Timeout for Admin-NOW I'm mad!

[Mushroom]

Ok, up until now is was simply an annoyance that I would have to log back in every few minitues to check who was online etc.
So I just spent 30 mins writing an article and tried to save it. Nope the darn thing kicked me out and I had to log in AGAIN. Losing EVERYTHING I wrote.

Look., SOME of us operate in a secure environment, we don't have to worry about our wives looking over our shoulder and playing with the website or some kid at home. Who is editing their cart from the public library????
WHY is there a time out and how do I get RID of it?

[michael_s]

It has to do with your php session timeout settings... Do a search here, you can change the timeout settings...
Need help with session timeouts

Why are you editing live on a web page anyway? Use a real html editor so you have a backup copy of everything and then when you are done, login to your admin and paste it in and submit. That is how I always do anything like that.

What happens if your browser dumps or your internet connection flakes out, or the power goes out? Same result - lost work.

Avoid it all together. Work locally on your machine, save the file and then when you are done, enter it into the admin editor in one quick motion.

[Mushroom]

Nope, doesn't change the admin side of the world. It just keeps the cart alive. Nothing else.
As for your comments on the editor and timing out, So it hadn't been tested? If it doesn't work, how did it find it's way into a Release Candidate?

[Mushroom]

As a follow up I was NOT editing a web page, I was attempting to write an Article, a logical, common, thing to expect to be done from the menus in the index. Something one might do with that editor and later, enable for viewing. Something you could have multiple employees to do and install from a common interface.

Seems logical. If you used Microsoft Word and the power glitched you'd lose it just as well. That's not the problem. The problem is an arbitrary setting that causes dataloss. Timing and the limits are NOT a bad thing. THey just aren't realistic in my environment.

I would also like to mention that his Admin Time is the real problem. I don't want a workaround. I just need to know where you took the timing. My admin functions at my host allow longer sessions, I have access to php.ini and have adjusted it. Why would ther not me a trigger or variable IN the Admin Index?

[fourmat]

Hi There,

This is actually an issue that I would like to see a solution for. My clients will have this exact same problem. When you go to write and article, sometimes it gets very in depth and it takes a long tie to get it done. Especially with some very detailed things like directions or product instructions.

I would think that a more reasonable session time out would be in order here, rather the 15 minutes or whatever it is set for right now. I would say something like 4 hours for my needs.

I would imagine that this would be a relatively easy change to make by finding the session timing in the code and just making it bigger. I'm not sure where that is right now, but I did run across this code snippet in the application_top.php for the admin:

// set the session cookie parameters
   if (function_exists('session_set_cookie_params')) {
    session_set_cookie_params(0, DIR_WS_ADMIN);
  } elseif (function_exists('ini_set')) {
    ini_set('session.cookie_lifetime', '0');
    ini_set('session.cookie_path', DIR_WS_ADMIN);
  }

Would the session.cookie_lifetime variable have anything to do with this?

[michael_s]

The first thread I referenced gives all the info you need to solve this issue.. Engage those brains and follow along here:

1. The referenced thread talks about modifying /includes/functions/sessions.php.

2. Gee, if that controls the catalog, I wonder if there is a file in the admin/includes/functions directory called sessions.php...

3. Wow! There is, and if I look at the code, it has the exact same session code as the /includes/functions/sessions.php. So if I just follow the instructions in the referenced thread, but think a little to extrapolate the solution, I should just edit the identical code in the admin file.

4. So, if I edit this block

   if (STORE_SESSIONS == 'mysql') {
    if (!$SESS_LIFE = get_cfg_var('session.gc_maxlifetime')) {
      $SESS_LIFE = 1440;
    } 
  

to this

   if (STORE_SESSIONS == 'mysql') {
         $SESS_LIFE = 3600; 
  

I will extend the session to 60 minutes.

Yes, I know, I am being a little annoying, but I too bad. You now have the solution spelled out for you. No thinking needed. That is the price for not having to work for it.

[fourmat]

Oops, well that serves me right. Thanks michael_s I just assumed that the information from the response to the first post was valid and the posted link wasn't what was needed.

*salute* Brains Engaged Sir!

Yo Mushroom, we all know how frustrating it is to lose your work, but remember that these guys here are providing the software for free. With that bargain comes some sacrifices. So please be gentle in your anger and next time something happens that gets you a little riled up, take a deep breath relax, post your problem and we'll all try to see that it gets solved.

[Mushroom]

Excuse me, but you misread the level of my anger.

As to flaws, yes, there are a lot, but it is the price one pays. The above fix has not yet worked, I DID make that change without the hand holding, had it worked I would have posted it. There is something else I am missing. I don't expect any help on it. I take this software for what it is, free. Part of a RC I would think, would be testing , that's what I am doing. I am actually TRYING to use it as intended, if it isn't suppost to work, it shouldn't be there.

As to Our Glorious leader's response, it was over due. Now we know where the limit of his patience is. I have spent a reasonable amount of time repairing issues in areas I understood.

On the subject of articles, one has to learn the files structure before you can just plug things in. I sat down an wrote one article. When I went to save it it had timed out. Just as it had been programmed to. The downside is that I have spent an inordinate amount of time on what should be a background task. I'm not angry or even upset, it's the price tag.
I don't mind being ridiculed when it is deserved, but I don't need believe anyone is well served with the patronizing attitude.
Thanks for all the help.

[michael_s]

I don't mind being ridiculed when it is deserved, but I don't need believe anyone is well served with the patronizing attitude.

Then you shouldn't mind this time, since it is deserved And since you mention it, yes, I am served by the patronizing attitude. Sometimes it is the only thing that keeps me from taking my toys and going home...

Seriously though, your posts do not really give any inkling as to what you have or have not tried, so you are at the mercy of what we think you should be trying...

If you want quicker more relevant answers, you need to meet us halfway and provide some real debugging info in your responses.

For instance what is your server configuration? OS, webserver, mysql/php versions.

[Mushroom]

Now Michael, that's not what you said in your first answer! All you did was berate me for actually using the feature after telling me a link for the repair.

My feelings aren't hurt. Like you, no one is paying me. I suppose if I had customers amd was relying on the kindness of strangers I might take a different tack.

Anyway, I have messed with it and since it just a minor irritant, rather than break the security and really let some one mess me up, I'll just move on.
I really WOULD like some advice on the CCVscript issue. in another thread. Im not even asking for someone to fix it, just tell me what they have. My customers tend to be non-computer types, so I have to do all I can to keep it simple and working. You should hear some of the phone calls I get with people having trouble with the concept of a user name and password! I can only imagine the ones that just give up.
Now go play with your baby and decompress.