Connect Issues: Resolution

[admin]

We have been able to duplicate the connect issue that members have been reporting. After an unspecified amount of time the auction manager connect with the site times out, which results in a "could not connect, check username and password" error. Currently the only method to resolve this issue is to close the program, then open again. This resumes the connection and will allow you to upload, download, or whatever you were doing.

It will probably take about 2-3 weeks to provide a resolution for this, as there are security vulnerabilities that will need to be fully tested before releasing. In the meantime, there will most likely be a couple other updates, which will not address this specific issue. So don't think there is something wrong with your program if your software updates, but this connect issue still persists.

[awevtrading]

The downloading of auctions/store can be a problem. The simple way around the upload problem is to just select a smaller number of items to list. It will take some testing on your part, yet it may help prevent frustration in the long run. On another site I use I have found a limit of 2800KB, about 225 of my listings on average, and even then if the connection becomes slow even that isn't always reliable. Testing of what works for you will help.

[admin]

If it is a continual upload/download, the connection should not break. We assisted one member that uploaded over 1200 items in one upload. It is a set amount of innactivity time that breaks the connection. I have spent many hours testing without broken connections. This is mainly due to the fact that I was continually uploading every few minutes, downloading, importing sales, etc. So if a member spent a significant amount of time creating an auction, then went to upload, their connection might be timed out. I am not sure the exact timeout period, but it appears to be around 15 minutes.

[awevtrading]

Aw, I see what you are saying.

I understand all too well what you are talking about. On some forums, where I am providing detailed instructions, I find that I have lost my post because I have taken to long to type my responce. If I know an in-depth answer is required I will open notepad, or another text editor, and compose my reply, then use copy and paste. Seems as if this is the case here as well.

When I download or upload information, and I see WAM establishing a connection with the servers to transfer the information, it is using the original authorization from when I opened the program, and saves the trouble of having to re-authorize me each time. For those who work off-line, and just use WAM as a transfer agent, that isn't a problem. If you edit the listings in WAM for more than X number of minutes you become in-active, and without a "Work Offline" feature, as Microsoft calls it, you can time out and be disconnected from the server.

I hate pop-ups, so I don't know why I am suggesting this, yet here goes. When the program is firsted opened, and connects with the server, have it retrive a time-out field that can be adjusted by the site administrator, based on a number of criteria that you folks deem proper. The program retrives the info from the time-out field and starts a countdown timer, which would reset any time there is on-line activity. At one minute left pop up a window and advise the user of the impending time-out. As a quick fix this lets the user know to save their work locally, and then restart the program. As a long term fix it would allow you to check to see if the user needs to log back in before communicating with the server.

[admin]

If the program times out and looses connection, it does not matter the status of saved/unsaved information... As the program will not close out, but just loose the connection. So users would not really need any kind of prompt, as they are going to save their info locally anyways. Then when they try to upload they will get the connect error if they have timed out, then they would have to restart the program and continue what they were doing. I really don't like the idea of pop-ups, as they are so annoying and would stop the user from performing the work they are doing.

I would like to see a connection that would self initiate when connection has been lost, and the user is trying to perform online functions. This would only be about a few second delay when regaining connection, and users would not have to restart the program. I do not know all the technical aspects involved, but I have sent to our programmers to see if this is a feasable resolution.