Search Confusion

Sometimes when I search the Guestbook Messages using the Search facility, I get some bracketed numbers which appear to be links.
If I click on any of these numbers, I get taken back to the Search page and asked to enter a search word or words. Is this a bug?

I had problems with this maybe two years ago but was unable to get the confusion resolved.

Norman

Hello Norman,

Welcome back! Can you provide screenshots of the error in question and a way to duplicate it?

Thanks,
Pete

Hi Pete,

Go to the following url,

www.series34.info/guestbook/index.php

In the search box, type in the word Frobisher and click on Find Now!

You will see three posts with numbers 1 - 5 in brackets at the bottom of the page.

Click on any number and you will see what I mean without a screenshot.

It would appear that the Search results (providing there is a match) have three to a page.
The number appear to represent a page, so in this example there should be five pages and
with three results to a page, there could be between 13 and 15 matches.

Thanks,
Norman

Hello Norman,

It looks like your data file may be corrupt. There is no automated way of repairing the data file at present time, so I recommend that you backup your old data file and archive the messages from here on out just to be on the save side.

My recommendation is to continue using your existing guestbook until version 1.8 comes out. Version 1.8 uses an XML file for data storage, so there is less of a chance of corrupting the data file. With this new version of the guestbook, we will be releasing a converter application, which will solve your problem as well.

Pete

Hi Pete, It is quite possible that file is corrupt because I have edited it in the past.

Would you like to hazard a guess as to what the corruption might be.

If you get the size of the message parameter incorrect (for example S26) then
if I remember correctly, it shows up clearly.

As I want to go live as soon as possible, I might experiment by chopping the message file in half
and then using that to see if the problem has gone. This will help me narrow down as to where
the corruption is. You know the scheme, keep dividing the affected part of the message file in
half until there is a manageable size to search for the problem.

When I do a Search can you tell me what to expect assuming there is a match or a number of matches.

Thanks, Norman

I recommend that you read the following post I made a while ago:

www.digioz.com/forum/2-php/885-how-to-sa...-guestbook-data-file

Basically, when you edit the data file manually, you offset the character count in the serialized message object string. To fix this, you have to change the character count to the correct number of characters manually. If you remember which messages you manually edited, you may be able to quickly go in and fix this problem.

Pete