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zeleni
2010-12-15T10:43:53Z
Hi

I use VC to run some php files in the bacground, updating different information in databases.

I have about 20 active jobs, that run with different frequencies, some rune once every day, some run every minute.

A job that is suposed to fetch some log files for parsing, just gives up after a while, it varies a lot. It can take an hour for it to do it, it can take a week, it is very random. There are no preconditions for running these jobs, only time aspect.

Any thoughts about what do i need to check ?
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Support
2010-12-15T10:45:45Z
What are you saying;

1. That the next run property on the Job is "in the history"

or

2. That the next run is correct, but the Job do not start?
Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-15T11:02:17Z
The result is success on the last run, but the time in the next run field is way past.

Like few minutes ago, just before i made post on the forums, next run field was 08:54 on couple of jobs that run quite often, while all the other were normal, ie 10:30 something and were running properly.

Just happened again actually. I have the latest version of VC.

UserPostedImage 

EDIT:

Just noticed in the VC log viewer, that i am getting an error every so often.

thisTimeTick was null in TimePicker

Error is not connected to any job.
Support
2010-12-15T11:09:12Z
1. So, it happens frequently and can be reproduce quite fast?

2. are you using more than one Trigger on each Job?

3. what kind of trigger - please post screenshots of Trigger settings.

Henrik
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Support
2010-12-15T11:12:55Z
Ok, interesting. This might indicate some hardware problem.

Have you tested VisualCron with same settings on another machine?
Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-15T11:16:43Z
Support wrote:


1. So, it happens frequently and can be reproduce quite fast?

2. are you using more than one Trigger on each Job?

3. what kind of trigger - please post screenshots of Trigger settings.



1. Happened twice today, so i guess it can be reproduced in short time.

2. Only one trigger on the jobs.

3. Run every 30 seconds.

Support wrote:

Ok, interesting. This might indicate some hardware problem.

Have you tested VisualCron with same settings on another machine?



This is a vmware enviroment, the vc is running on a guest OS. I could replicate the virtual guest, but it would be running on the same hardware, so pretty pointless.

Any thoughts on what kind of hardware problem ?

Any thoughts on why would the next run parameter for a job stop updating ?
Support
2010-12-15T11:28:04Z
Quote:


This is a vmware enviroment, the vc is running on a guest OS. I could replicate the virtual guest, but it would be running on the same hardware, so pretty pointless.



I see, I thought you had another "real" server in your environment.

Quote:

Any thoughts on what kind of hardware problem ?



Not sure, could be something with VMWare as well. But this is a central part of VisualCron which queries the current time a lot.

Quote:

Any thoughts on why would the next run parameter for a job stop updating ?



What is happening is that we receive null values when querying for the time. This results in that seconds are "skipped". As your Job needs to be executed on a certain second (all do) it fails to make that match because the second was "skipped".

We'll see if we can create a test application to confirm this.

Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-15T11:42:27Z
Any chance to flag the time acquire failure, and then poll the time again in few seconds, instead of just giving up the next run update ?

The time is set through the netnod NNTP on all nodes in my network, as some functions are pretty dependant on the accuracy of time.
Support
2010-12-15T12:09:08Z
This is a central part which has not failed in years. We do not query NNTP servers but just the time of the computer.

Let us make a test and then maybe we can see the problem more clearly.
Henrik
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Support
2010-12-15T14:32:07Z
How often do you see this in your log file?
Henrik
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Support
2010-12-15T14:51:18Z
I am attaching an archive. Extract. Run and click on Start. Let it wait and we will see if any error arises. Please post any error here.
File Attachment(s):
Debug.zip (20kb) downloaded 49 time(s).

Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-15T16:31:34Z
The errors occur anything from 30 sec to 2 min in frequency. Most likely when some of the jobs need to run.

I have downloaded the application and started it. The start button is grayed out, what is suposed to happen ?

I have temporarily worked around the issue by starting up the "run at random" function on the jobs that give up.
zeleni
2010-12-16T09:58:47Z
I have been running your little application whole night, no errors. I supose they would be printed out below the start button ? Cant see any log files either.
Support
2010-12-16T10:11:39Z
A popup should show if any problems arise. No logs are created.

Is the VisualCron service having a high cpu usage?

Could you please turn on "Extended debugging" in Server settings then send the log_serverDATE.txt after the error has happened again.
Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-16T10:25:28Z
No popups during the night.

One job stopped @ 3am today.
One @ 8.15am today.

Started extended debuging. Cant see any server log files with DATE in them, guess they havent been created yet.
Support
2010-12-16T10:46:49Z
c:/program files/VisualCron/log

log_serverDATE.txt

DATE is an example of the current date.
Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-16T11:29:12Z
Here is the log file.

Job fetch_files had next run at 10:25 where it stopped and did not run again.

Also job import_mx1_alarmlog last run was suposed to be at 11:01, but it did not run again. I hope this helps.
File Attachment(s):
log_server20101216.zip (216kb) downloaded 50 time(s).
Support
2010-12-16T11:59:18Z
Strange,

I don't see the error you mentioned in this log file. Could you export the settings (File->Export) and send to support@visualcron.com?
Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-16T12:20:42Z
There are no errors, except the timepicker one.

Config sent via email.
Support
2010-12-16T13:10:16Z
Thanks for the files. I did not see the timepicker errors in your file log?

Could you try changing triggers to custom triggers instead? So that you use the following, for 30 seconds for example:

Every year, Every day, every month, every hour, every minute, second 0 and 30

It would be interesting if you still get that error then.
Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-16T13:23:11Z
I have updated the 2 jobs that go inert most often with the custom time triggers.

Ill check upon it in few hours.

Kinda weird that you didnt see the picker errors.

2010-12-16 00:01:08 Err thisTimeTick was null in TimePicker

2010-12-16 04:24:08 Err thisTimeTick was null in TimePicker

2010-12-16 10:30:43 Err thisTimeTick was null in TimePicker

These are just 3 of may hundered in the log.
Support
2010-12-16T15:23:18Z
Yes, we saw them later, we did search for the wrong text.
Henrik
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zeleni
2010-12-17T09:43:54Z
After i switched to custom time triggers, seems to be working. I guess those are not dependent on time polling ? Bit more hassle to set up, but at least it works now.

Thank you for great help.
Support
2010-12-17T09:45:19Z
Thanks for the update - we will try to reproduce this.
Henrik
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