Error message 400 - bad request

[treasure]

Hi,

I hope someone can help with the following, I have looked for similar problems on your forums but have not come across anything to help me yet.

I have two actinic programs running on my website - actinic business v.4.0.7.0.2.0.BASA and actinic v.4, so that I can have GBP and USD prices for same products. My website is hosted by Nildram. My online payment processor is Secure Trading.

Up until last week I've never had any conflicts or problems either accessing the site or downloading orders from either of the versions of Actinic.

Last week, however, I attempted to download an order from the business version (GBP version) but received a server error message 400 - Bad Request. This has never happened before.

The error message gave the following information:

The web server returned an unexpected error. The server response was 400 - Bad Request. Run Web | Configure Web Site Details... to review your web site configuration.

So I did what it said. In running the connection wizard, I got the following error message, when the wizard got to the perl installation, trying perl guesses:

The wizard needs to know where Perl is installed on the web server and what extension Perl scripts must have in order to execute on the remote server. You may need to contact your ISP to gather this information. Be sure to specify the "." on the extension if it is required. For example, ".cgi", or ".pl".

The default path reads:

/usr/bin/perl

When I click to accept this path (which to my knowledge has not changed from when the catalogue was first installed), I get the following message:

The server is not configured to handle cookie headers. The script did not receive the cookie sent by the wizard

So I contacted Nildram and they told me to enter a #! at the beginning of the path. That didn't solve the problem. So I went back to Nildram and asked them to reset my settings on the website at their end as previously I've had gateway error messages (502) when I've had to ask them to do the same. This didn't resolve it either.

I've tried re-uploading my catalogue but it stops at the merging server files section, with a similar error message:

A server error occurred while attempting to merge server files. 400 - Bad request.

I've also tried using a previous back-up copy of the catalogue, renaming the file, thinking that something may be corrupt in the version I've been working with but that doesn't appear to help either.

I connect to the web with an adsl Zoom ethernet modem on a broadband account and have been downloading orders since July using this method without a problem. I also have Norton Antivirus on my PC but this has not created conflicts in the past either.

Not being the most technically minded of people, I am at a loss to know what else I need to do in order to clear the problem.

I'm leaving for the States on thursday for two months and would really like to get this resolved before I go so that I can a) send this poor person their order and b) continue to access orders while I'm away!

Any suggestions?

Kind regards
Sheila Hill

[NormanRouxel]

Try putting something into the Cart on your sites to see if Perl is still working there.

Searching needs Perl so that will also test the sites Perl capability.

You can also try Advanced / Network Setup / Test to get more meaningful error messages. Double check that Path to the Perl shell is /usr/bin/perl (or whatever Nildram use).

If you have two sites on the same server remember that they should have different CGI Script ID Numbers.

Norman

[treasure]

Hi Norman,

Thanks for your response. I've tried the search facility on the site and it appears to be working fine.

I've also just placed an order on the site and it processed it and showed up in the catalogue with no problem. I noticed that there were some old order files from November sitting on the website which I didn't get notified about and I've decided to delete them as they don't appear to have the usual OCC file with them. I have had someone in Asia trying to place excessive orders which appeared to be bogus recently and I think it could have been them again.

I checked the ID numbers for the 2 versions of the catalog and they are different, 1 and 2.

I will triple check with Nildram in the morning about the Perl path, but I'm pretty sure it's correct as I've already asked them twice.

I checked the test on the Network settings for both versions and both tests responded with the following messages:

The web server returned an unexpected error. The server response was 400 - Bad Request. Run Web | Configure Web Site Details... to review your web site configuration.

followed by:

The test script failed to execute on the web server. The error could be caused by several things. Check the path to the Perl shell, the CGI script extension, the path to CGI-BIN, and the CGI-BIN URL. This error could also occur if your web site is out of disk space or your web server is not configured to accept POSTs to CGI scripts.

I notice though that sometimes when I switch from one version of the catalog to the other within my actinic program via File/Sites/Acitvate option under the file menu I get error messages which close the program automatically.

These error messages are either MSJET40.DLL or the KERNEL32 file. Could this be affecting the function of my catalog or is that unconnected?

If so, do you have any suggestions about how I fix these corrupt files?

My pc has Millenium ME operating system with Windows 98.

Regards
Sheila

[NormanRouxel]

That error in Network Test needs to be fixed. I think you'll have to check with Nildram regarding the suggestions in the error response.

Also those crashes you're having may well have caused some of your settings to be corrupt. I've no idea why they're happening so I hope someone else has an idea there.

If you have FTP access to your site you could check your CGI-BIN and look at the first line od ca000001.pl as this has the correct path to Perl on your working sites. And see if that matches the entry in your network settings (ignore the leading #!).

