Jump to content

Problem submitting waymarks or uploading pictures


PeterNoG

Recommended Posts

I don't know what is happening. Last night and this morning I have made several unsuccessful attempts to submit waymarks. A few are submitted but most are not.

 

I get this message:

Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

 

Over 5 minutes later I get an email with this message:

"We have received your new waymark submission: <waymark name>"

 

But it is still listed in my Unfinished Waymarks list and the waymark page says:

"This waymark has not been sent for review yet."

 

Picture uploading has also been difficult with frequent:

An error occured in the File Upload Service. Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

Link to comment

I am also have trouble. Sometimes I get an error but the transaction completed, other times I have to enter the same transaction more than once. Here are a few of the error I have gotten.

 

Internal connection fatal error.

 

This SqlTransaction has completed; it is no longer usable.

 

An error occured in the File Upload Service. Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

Edited by Lat34North
Link to comment

I have had the same problems for a couple of days now.

 

One difference between the various timeout error messages I noticed too late. Picture uploads and posting submissions are not completed, when you run into one of these errors, you have to try it again. But visit logs are complete in the end, despite of the error message; I created several multiple visits before I noticed that.

Link to comment

Similar problem when trying to upload a photo after logging a cache. When I click on upload it just returns me to all my photos and does not upload the image selected.

It can't be me as I've done this 100s of times....there has to be a glitch at GCHQ?

 

I decided to get rid of my hoover as it was just gathering dust!

Link to comment

By the way, if there is one thing consistent, it is that nothing is consistent.

 

I typed in a nice long visit note this morning and got the 500 Server error (not the SqlTransaction thing).

 

The visit was not recorded. (Easily verified by leaving the browser and going back to the waymark.)

 

Ended up retyping the whole bloomin' visit. This time I did a Ctrl-A Ctrl-C before clicking OK. ;)

 

Sometimes I really wonder if TPTB want to kill Waymarking so that they don't have to think about it.

Link to comment

Just submitted three Waymarks with many pictures, no problem, not a single error. I also reviewed about 30 Waymarks, everything fine for me.

 

This evening, the website started working perfectly. Getting ready to try again this morning (0800 here in Dallas) to see if the fix held.

 

UPDATE 0835 CDT: Nope -- again, very slow and just got my first SQL transaction error message. No timeouts yet though -- but then I also am visiting my own WMs now, not uploading pix. We will see . . . .

 

UPDATE 0947 CDT: Can't upload pictures. Multiple timeout errors. Many SQL errors. Many server not responding messages. I am done for the day. This is incredibly frustrating, so I just have to do something else.

 

I hope that Groundspeak cares about Waymarking as SQ has said they do . . . but when they don't fix well-known searching bugs and other well known longstanding problems we have here, I wonder.

 

I have 1000+ waymarks to create and visit after our 18 day vacation. In just one day (yesterday) I have created about 25 new waymarks. I have 7 new categories to post/visit in to pick up the icons. I admit that I am thinking of just doing those 7 and calling it good for the trip.

 

If I leave the hobby it won't matter to Groundspeak I know. But I have to decide how much frustration and annoyance I can deal with and make a choice -- we all do.

 

If someone from GS would engage here and tell us something that would help with my frustration. For now, I wonder if our server issues on the WM side are being ignored (again). If that is the case, then this is how the WM website will be "working" from now on . . . which is to say, not well enough for me to struggle with.

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

I got a good variety of error messages over the last hour or so while trying to post two waymarks.

 

Invalid operation. The connection is closed.

 

This SqlTransaction has completed; it is no longer usable.

 

Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

 

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

 

They finally went through.

Link to comment

This is the response I got from Groundspeak today to the bug report that I sent:

 

Hello Laura,

 

Thank you for contacting us. We have identified some compatibility issues between Internet Explorer and Waymarking. We are working to address these, but in the meantime you can take some steps to ensure that you have the optimal view of our site through IE.

