your own email then? Sometimes my email will delay stuff. It happens.

Nope.

[+Thot]

As I understand it, since it ran on Monday, its priority for Tuesday would be very low. Maybe you'll get it today, maybe not.

Then I don't understand the statement that

Tuesday is the lightest day for PQs so all PQs scheduled for Tuesday will run.

[+Thot]

we are both in line behind every PQ that hasn't run since Sunday or earlier.

According to Elias

PQs also don't roll over to the next day, so for example, queries that didn't run by midnight Friday night, won't be scheduled to run on Saturday. . .

[+StarBrand]

Maybe it would help us all in understanding this a bit if TPTB could give a hint as to the scope of the problem.

 

If I do a one time PQ, I usually get it within minutes. I assume even a fairly slow system can process at least one PQ in 10-15 seconds (average). For the sake of argument lets say the system does, on average, 4 per minute. That is 240 per hour, 5,760 per day. In reality, the system proabably does more but lets say 5760 is our system max. If 7,000 requests are being made in a given day than the system is 22% overloaded.

 

Without giving away any business secrets, can the following be answered: In terms of percentage of max, how many PQs are being requested per day? Is this simply a matter of buying more PQ machines? Or do we need another beefy copy of the database to help speed things up? Can some kind of simplfied graph be put up on a page so that we can gauge the probability of getting a regularly scheduled PQ?

 

Other than suggestions already mentiond, what can users do to relieve strain on the system?

Edited August 3, 2005 by StarBrand

[+Thot]

Quick question. Did it already run Monday?

FYI, another PQ scheduled for yesterday as the only day of the week it is scheduled for didn't run either.

 

Normally, I have only one PQ that runs each week and it only runs once.

[+Thot]

Other than suggestions already mentioned, what can users do to relieve strain on the system?

I don't know if this is one of the suggestion already mentions but since the load on the system from lowest to highest gos like this:

 

1. Tuesday -- lightest day

2. Sunday

3. Saturday

4. Wednesday

5. Monday

6. Thursday

7. Friday -- heaviest day

 

I am rescheduling my once weekly PQ to Tuesday. I had picked Thursday arbitrarily, not knowing it was a heavy day. Maybe if TBTB could advertise this load day list more widely and suggest if people can move their requests to lighter days everybody may get their stuff faster.

 

But, I don't think the system loading explains my failure since one I scheduled last week for Tuesday and only Tuesday didn't run either.

[+fizzymagic]

Other than suggestions already mentiond, what can users do to relieve strain on the system?

I think I might phrase the question differently:

 

Where is the most significant resource bottleneck in PQ generation? Is it:

• DB server load
  
• PQ machine creating GPX files
  
• Network bandwidth between DB and PQ generator
  
• Mail queue
  
• Something else?
  

I don't think anybody here is trying to steal any trade secrets; we just want to know how to structure our PQs to minimize the impact on the system.

 

UPDATE never mind.

 

I just self-Markwelled. []

Edited August 4, 2005 by fizzymagic

[+Thot]

Another suggestion that might remove some of the load.

 

Does anybody know if you check the box for today and immediately uncheck it, is the query triggered and you get it? I have several PQs that I only run occasionally, so I get on and click today, but since I don't know if that has triggered the process I leave it checked, intending to uncheck it when I receive the query. But, I forget to uncheck it, so it gets run unnecessary times. Same applies to new queries. I create one only wanting to run it once right now, but wanting to keep it to run again later. It remains checked for the same reason as explained above.

 

If checking and unchecking it triggered a run for today these unnecessary runs could be avoided.

Edited August 4, 2005 by Thot

[+Thot]

Oh yes. For the record the query I requested 10 hours ago has not yet arrived.

[+beejay&esskay]

Quick question. Did it already run Monday?

FYI, another PQ scheduled for yesterday as the only day of the week it is scheduled for didn't run either.

 

Normally, I have only one PQ that runs each week and it only runs once.

What does My Pocket Queries show as the last date/time it ran?

[+Thot]

I set it to run again Tuesday. Because it didn't run Tuesday, about 4 hours ago I checked it to run today -- I still haven't gotten it.

Okay, this has progressed from inconvenient to ridiculous. This query has been marked to run every day (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, today-Friday) and it still hasn't run. I am going to visit an out-of-town friend this weekend who I haven't seen in years and who I wanted to introduce to geocaching. I requested the query to select caches near him I thought appropriate for a newbie. Planning ahead I originally requested the query on Monday, yet time has just about run out.

