MORE Checker Samples

[Jock Dempsey <guru@anvilfire.com>]

MORE Checker samples with errors
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Original Test:
Site ID: 69 | Site title: Mirarca Custom Metal Designs
http://www.mirarca.com/
- HTML code URL is invalid
URL is valid, and includes jsNAVBAR code (both Ringlink and Webring.org code)
This site often timed out on the Webring.org checker
NEW TEST (smaller ring, different ID, SAME SITE):
Site ID: 9 | Site title: MIRARCA Custom Metal Designs
http://www.mirarca.com/
- Couldn't read URL ( 403 Forbidden )
CHANGED URL TO:
http://www.angelfire.com/la2/mirarca/
Site ID: 9 | Site title: MIRARCA Custom Metal Designs
Site entry URL | HTML code URL
- Couldn't read Site entry URL ( 403 Forbidden )
- Couldn't read Site_entry_URL ( 403 Forbidden )???????
Is this a MESSAGE error?  OR is the checker testing the Site_entry_URL
instead of the HTML_code_URL
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Site ID: 15 | Site title: Heath Iron
http://heath_iron.tripod.com/index.html
- Server heath_iron.tripod.com is down or doesn't exist
URL is valid, and includes jsNAVBAR code (both Ringlink and Webring.org code)
(checked this site within seconds of test to be sure tripod was up)
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Site ID: 7 - D & M Metal Artistry
http://www.wametalworks.com/Links%20page.htm
URL is valid but site DOES NOT have code.  Checked OK or NOT CHECKED.
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Gunnar Wrote:
> As regards Jock's SSNB, the checker _should_ work for sites with the
> JavaScript code, since it seems like the servers interpret the JS code
> before they respond to requests from Ringlink.
NO, the Javascript is interpreted by the browser.  A CGI or SSI include
would be interpreted by the server.
But WHAT DOES RINGLINK CHECK FOR???
This is my custom code found in Ringlink:
<!-- Begin The Blacksmiths Ring code fragment -->
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE= "JavaScript">var BlacksmithsRingID='$::siteid'; </SCRIPT>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE= "JavaScript"
SRC="http://rings.anvilfire.com/data/smithring/smithring.js"></SCRIPT>
<!-- End  Blacksmiths Ring -->
Some users strip out the comments. . .
The ring checker selection I use is:
"Check those Ringlink links that are included in the customized HTML code"
On a small ring of 15 sites, I KNOW 5 sites that should fail:
(1) Has no code for any ring (will remove soon)
(2) Have OLD Webring.org code (noted above ID=7)
(2) have custom code and are not using the jsNAVBAR.  They have the
following test string, "var SteelworkersID=".  This is the test string I
use with
Web-Ring Verifier to test all sites and include it in custom code so they
check the same as the jsNAVBAR.  The custom code DOES have the standard
Ringlink CGI calls. . .
ALL PASS!  OR the checker times out or fails for some other reason.  I've
checked the server logs and there are no recorded errors.
About the time required to debug. . . .  I helped Webring.org test their
ring checker.  It took a dedicated team months. . . We exchanged hundreds
of emails. . .  In the end it worked OK but was not reliable enough to let
do anything automatic.  I'm sure most of you have experiance with it.  It
was ALL for naught and I'm sure the developers are as dissapointed as we
are about the Yahoo debacle.
I've also helped debug Web-Ring Verifier.  I came in late in the game on
this one but have exchanged dozens of mails with the developer.
Functionaly it works pretty good (better than Webring's) but there is a ton
of windows crap that still needs to be tweeked.  Its the kind of stuff that
made me quit developing software.  Big windows apps need lots of
specialists. .  not a one-man opperation.
To debug the Ringlink checker it is going to need to generate a log of
errors or responses for EVERY site AND for the general operation.  Start
time, end time, number of sites checked, last line number checked. . .  A
LOT of complex error checking.  But otherwise all the testing is in the blind.
---------------------------------------------------------
MY immediate problem is users selecting their SITE ID.  Last week it was
"12345678" and yesterday it was "000000000000000", today it was the same as
the ring ID. "countrylife" . . :(  I'm SURE that one is going to cause ME
confusion.
I HAD a custom message saying USE NUMBERS XXX through XXXXX ONLY. . . .
Lost it on the upgrade and need to find the place I edited it.  Meanwhile I
get these screwy ID's.  It is also the most common question I have to
answer. . "Where do I get a ring ID?"  Automatic ID# assignment sure would
be nice. . .
Jock D.