 

1.Go to your Tools menu.

 

2.Click "Compatibility View Settings" and insert geocaching.com under "Add this Website:".

 

3.Click "Add"

 

4.Click "Close".

 

Please also clear your browser cache and cookies. Alternatively, you can access Geocaching.com through a different browser.

 

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you require further assistance.

 

Carly

 

 

I will do all these things and report back --

Link to comment

For 7-10 days I've been getting the 500 error when trying to upload pictures or continue submitting a waymark. Usually after a second or third try everything cleared itself up.

 

But in trying to post 3 visits this morning, I got timeout messages over and over again on two of them. One was just a timeout message ("Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.") The other was more complicated: "Procedure or function 'spwmedit_EditedWaymark_Insert' expects parameter '@EditComment', which was not supplied."

 

Not my browser and not my internet connection, as I get this response on different computers with different wireless or data access.

Link to comment

I'm going to need two Alka Seltzer if this website problem isn't fixed soon!

 

Officers: if you receive multiple submission notices for the same waymark, keep in mind this is related to the error messages. In my case, I kept getting an error message saying my waymark was NOT sent for review, but then when I check my email I see multiple notifications saying it was.

I even re-checked (refreshed) the Waymarking site, and confirmed the waymark was NOT successfully submitted before re-submitting. Sorry for the double/triple/quadruple notifications of the same waymark.

 

It's not my fault! :rolleyes:

Edited by Max and 99
Link to comment

Yep, it is getting worse.

 

I have four blank days in my calendar for waymark posts - two of them are today and tomorrow! I'll be really unhappy if I can't get a waymark to upload today, but so far NOTHING! Shouldn't take this long to fix.

 

AGREED!! Who can help us get this fixed? Which of our prominent waymarkers has a back-channel to GS and can speak to a real human about this? I don't!

 

I think I got the kiss-off email from GS in answer to my report: note the instruction telling me to "insert geocaching.com" to fix the IE compatibility problem. I AM ON THE ----> Waymarking <----- WEBSITE!!! DOH!

 

And no comment at all about my report that this was also happening with Google Chrome . . .

 

HELP US!!!!

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

I just sent this to GS:

 

Hi Carly -- The steps you suggested below DID NOT RESOLVE the issue, and please note that I was writing about the Waymarking website, not the Geocaching website :)

 

Here is a link the forum discussion about the multiple issues of errors and terminations -- it is not just me having these problems. It seems to be a wider server issue on the Waymarking side. Many players have experienced it. It is extremely disruptive.

 

 

Problem submitting waymarks or uploading pictures

 

View on forums.Groundspeak...

 

Please help us -- Thank you.

 

LPCox

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

This just came back from GS:

 

Hi Laura,

 

Some of the issues you had could have been aligned with some of the server issues that we had over the weekend. All of those issues should be resolved now. We went ahead and just tested out Waymarking.com and were able to log a waymark and upload an image without any issues. Could you try again and let me know if you are still having problems?

 

Thanks for your patience.

 

Kindly,

 

 

Carly

 

Community Manager

 

Well waymarkers? Is it fixed??? I am going to try it out tonight and also tomorrow morning before responding. For me, weirdly, the site seems to be worse in the morning and better in the evening.

Link to comment

This evening, I had no problem logging visits, uploading pictures and submitting waymarks. I hope it continues.

 

Unfortunately not my experience - getting on today to post one waymark visit, the site was slow, but I can deal with that. But I got yet a third error message trying to post the log (just the log, not the picture): "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

 

Yesterday's logs all actually posted despite the error messages (which meant I had to go back and delete the extras, painful on a site so slow), and so did this one, but it adds an extra step to the process if you want/need to post a photo as well as you cannot get from the log screen to the upload photo post without going back to the main waymark screen.

 

I have a handful of waymarks I'm ready to create, but I don't want to start the process till the site looks better.