[+sbell111]

Well, lets see. You are aware that the PQ server is overtasked, yet you insist on trying to get a daily PQ and are shocked when it doesn't happen. <Sigh>

 

Try this.

[+sbell111]

I just went to my PQs and hit the radio button on an old one to get it to run on Fridays. Let's see what happens.

[+sbell111]

According to my PQ page, it just ran.

[+sbell111]

According to my email account, I got the PQ email at 5:59p.

[+Thot]

Well, lets see.  You are aware that the PQ server is overtasked, yet you insist on trying to get a daily PQ and are shocked when it doesn't happen.  <Sigh>

 

Try this.

Either you haven't been following this thread or you must not understand what you've read. <sigh>

 

Typically I run ONE query once a week. I created this new query early this week. I only need one result, but I can't get it. The only reason it was requested more than once is that I haven't gotten one. To repeat, when I didn't get the one I scheduled for Tuesday I scheduled it again for Wednesday. When it didn't run Wednesday, I scheduled it for Thursday, when it didn't run Thursday . . . .

 

So the server is not overtasked not running this query.

Edited August 6, 2005 by Thot

[+Thot]

According to my email account, I got the PQ email at 5:59p.

Congratulations.

[+sbell111]

Did you get yours?

[+Thot]

Did you get yours?

No

[Jeremy]

I only need one result, but I can't get it.

That query ran 1 minute after you created it on August 1st.

 

Since you decided not to create a new query since then, I went ahead and recreated it for you, watched it run, generate the PQ and email it to you.

[+Thot]

That query ran 1 minute after you created it on August 1st.

Right, as I explained in answer to your question here.

 

Since you decided not  to create a new query since then, I went ahead and recreated it for you, watched it run, generate the PDQ and email it to you.

Yes, it just came (actually twice). Thanks

 

How does this work? Is it that once I get a bad run I should not expect to be able to run it again for a week unless I recreate the query? This is not a facetious question. I'm trying to understand how to handle this in the future.

[+The Lost Geeks]

I seem to be having issues with the PQ's as well. I had not been getting them so I deleted and re-created the query that I had. It seems to run once then it doesn't seem to run the next day. It is very intermittant so I created another query and it only ran one time but it is scheduled to run every day.

 

Thanks,

 

The Lost Geeks

[+Hemlock]

Sounds like its working as expected, then. If you read the prior posts on this issue, you will see that PQs run in a priority order in that the ones that have not run in the longest, run first. So queries that last run a week ago will have higher priority that ones that ran yesterday.

 

Then examine some posts by Elias that note that the current PQ generator just isn't able to keep up with all the queries. So, daily PQs will not run daily. Set your PQs to run once a week and you should be fine.

 

Better yet, keep them disabled (don't check any days) and only check a day when you are ready to go caching. I do it this way and generally get a PQ within 5 minutes of asking for it.

[CoyoteRed]

Bottom line is the fact that folks aren't able to get what they're paying for. It says 5 queries a day, 7 days a week, 20 different queries. There have been plenty of suggestions on how to fix it, yet priority is given to "Insta-notification."

 

It's understandable why some folks are concerned.

[homer]

Bottom line is the fact that folks aren't able to get what they're paying for. It says 5 queries a day, 7 days a week, 20 different queries. There have been plenty of suggestions on how to fix it, yet priority is given to "Insta-notification."

 

It's understandable why some folks are concerned.

If you really feel like you are getting cheated ask for your money back. Sound like you are not too happy with your membership.

[CoyoteRed]

Bottom line is the fact that folks aren't able to get what they're paying for.  It says 5 queries a day, 7 days a week, 20 different queries.  There have been plenty of suggestions on how to fix it, yet priority is given to "Insta-notification."

 

It's understandable why some folks are concerned.

If you really feel like you are getting cheated ask for your money back. Sound like you are not too happy with your membership.

This is where most of the caches are listed. Where else are you going to go?

 

Besides, isn't it the stock answer answer around here that if you don't like it, leave? If there were viable competition all you'd hear here is crickets and a few loyalists.

[+sbell111]

With how much you complain about everything, I'm shocked that you are still around.

