I've been running link 2.0 for many months now with no database problems. However, I recently set up links for a friend to use with his site. Things have been going fine when all of a sudden he noticed that a quarter of the links he added were gone. When I compared his database to the backups, the first 65 records where missing from the links.db. I've since repaired the data base from the backup, but I can't find a reason for why this happened. He didn't notice any error messages when building and the script appears to run fine now. Has anyone every seen or hear of this before? I need to make sure it doesn't happen again, but I'm not even sure what caused it.

Sheldon
webmaster@gottabounce.com

How large is the database file? I have seen records deleted from flat files that are larger than 1 MG. Also, have you applied the permission codes for the links.db file located in the FAQ section of the Resource Center.

Regards,

Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
Web: http://www.anthrotech.com/

It's a small database of around 250 links and is about 50kb is size. As for the permission thing you mention I haven't made any such changes to the site in question.

Well, I would double check the permission of the links.db file.

Regards,

Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
Web: http://www.anthrotech.com/

there is no way any of the scripts could have done it because the scripts are written from the top down.. it seems possible it was a server problem.. but the file isn't very big.. so i'm not sure..

i beleive it is just a careless mistake in part of your friend.. but i'm not very sure.. perhaps someone uploaded a blank links.db after the first 65 were added and then began adding again.. maybe his server does not support filelocking and he happened to add to at the same exact time.. but that is so hard to do.. if he did that.. i suggest him to try the lottery..

Jerry Su
email@jerrysu.com
http://www.jerrysu.com/

I'm not sure about the file lock. We both have our sites on Prohosting for the moment and I haven't noticed any problems with my site. Do you know anything about them? I know it wasn't something to do with uploading a blank link.db or something like that, cuz I've been handling the ftp for him because he doesn't know how to upload or set permissions. I am begining to wonder if it's got to do with the fact that his wife, daugther and himself are all adding links to the site like it's a race or soemthing. They each are using different computers and most of the time are all doing it at the same times. I guess I'll have to keep an eye on it and suggest that they slow down. You're probably right about it being a careless mistake, but I'm not sure how he can do that through the admin window...it seems idiot proof.

Sheldon
webmaster@gottabounce.com

if you don't have filelocking turned on that is probably the reason then..

i don't see any other possibilities..

if it is not set on in links.cfg.. turn it on.. but only if your server supports it..

Jerry Su
email@jerrysu.com
http://www.jerrysu.com/

I had this problem and it totally confused me. I actually found it was caused by my running out of my allocated web space. Even though it is only 50k, if your near your limit that's enough. My file is only 300k but the whole links built areas are around 40Mb.

40MG???

Why do you have so many files with only 300K of data in your links.db file???

I have over 2,400 links and 397 categories, and I only take up 20MG of space in my LINKS directory....

Weird!

Regards,

Eliot Lee

Well the template for each page is around 30K, then there is a detailed page for each - 500, plus some other adapted pages and code which is generated at each build. I only have around 110 categories. That works out about right I think. Either that or I need to learn Math again.

Use the Detail.cgi script found in the Resource Center (which uses limited bandwidth) and you will reduce your disk space usage by half.

Regards,

Eliot Lee