Link to comment

This evening, I had no problem logging visits, uploading pictures and submitting waymarks. I hope it continues.

 

Unfortunately not my experience - getting on today to post one waymark visit, the site was slow, but I can deal with that. But I got yet a third error message trying to post the log (just the log, not the picture): "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

 

Yesterday's logs all actually posted despite the error messages (which meant I had to go back and delete the extras, painful on a site so slow), and so did this one, but it adds an extra step to the process if you want/need to post a photo as well as you cannot get from the log screen to the upload photo post without going back to the main waymark screen.

 

I have a handful of waymarks I'm ready to create, but I don't want to start the process till the site looks better.

 

Ditto my experience this morning -- first waymark, first file upload timeout error. I can't even post photos to visits, much less upload photos into my own WMs.

 

But last night the site was working great for me -- fast, no problems at all, just like always. Then in the morning (US Central tome zone), slow as molasses and very very buggy. I do not understand this AT ALL

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

Just sent this back to GS:

 

"Hi Carly

 

Unfortunately we are still experiencing the slow response, timeout errors, and failure to upload photos problems here on Waymarking.

 

Oddly, the site works well for me at night In the central US time zone, but is nearly useless due to various errors and slow speeds in the morning and afternoon.

 

Other waymarkers are continuing to see the same things on the forum thread I shared with you yesterday.

 

Thanks for your help so far, but this is not fixed yet for us :(

 

LPCox"

Link to comment

11am-11:35 CDT

 

Picture upload: 5/6 fails; 1 was uploaded

An error occured in the File Upload Service. Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

 

Submit waymark: 4 failures

3 of these: Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

1 of these: This SqlTransaction has completed; it is no longer usable.

4 email rec'd "We have received your new waymark submission:"

 

Log Visit: 1 failure

Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

 

Visit went thru on 2nd attempt, the picture fails on first attempt

An error occured in the File Upload Service. Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.

Picture uploaded on 2nd attempt.

 

Frustrating!

Link to comment

Wow! Things are suddenly going through wham-bang. For now.

 

If they're using Windows servers, then they probably just needed to be rebooted. The resources in Windows get used up and dirty, requiring a reboot every couple of days. Linux and UNIX don't have that problem.

 

Now if they are Linux servers, then it was probably a communication front-end issue.

 

Cross your fingers, eyes, toes, and nose (though I'm not sure how to do the latter).

Link to comment

Wow! Things are suddenly going through wham-bang. For now.

 

If they're using Windows servers, then they probably just needed to be rebooted. The resources in Windows get used up and dirty, requiring a reboot every couple of days. Linux and UNIX don't have that problem.

 

Now if they are Linux servers, then it was probably a communication front-end issue.

 

Cross your fingers, eyes, toes, and nose (though I'm not sure how to do the latter).

 

It is 1425 CDT here and I am achieving about 60% of WM visits and uploads going through on the first try. Then things slow down, and I have a few errors. After 10 minutes of that, the speed picks up again and I have a run of 5-6 visits with no problems. Then repeat.

 

I am posting this in another slow period --

 

The fix still seems unstable to me . . . .

 

UPDATE 2200: Been going lickety split with no error messages for 4 hours now. Let's see of the error messages return in the morning, as has been their pattern over the last several days.

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

It is 1425 CDT here and I am achieving about 60% of WM visits and uploads going through on the first try. Then things slow down, and I have a few errors. After 10 minutes of that, the speed picks up again and I have a run of 5-6 visits with no problems. Then repeat.

 

I am posting this in another slow period --

 

The fix still seems unstable to me . . . .

 

UPDATE 2200: Been going lickety split with no error messages for 4 hours now. Let's see of the error messages return in the morning, as has been their pattern over the last several days.

 

1000AM CDT -- first attempted visit, first timeout error. It's a pattern all right.

 

So -- WHAT IS CAUSING IT???

