Page is being saved as a Document
OK, here's a strange one! I have a Page that is sometimes saved as a Document!
Sometimes, while the database is being closed, I will receive the following prompt from the Notes Client: "Do you want to save this page?". This is the exact same text used in the Domino Designer Client when you attempt to close a page without saving it first. I know that the message is coming from the Notes Client and not my database code because (1) I would remember coding the message and (2) I've searched the database design using TeamStudio's Configurator. In the prompt window, if I click No or Cancel, no document is created, but if I click Yes, a document is created in the database. The document contains these fields:
$UpdatedBy: contains my username.
Form: "MainMenu"
OriginalModTime: contains a valid date/time.
The Page is called "MainMenu" and is displayed in a frame using the settings Type="Named Element", "Page", and Value="MainMenu" (in other words, I'm not using a computed notes url to load the frame, nor is it using computed values; it is set explicitly using the properties fields).
- There is no form named "MainMenu" in the database design.
- A search for "MainMenu" with Configurator returns only the Page design element.
- I'm the only developer, so I know it's not a form that is hidden to me.
- I've compacted my workspace.
- I've also deleted my cache file.
- I've used pages in frames like this since R5 and have never had any problems. We are currently using R6.5.4.
Has anyone else ever seen anything like this?
Sometimes, while the database is being closed, I will receive the following prompt from the Notes Client: "Do you want to save this page?". This is the exact same text used in the Domino Designer Client when you attempt to close a page without saving it first. I know that the message is coming from the Notes Client and not my database code because (1) I would remember coding the message and (2) I've searched the database design using TeamStudio's Configurator. In the prompt window, if I click No or Cancel, no document is created, but if I click Yes, a document is created in the database. The document contains these fields:
$UpdatedBy: contains my username.
Form: "MainMenu"
OriginalModTime: contains a valid date/time.
The Page is called "MainMenu" and is displayed in a frame using the settings Type="Named Element", "Page", and Value="MainMenu" (in other words, I'm not using a computed notes url to load the frame, nor is it using computed values; it is set explicitly using the properties fields).
- There is no form named "MainMenu" in the database design.
- A search for "MainMenu" with Configurator returns only the Page design element.
- I'm the only developer, so I know it's not a form that is hidden to me.
- I've compacted my workspace.
- I've also deleted my cache file.
- I've used pages in frames like this since R5 and have never had any problems. We are currently using R6.5.4.
Has anyone else ever seen anything like this?
ASKER
Thanks. Good to know, but we've been using 6.5.4 for a long time and I was planning to go from 6.5.4 directly to 8 (provided that it is very stable). I don't want to burden our helpdesk with two upgrades and I've never seen this behavior before in 6.5.4. Why would it suddenly pop up now?
Hard to say, but
1) Is it happening to multiple users ?
2) How consistent is it ?
That's the nature of some bugs.
1) Is it happening to multiple users ?
2) How consistent is it ?
That's the nature of some bugs.
ASKER
(1) Only me so far.
(2) Happens about once or twice a day.
Most probably I will just delete and re-create the page and that will fix the problem. I was just interested to see if anyone actually had some experience with this indication.
(2) Happens about once or twice a day.
Most probably I will just delete and re-create the page and that will fix the problem. I was just interested to see if anyone actually had some experience with this indication.
There are probably some flags in teh page design that are set incorrectly so that Notes is confused as to whether it is a page or a form (internally, a page is just a specially-coded form). How the $Flags got set that way? Mystery.
As you say, recreating the page would probably help. SImply editing the page design and saving it might also help, but not necessarily (the code to save a page would play only with the flags that it is designed to play with, and might leave in place flags that normally would not ever be set on a page).
As you say, recreating the page would probably help. SImply editing the page design and saving it might also help, but not necessarily (the code to save a page would play only with the flags that it is designed to play with, and might leave in place flags that normally would not ever be set on a page).
ASKER
Good thinking, but...
$Flags="C34WQ", which is normal for pages.
$Flags="C34WQ", which is normal for pages.
OK, if it isn't $Flags, it is some other value that is confusing Domino. $Flags is just the usual culprit.
ASKER
I agree. I'll leave this question open for a few more days to see if we get more ideas.
have you tried to create a new replica of the database in question?
ASKER
No. The code is not in production yet, and I don't want to loose the indication without first finding out what is causing it. When I get back from vacation, I'll re-create the page from scratch and close this question.
try the create new replica at least before you re-create the page for us to know if it will solve the problem even if we don't know the cause. :)
ASKER
There are a couple of reasons that I don't want to test the new replica idea first.
(1) The design is managed by CIAO, and I don't want to go through the hassle of breaking and re-aligning the CVS to the new copy (CIAO uses DBID rather than ReplicaID).
(2) Creating a new replica is really just a fast way to re-create all of the notes in the database; which is a shotgun approach to troubleshooting. I would prefer to know specifically what is causing the problem.
The next time that I get the prompt, I'll recreate the page (it's just a simple navigator with an embedded outline).
(1) The design is managed by CIAO, and I don't want to go through the hassle of breaking and re-aligning the CVS to the new copy (CIAO uses DBID rather than ReplicaID).
(2) Creating a new replica is really just a fast way to re-create all of the notes in the database; which is a shotgun approach to troubleshooting. I would prefer to know specifically what is causing the problem.
The next time that I get the prompt, I'll recreate the page (it's just a simple navigator with an embedded outline).
ASKER
Ok, today I deleted the old page and created a new one from scratch. I'll give it a week to see if the problem returns.
ASKER
The problem still happens. Not only that, but I have confirmed that it is happening to other users as well since there are now "MainMenu" documents in the database that are created by other users! They don't hurt anything, and no one's complained, but I'd sure like to find out why this is happening. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and try creating a copy of the database to see if that fixes it.
Too bad I can't create a SaveOptions field on the page :)
Too bad I can't create a SaveOptions field on the page :)
Wanna bet? If you mess around with some low-level stuff, you can convince Notes that the page has fields. After all, a page IS a form, which you've experienced to the hilt now.
ASKER
Right, but Id rather stay "in-the-box" for something as simple as a static page. Actually, I deleted the page, and switched to a form with a SaveOptions=0 field. I figure that since Notes is expecting a form, by gosh, I'll give it one! Plus, this allows me to include my standard web header subform :). I'm expecting the problem to just disapear now.
If it doesnt, then you'd have a real confusing problem.... uhhhh, Notes is confusing a form for a form, how do I get that corrected?
LOL
LOL
ASKER
Isn't this the weirdest problem you've seen? If not, what was?
Umm, I've seen some really weird stuff, where do you want me to start? Rich text fields whose format would change evry time you saved even if you did not touch teh field? Databases with illegal field names in them? Design elements that were visible in designer, including field properties, but when you tried to open them acted as if there were reader names values associated?
ASKER
Well, as expected, switching to a form solved the problem.
Still wish I knew what caused it, though.
BTW, what do we do with this question now?
Someone say "replace the page with a form" so I can award points! LOL
Still wish I knew what caused it, though.
BTW, what do we do with this question now?
Someone say "replace the page with a form" so I can award points! LOL
Bill Hanson says, "'replace the page with a form' so I can award points!"
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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I did have some weird issues with 6.54 but upgraded to r 6.55 and they disappeared.
I hope this helps !