"Your session timed out while posting. Please try to re-submit your message"

[xxar]

Please help - when trying to make any posts, get the message in the subject Your session timed out while posting. Please try to re-submit your message).  Is not an actual timer time out - happens immediately on post even if I just create a post called "test" with text "test"

This is not a new forum, been up for quite a while (years), and updated to 1.1.4 a few months ago, been running fine ever since.

Have had the problem once in the past, was a problem with smf_sessions table.  I followed same procedure as last time -- I Truncated and Dropped smf_sessions and I recreated it with

Code Select Expand

CREATE TABLE smf_sessions (
  session_id char(32) NOT NULL,
  last_update int(10) unsigned NOT NULL,
  data text NOT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY (session_id)
) TYPE=MyISAM;

I have tried repairing within SMF Maintenance (got no errors), and have tried repairing smf_sessions in phpmyadmin

Still getting timeout message. 

I also upgraded to 1.1.5 on the outside chance that might fix it.  1.1.5 upgrade went fine, but the problem persists.   Ideas on what I can do to fix>?

[lordtron]

Check this:

Admin--->Server Settings--->Feature Configuration--->Seconds before an unused session timeout

Its value should be around 2880(anything above 2400 is recommended)

[Rumbaar]

When did you start to get this sessions issue?  Exact details from normal to issue?  Link to forum might help.

When you had it in the past, was you only fix to truncate and recreate the whole table?

[OldGlory]

I am having this same problem.

It was preceded with some of my members having trouble sending and receiving PMs, then I had that problem, and now I am even having problems logging into the admin screen (getting an error message that I should try aagin or log out, neither is helping).

So we aere effectively locked out of our forums now and can't do anything with them. I just moved to SMF about 3 weeks ago and was very pleased and impressed...now I'm reconsidering my options. I need a working community forum.

Help?

[Rumbaar]

How do I ask support questions the smart way?

The method you used to install/create/convert your forum?  The link to your forum?  Any special or unusual access methods?

During the move was it the same domain and location, or new host/location.  Have you cleared cache/cookies?  Have you tried to access it from alternate locations?  Browser/s you're trying to access the forum with.  Any firewall software in use?

[OldGlory]

The forum was installed via a control panel from my hosting provider. I decided to move from phpBB2 because i am not php savvy, and I can't maintain certain aspects of it. The control panel installs it, links it to my DB, and is supposed to be updated by my hosting service. There was no direct conversion from the phpBB2 DB to the SMF DB, just simple cut and paste, and migrating people to the new forums.

No unusual access methods.

It went from one server to another under the same hosting provider, but the SMF is a new install. I have cleared cookies, my users have done the same. For a few it offered temporary relief. But everyone has seemed to get the same problem I posted. We access the forums via MS Explorer, Safari, and Firefox and everyone has tried home and work. No firewall software on my end at home. Work has one, but it was not causing any problems previous to me seeing it at home.

We upgraded the forum Monday of last week to 1.1.6 I believe, but I was hoping that would relieve the problems some people were having, now everyone is having them.

This is my City of Heroes community's board posted at hxxp:forums.universe-m.com/forums [nonactive]

I have enjoyed SMFs flexibility, friendly features, and security settings. I hate to consider moving everything again...but I need it to work. I WANT SMF to work. Thanks for posting, I do appreciate the assistance.

[Rumbaar]

How is the sub-domain setup on your host?  For that sub-domain and sub folder?  Usually you'll just have http://forums.universe-m.com/ as the base URL.  Where a sub-domain of forums would be sub-folder of your main domain and then a further folder under that called forums?

What do you mean 'cut and paste'?  You know we have a dedicated conversion process here so you can easily and directly convert your phpBB to SMF and keep all your posts, boards, members and settings in all on easy to use step.

As for updates, did you upgrade via the AdminCP or via Fantastico (I assume that is the control panel you refer too).  You shouldn't use Fantastico to update your forum, after the initial setup of the forum.

[OldGlory]

I tried to set it up as just hxxp:forums.universe-m.com [nonactive] but it wouldn't install into the top level directory without another one being made.

I mean, we saved important posts as a word doc and pasted them into a new thread...old school. I was not aware of a dedicated conversion process. I went based on the information provided by my service. I had a failure to import my phpBB2 board into a new phpBB home, so I wasn't expecting SMF to save me. I also had been getting buried by spambots joining (another reason I like SMF's security settings) so leaving them behind didn't bother me.

I upgraded my install via the AdminCP. The fantastico-like CP for the host is supposed to keep my php updated. When I had to manage those assets myself or with help, we could fall behind or not have the right skillset to proceed if php errors came up. I was hoping this would be a little more wysiwig. I'm an artist who can do some programming, but I haven't got a lot of php skills yet (XML, HTML, some Flash scripting and plenty of experience building websites).

