Cannot complete AL location, because App says "You can't submit correct answers offline"

[+baer2006]

Today, it happened to me that I could not complete 1 location of a 5-location AL, which has been published 2 days ago. When I entered the correct answer, the app came up with a message, saying something like "You can't submit correct answers offline".

 

• I was definitely not offline.
• To try again, I had to close and restart the app. When trying again, the same error occurred.
• The thread https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/topic/406468-error-500-on-creating-a-new-lab/ also mentions this error. It seems to affect random(?) AL stages, but if a stage is affected, it's the same for all players.

 

In case it helps: The stage, where I had this problem, was in the AL https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/e5039296-730b-4cd2-a9bc-e303124d1c3e , stage "5.) Ehemalige Pfefferminzfelder".

 

[+The Snowdog]

Came here to chase this error down myself, I always get this at one of the stages of my new AL. Is there something we can do as the creator of the AL (like delete the stage and recreate it) or is this a problem at the AL Mothership?

[+thebruce0]

41 minutes ago, The Snowdog said:

Came here to chase this error down myself, I always get this at one of the stages of my new AL. Is there something we can do as the creator of the AL (like delete the stage and recreate it) or is this a problem at the AL Mothership?

If you are the owner of an affected AL, as mentioned in the linked thread above it would be great if you could try what we believe to be a workaround for the bug -- open your AL and resave it (and/or the Location) and see if a player can now submit that correct answer.

 

It may be that any AL saved during the period a creation bug was in effect (seems like Thu-Sat) was hit with the player-submission bug. If they've since fixed the creation bug, players may be able to submit again - but owners would need to re-save their AL to fix it. IF that's the case, then any affected AL will likely remain with that submission bug unless HQ can figure out what caused it during that window, and fix all the rest of the 'broken' ALs.

 

Anyway, yes, try re-saving the AL and have a player submit the answer again.

[+Max and 99]

52 minutes ago, The Snowdog said:

Is there something we can do as the creator of the AL (like delete the stage and recreate it)

[+thebruce0]

Right right, do not delete the Location. Just edit and resave. That may be all that's needed to erase the submission 'bug' since sometime Saturday night or so.

[+baer2006]

1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

Right right, do not delete the Location. Just edit and resave. That may be all that's needed to erase the submission 'bug' since sometime Saturday night or so.

I can report one negative feedback on this suggested workaround.

 

I contacted the CO of the AL, where I had the problem today, and suggested to edit the faulty stage. They said, that they have tried just this (editing the stage) and even deleted and re-created it several times since yesterday, to no effect (I can confirm, that the one stage is still broken).

[+baer2006]

1 hour ago, baer2006 said:

I contacted the CO of the AL, where I had the problem today, and suggested to edit the faulty stage. They said, that they have tried just this (editing the stage) and even deleted and re-created it several times since yesterday, to no effect (I can confirm, that the one stage is still broken).

Update: Maybe the root bug is now really fixed.

 

I had some more exchange with the CO, who had (to try out things) created a completely new AL (he had an open credit left). This one also made trouble at the beginning, but suddenly "out of the blue", things worked. So I tried the "faulty" stage of the original AL again - and it also worked! The CO ensured me that he hadn't touched that original AL since my last unsuccessful try. So maybe GC actually fixed something on their backend.

[+The Snowdog]

What fixed mine was to make an edit on the main page, not the stage that was giving trouble. Fingers crossed...

[+igator210]

Working on a AL that has been out for 4 years. Just got the error on the last stage. I'm home now with WiFi and still get the same message. The stage is unlocked The app us up to date. So weird.

[+TheDoctor12]

The Labs API seems to be broken today (in the UK) trying to play some labs and keep getting the "cannot submit when offline" even though very definitely online and other internet functionality on the phone working. Spoke to some other people having same problem on different cellular networks, and different devices (iOS or Android). Even with a lab unlocked in the field, same issue when I came home and used WiFi to enter the answers gathered in the field. All very erratic, sometimes getting that message, sometimes it just hangs when submitting the right answer. Usually have to force restart the app to try again and have mixed success.

[+igator210]

I just logged out and logged back into the app and it took the answers.

[+HHL]

17 hours ago, TheDoctor12 said:

All very erratic, sometimes getting that message, sometimes it just hangs when submitting the right answer. Usually have to force restart the app to try again and have mixed success.

I've experienced the same behavior here. It's pretty annoying.

Happy Coding

 

Hans