Link to comment

Got a timeout error posting this morning. I haven't been on later in the day or evening lately, but I'll try that and see if that works better. I am on Arizona time (currently the same as Pacific Daylight) so early morning for me is late morning or early afternoon for most other users.

 

This morning things are VASTLY improved, but I am still getting a few random SQL and timeout errors, especially when uploading pictures.

 

When submitting a new waymark I got this message: "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" -- THAT's a new one!

 

UPDATE 1000AM -- Now I am getting multiple different errors on every waymark I am submitting. This is SO WIERD!

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

Got a timeout error posting this morning. I haven't been on later in the day or evening lately, but I'll try that and see if that works better. I am on Arizona time (currently the same as Pacific Daylight) so early morning for me is late morning or early afternoon for most other users.

 

This morning things are VASTLY improved, but I am still getting a few random SQL and timeout errors, especially when uploading pictures.

 

When submitting a new waymark I got this message: "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" -- THAT's a new one!

 

UPDATE 1000AM -- Now I am getting multiple different errors on every waymark I am submitting. This is SO WIERD!

 

UPDATE 1300PM -- Unable to submit OR visit any waymarks :( The requests keep timing out. I get the same message over and over: "Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding."

 

UPDATE 1615: New error message: "Invalid operation. The connection is closed." So much for that visit!

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

I tried later in my time zone, and it's even worse. Multiple 500 server error pages for just trying to post a single log. I have sent an email, because it's ridiculous that people who pay premium membership rates for Groundspeak's service should get this kind of service.

 

Even those who don't have a premium membership shouldn't have to deal with this!

Link to comment

If I look in my queue it tells me that everything is going fine. 72 Waymarks are waiting to get approved.

On the other hand I get also sometimes one of these error messages. Would be good if this can be fixed soon.

Perhaps someone at Groundspeak can create lets say 5 Waymarks, every Waymark with about 5 pics, so they should get the error messages, as a basis for a fix.

Link to comment

If I look in my queue it tells me that everything is going fine. 72 Waymarks are waiting to get approved.

On the other hand I get also sometimes one of these error messages. Would be good if this can be fixed soon.

Perhaps someone at Groundspeak can create lets say 5 Waymarks, every Waymark with about 5 pics, so they should get the error messages, as a basis for a fix.

 

I sent this to Groundspeak this morning:

 

Hi Carly -- We waymarkers have continued to face many different error messages, failures to upload, and similar problems on the Waymarking website this weekend.

 

At times the website has been 100% unworkable. These problems are most often experienced in the mornings and afternoons. By the evenings the website is functioning normally. This makes no sense to me and I do not understand this!! Why do the problems keep returning and resolving in this pattern? This is MADDENING :(

 

Please see the Waymarking discussion forums for more similar and specific reports for other players around the world. Here is a link: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=325237&st=0&gopid=5418945entry5418945

 

Can you please tell us what is going on and what can be done to fix these issues?

 

Thank you

 

LPCox

 

This morning I have a 100% error rate on photo uploads timing out and visits not being recorded for SQL errors or timeout errors. Same pattern -- I am starting to wonder why this pattern is holding the way it is.

Edited by Benchmark Blasterz
Link to comment

There are not enough Waymarkers world wide for Groundspeak to care. Their business is geocaching, it pays their bills and makes them a profit. No one has to be a Premium Member to be a Waymarker. :) I submitted a new waymark today and encountered a few issues, but it went through. B)

 

For some reason I thought that there were Waymarking features that you had to be a premium member to use (I'll have to check that, I've been a premium member since 2007). A Waymarking premium member is a premium member of all of the Groundspeak sites, not simply Waymarking, so how do you know if you are giving crappy service to a geocacher that is also a waymarker, or to a waymarker, benchmarker, or someone that does all 3??

 

PS - if I knew enough about coding and stuff, I would help maintain this site FREE OF CHARGE, but I'm not knowledgeable enough.

Edited by Lat34North
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...