[Rumbaar]

So is it just installed to say public_html/forums?  How are sub-domains handled on your host?  Is it a virtual folder?

Yes phpBB is bad for spam, specially 2.

Well php and SMF are completely different things, so be mindful of that.  For the most part if you just operate a basic forum, you don't need any special coding skills.  Most mods will automatically install but there are resources here to help lead you through those things.

PS: We have a whole section dedicated to converting to SMF:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?board=20.0

[OldGlory]

According to the control panel, my sub-domains are all on the same shared IP. There isn't anything that states they are virtual folders or not. When I go to ftp, all the sub-domains and main domains appear as folders I can modify.

I have tried going to my forums and I am still effectively locked out from posting or admin functions. I am recognized as automatically logged in, but attempts to post are met with the timing out error, and trying to log in as an admin meets with a permissions error that tells me to re-log, but when I try, there is no visible feedback from the logging attempt at "enter" in the web browser, and if I try again it loops through the error cycle->no feedback->re-log->no feedback->error...

I hope that my observations are helpful. I'm at a total loss. Thanks.

[OldGlory]

My community members and I have been hammering at our forums trying different things, and we have determined that consistent removal of cookies is allowing us to post. A one time removal of the cookies isn't enough, it has to be every time you come in after you have left a session. I realize that is a contradiction to my earlier statement about removing cookies not being effective, but we had to try it in a group effort to see it's effectiveness clearly and in the right context. Thanks.

[Nathaniel]

There are some cookies options in the admin panel under 'Server Settings' -> 'Feature Configuration', like 'Enable local storage of cookies'. Have a play around with those settings and see if that changes anything.

[OldGlory]

I have done that, and it hasn't made a difference for me or my general population. I also tried renaming the cookies to see if that would make any difference and it didn't seem to do anything. I had one user whose access "cleared up" to the point he thought I fixed it, but everyone else was having the continuing problem, then the person who had clearer access was back with everyone else in "broken cookiesville" about a week later. I asked if he had done anything differently and he was certain he hadn't changed anything in his set-up.

[XRStatic]

I am having an issue just like this now too.

I am using SMF 1.1.7
-I have checked every settings on both of my browsers, using IE 7 and Firefox.
-I am on a shared hosting server (if this helps)

I seem to lose my session everytime I try to reply to a thread, or go to the admin console. For example, I log in, view a few threads, than click reply than all of a sudden it asks me to login. If I just press F5 to refresh, I am logged in magically again, and can reply. I have to refresh up to 5 times on a page for my session to catch again.

I am not sure if this is only with me because our forums arn't busy right now. This is driving me mad though!

I did mess around with all the settings in the control panel - I even disabled database session handling.

Any Ideas???

www.alariusguild.com/forum

Using plane-jane installation; I just removed the custom theme I had installed to rule out any custom theme issues.

[Rumbaar]

Try setting your forum URL in Server Settings from http://alariusguild.com/forums to http://www.alariusguild.com/forums I'm sure it's just a path/cookie issue only.

[XRStatic]

Thanks, I'll try that. It almost seems like it happens only during a specific period - or perhaps it's just my computer, too . I've changed that setting and will hope it works!

[Rumbaar]

The fact the refresh gets you logged in would indicate to me you're hitting a URL logging in and it's redirection you to the base www, then the links (via the Server settings) is taking you to the base URL and thus the cookies think you're on a new path so they don't indicate you're logged in.

If you don't have sub-domain independent paths then http:// and http://www are two complelete different paths in the 'eyes' of the forum.

[XRStatic]

Well I did what was suggested, but I still get the problem. I have confirmed that it is something with my computer I believe. At work, I am never experiencing the problem. At home it seems I always have the problem, and not only on my forums, but all SMF forums I've visited (Including these ones) it's doing the same thing.

Just when I clicked "Show new replies to you posts" on this website, I got the following server error:

Bad Request

Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.
Request header field is missing ':' separator.

Cookis

However, I don't get an error message on my own forums.

What will happen is - I magically get logged out, I hit F5, the page refreshes, I am still logged out. I hit F5 again - same thing, still logged out. I hit F5 some more times, than finally it will show me as logged in (No changes in the URL, no changes ANYWHERE.)

I have tried multiple cookie settings, and multiple browsers with default settings. I do not get this problem on any other forums software, it's something related to my machine/network/browser AND SMF. I am behind a hardware firewall + my connection is NATed. I installed smf on my local linux box and I don't think I have the same problem, but haven't tested it extensively.

[Eliana Tamerin]

Is this resolved, or does it need more work?

[3mrhythm]

i just wanted to say.. i just switched my forum url in the settings from http://forum.com  to the htp://www.forum.com and it solved the issue.

try the fix..