[+beejay&esskay]

Hey, why hasn't my PQ run yet. (Desparately trying to get this thread back on topic. )

 

OK, I have one that last ran 8/5 1948. I know Monday is a busy day, so I'm not sure I can expect it to run today.

 

I think we've been told in the past that M, Th, F are busy days and not all PQs will run on those days. Have we picked up any additional days where not all PQs will run?

 

Would it be possible to have a display that indicated, for the last 7 days, which days did not get all requested PQs run and, for those days, how far down the list (by previous run date/time) the PQ process got?

 

Wouldn't that end a lot of "why didn't my PQ run" and "when can I expect my PQ to run" questions?

 

[Edit to add]

In case anyone is checking of performance, the PQ ran at 13:17 PDT

Edited August 8, 2005 by beejay&esskay

[+Old Cavendish]

I just upgraded to premium (thanks densha99, great b-day gift!) and I have had no luck running PQs.

 

I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if it the system screwing up. I want to basically update the nearest 100 caches around me. Just like I see on the website.

 

What am I doing wrong?

[CoyoteRed]

I just upgraded to premium (thanks densha99, great b-day gift!) and I have had no luck running PQs.

 

I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if it the system screwing up. I want to basically update the nearest 100 caches around me. Just like I see on the website.

 

What am I doing wrong?

After you edit your query, try clicking "Preview" to see if it will return any results. If not, it won't send an email.

 

TIP: don't set the query to run on any day until you get the results you want in the preview.

 

Next, if everything is alright, make sure your email is correct. Then set the query to run on the whichever day you want.

 

Hope this helps.

[+Stunod]

After you edit your query, try clicking "Preview" to see if it will return any results.  If not, it won't send an email.

You will still get an email if you run an empty query. You will get the following email:

 

Subject: [GEO] No Results for: PQ NAME HERE

Your Pocket Query had no results. If you believe you should have received a result to your query, please review your Pocket Query for errors.

Edited August 8, 2005 by Stunod

[CoyoteRed]

After you edit your query, try clicking "Preview" to see if it will return any results.  If not, it won't send an email.

You will still get an email if you run an empty query. You will get the following email:

 

Subject: [GEO] No Results for: PQ NAME HERE

Your Pocket Query had no results. If you believe you should have received a result to your query, please review your Pocket Query for errors.

My bad. I was going on memory and I guess my memory is going.

[+Old Cavendish]

Thanks. That might help it troubleshooting. I don't know if i'm putting the info in wrong or what, but every PQ comes up with nothing in it.

[+beejay&esskay]

Thanks. That might help it troubleshooting. I don't know if i'm putting the info in wrong or what, but every PQ comes up with nothing in it.

You'd probably get some quick troubleshooting if you listed what your PQ had selected.

 

A frequent error for new users is to check conflicting options (like both "I have found" and "I haven't found"). Since no cache meets both conditions, no caches are shown.

[Jeremy]

If you really feel like you are getting cheated ask for your money back. Sound like you are not too happy with your membership.

He doesn't have a Premium Membership. He just likes to complain.

[Jeremy]

Thanks. That might help it troubleshooting. I don't know if i'm putting the info in wrong or what, but every PQ comes up with nothing in it.

Visit the edit page and copy/paste the url here. Anyone can see the options with exception to personal information like email addresses. It is a quick way for someone to share query options with someone else.

[CoyoteRed]

If you really feel like you are getting cheated ask for your money back. Sound like you are not too happy with your membership.

He doesn't have a Premium Membership. He just likes to complain.

You're right I don't have a Premium Membership; it's Charter. We've been supporting you and this site with our monies within weeks of signing up. I think we're a bit entitled to constructive feedback and criticisms where we see the need.

 

...or it is this a "pay up and shut up" business model?

[Jeremy]

We've been supporting you and this site with our monies within weeks of signing up. I think we're a bit entitled to constructive feedback and criticisms where we see the need.

 

...or it is this a "pay up and shut up" business model?

That is your wife's account.

 

I forgot to add a smilie up above. It was meant as a joke. You're a contributor to the activity. You just complain a lot. And that's cool. It's good to complain. It occasionally gets stuff done. And you have to admit that you like to complain.

 

BTW, if you do some additional steps you can still get 5 PQs a day.

[CoyoteRed]

That is your wife's account.

Can't argue with that...