XF 1.5 Moving Posts and Threads

[Matthew H]

I don't know if there's any correlation, or if it's just some bizarre coincidence, but... during the last few days, I've had to move threads and split posts into new threads. Shortly afterward, my users have encountered problems with modifying attachments, posting new messages, and editing existing posts. When I checked the UCP for issues, I found an error log full of crash reports involving the search index.

This is the second time since last month my board's search index has crashed. Thankfully, the solution I was given in this thread worked again, but now I'm wondering...

What types of events can effect the index?
How often I should check the error log?
Should I plan on rebuilding it whenever I move posts and threads around?

 

[Mr Lucky]

Should I plan on rebuilding it whenever I move posts and threads around?

I hadn't thought of this, but is probably not a bad idea. I mean, can it do any harm? At one time I had quite a few crashes, Elastic Search did not have enough memory.

 

[Paul B]

Table crashes are typically caused by server instability, MySQL restarting unexpectedly, not being shut down correctly, etc.

You may want to contact your host and ask them to investigate.

 

[Matthew H]

You may want to contact your host and ask them to investigate.

Understood. Thanks.

 

[Matthew H]

My host suggested I repair and optimize the MySQL database tables. Following the instructions on their support page, I tried both operations on these tables:

xf_session
xf_session_activity
xf_session_admin

Their site returned an error message on the xf_session_acitivity table after trying to optimize it: "The storage engine doesn't support optimize".
It returned a similar error when trying to repair the same table: "The storage engine doesn't support repair".
The other two tables were successfully repaired and optimized.

I just ended a chat session in which I was advised that the error message means XF uses a storage engine they do not support. The only way to fix it is to ask you to modify XF to add support for one or more of the engines they do use:

CSV, MRG_MYISAM, Federated, MyISAM, InnoDB, and Memory

Otherwise, I have no choice but to move back to phpBB, look for other software, or shut my board down.

 

[ŽivaAkcija]

it is possible to convert mysql to mariadatabase?

 

[Paul B]

Your other option would be to switch hosts.

Having said that, I'm not clear on this bit:

I just ended a chat session in which I was advised that the error message means XF uses a storage engine they do not support. The only way to fix it is to ask you to modify XF to add support for one or more of the engines they do use:

CSV, MRG_MYISAM, Federated, MyISAM, InnoDB, and Memory

XF only uses MyISAM, InnoDB and Memory.
xf_session is MyISAM
xf_session_activity is Memory
xf_session_admin is MyISAM

The xf_session_activity table can't be optimised as it is a Memory table.
You can truncate it should you need to clear out all records.

 

[ŽivaAkcija]

Your other option would be to switch hosts.

+10

 

[Matthew H]

Your other option would be to switch hosts.

Not gonna happen. I've been with them since 2004. I have no interest in breaking in a new host.

XF only uses MyISAM, InnoDB and Memory.

The xf_session_activity table can't be optimised as it is a Memory table.

Thanks for clarifying. The instructions on their support page say to look for a column labeled Overhead in the database tables. If there are numbers in that column, only those tables can be repaired or optimized. The only three tables that had numbers in that column were the ones I listed, including xf_session_activity.

The rep told me they aren't familiar with XF, so his answer may simply have been based solely on the wording of the error message.

If the table and repair optimization don't finally solve my index crash problem, they've offered to move my site to another MySQL server.

:: crossing fingers ::

 

[Paul B]

You could also consider using Memcached and opting in to session caching.

The session activity table will always be written to regardless of cache configuration but the the xf_session table will be replaced with cache reads/write.

Ultimately though, resolving server instability would prevent crashes and issues of this nature.

 

[Matthew H]

I had my hosting service move my site to another MySQL server. Six weeks have gone by without anymore issues, so I'm declaring the problem solved.

Thanks!