4.4 large file downloads from /file_download/NN/XXX

alanfluff · 2011-05-27 17:18:01

Hi TXPers,

I already found a thread here that seemed like it might be a good place to ask this, but I was not at all sure, so I am listing the problem I am stuck with here, as I am pretty certain it is either my hoster has gone weird or something that happened from 4.3 to 4.4.

Before 4.4, when a site I run was 4.3, if I clicked a link presented to me by my use of <txp:file_download_list limit=“999” break=“li” wraptag=“ul” category=“blagh-blagh” />, I got an MP3 file downloaded.

Lovely.

Since I upgraded to 4.4 I get a zero byte download — it may be something else that has changed and not 4.4 of course, not casting aspersions, it’s just 4.3 to 4.4 is the only thing that comes to mind with this site.

One MP3 is 30MB, the other 60MB. I have a third that is 250KB and that does download AOK.

~~If I go to the URL my_site/files/the_file.mp3 then it works fine (opens a player in a tab, doesn’t download, but seems to play AOK).~~ Actually, doing that in Safai crashes Safari(!?). This is some weird stuff.

Tried LOTS of things, and finally began to wonder if it was TXP, hence here I am.

ANY help, much appreciated!

Cheers, -Alan

PS: Moderators, if the other post should be deleted, pls do so or tell me to, thanks.

alanfluff · 2011-05-30 15:21:11

Solved.

In case it helps anyone else, here is what solved the problem and my best guess at the explanation.

I am hosting this site with mt on a dv server.

It had been working fine, but recently I noticed that download links for two MP3s would download instantly, zero byte files. The files were 30MB and 60MB. Previously these had worked fine.

I added a 256KB MP3 and that downloaded fine.

I also found uploading new versions of the larger files resulted in the upload page taking a few minutes, then jumping to the Write page, no file uploaded.

It turns out that almost certainly either, a change to PHP 5, or, the change from TXP 4.3 to 4.4, meant that the php.ini values:

memory_limit
max_execution_time
upload_max_filesize
post_max_size

Were wrong, or at least one was.

I changed them to mt’s recommended settings:

memory_limit = 192M
max_execution_time = 360
upload_max_filesize = 100M
post_max_size = 100M

And the problem evaporated.

I encounter this sort of thing so rarely, I never research server side tools/means of investigation — I assume some monitor, log or tool would have allowed me to see a resource bottoming out and I could have solved it quicker, if you know of such a tool I’d be interested to hear.

I hope this post helps someone else one day.

Cheers, -Alan

ruud · 2011-05-30 16:06:42

It should be visible in the web server error logs. The limits you’ve currently set are rather high, IMHO, especially the memory and execution time limit. Having a high limit for Post/upload makes sense if you do upload such big files.

alanfluff · 2011-05-30 16:21:23

Thanks Ruud, I’ll check the server error logs first next time.

Yes, I thought the memory and execution were high. I assume as they come from the hoster and they want the least problems, they throw resources at it.

It would be nice to know if there was a tool for showing the amount of memory being taken, over a while, and then one could tune it down to within a safe margin. Even if I find no such tool, I may try reducing those two when the dust has settled — presumably allowing too high a memory limit allows hogging of resources in some circumstances, potentially.

Thanks for the observations.

Textpattern CMS

Textpattern CMS support forum

#1 2011-05-27 17:18:01

4.4 large file downloads from /file_download/NN/XXX

#2 2011-05-30 15:21:11

Re: 4.4 large file downloads from /file_download/NN/XXX

#3 2011-05-30 16:06:42

Re: 4.4 large file downloads from /file_download/NN/XXX

#4 2011-05-30 16:21:23

Re: 4.4 large file downloads from /file_download/NN/XXX

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