Norman

[Darren]

Hi there.

Sorry to hear about the problems that you are having

server error message 400 - Bad Request

Hmm, I have seen this on version 4 when the web server has been upgraded to IIS6 (Windows 2003), could you check with Nildram to see if they have upgraded their server to IIS6?

I've had gateway error messages (502)

This is usually due to your host no allowing enough time for the scripts to run, you can see if they can increase the timeout for cgi.

I hope this helps.

[treasure]

Hi Darren

I looked on the Nildram support service area of their website and they did carry out an upgrade of the server carrying my website on the 15/16th December.

I did ask about this initially when I first called up on Saturday but was told it shouldn't have any effect.

What do I need to do in order to rectify the problem of access?

Is it something Nildram needs to action or do I need to change my settings within the actinic catalogs?

regards
Sheila

[treasure]

Darren

have just spoken to Nildram technical support and they've confirmed what you suspected. their response was that they can move my site to a server still running windows 2000 but that eventually i'm going to have to update my software so that it's compatible to windows 2003 (I assume that's because eventually all their servers will be upgraded). I don't actually want to do this immediately as i'm about to go away for two months and would prefer to do that on my return.

Can you please advise me what version of actinic i will need to upgrade to in order to not have a software conflict in the future.

many thanks for your help

regards
sheila

[Darren]

Hi there.

Version 6 seems be OK, but it can suffer from the 502 gateway error when uploading on IIS6 when the script timeout is too low. To see if V6 works with your server, why not download an evaluation copy from Here (http://www.actinic.co.uk/about/register.htm) You can always set up a test folder on your webserver and upload to that, you will also need to use a different script ID in your Advanced | Network setup to your 'real' store.

If you need help with setting up a test area, please email to:

communityadmin[@]actinic.co.uk and please put FAO Darren in the subject line. I will need your FTP details

(Sorry about the brackets, trying to prevent those pesky email harvesters!)

[treasure]

Hi Darren

You helped me out with some tips on a bad error message I was receiving in December in trying to access and download orders from my version 4 catalogue.

I followed your advice and got Nildram to switch my website back to a server with a Windows 2000 operating system and even though they claim to have reset the permissions on the site and run extensive checks on all the links to and from the site, every time I try to retrieve orders from my webspace I continue to receive the same error message and have the same problem in being unable to access or retrieve files from the site.

I cannot upload the catalogue files or obtain orders from the site.

Do you have any other suggestions as to what may be the problem as Nildram have more or less told me they can't see why the site is not functioning properly

I haven't changed any of the configurations on my catalogue program to create access problems but I'm now beginning to wonder whether there is any way the files relating to my catalogue could have become corrupted through some part of this process and the problem is at my PC end rather than the server, though I can't imagine how this could have occurred.

any advice or feedback you are able to give would be much appreciated as orders are backing up on my site now and I'm unable to process them properly.

many thanks
sheila

[Darren]

Hi Sheila

Sorry to hear you are having problems again, would you be as kind as to send your FTP details to communityadmin[@]actinic.co.uk and mark it for my attention, I will take a peek.

(sorry about the square brackets on the email, trying to stop those pesky email harvesters!)

[Darren]

Hello again Sheila

I sent you a mail, but in the meantime, it may well be worth showing Nildram "The setup of IIS5 with Actinic Catalog" section in the Advanced User Guide (http://www.actinicdownloads.com/docs/user_guides/advancedguide_6.zip)

When I have all your server details, I can test out some settings that will hopefully give us a clearer idea of what is (or not!) happening.

[Darren]

Hi Sheila

Thanks for your settings, I composed some network settings for your Uk site, which passed the test in Version 6, but not V4 I am afraid.

Are you sure that this is on a Windows 2000 (IIS5) server and not Windows 2003 (IIS6)?

[treasure]

Hi Darren

When you replied to my enquiries originally, you indicated that you thought the bad request error was due to a software conflict and indicated that the upgrade on the server at Nildram may have caused the problem.

I checked with Nildram to see if this was the case and they said confirmed that this is what had happened and arranged to move my website back to a server on the Win2000 system. As far as I am able to confirm, this was done on 24th December.

However, I am still having the same problems with accessing my actinic catalogue on the site.

regards
Sheila

[cdicken]

Thanks for your settings, I composed some network settings for your Uk site, which passed the test in Version 6, but not V4 I am afraid. Sorry to butt in, but there is a test carried out by v4 on servers called a 'Cookie Header Test' - no servers really support this, so the test will normally fail. However, this technique is not required for the store to run so the v4 store may work anyway with these settings.

[treasure]

Hi,

This is a message for Darren Langley.

Darren,

I have been trying to resolve various difficulties with Nildram now that they have moved my site back to a win 2000 operating server.

we have come up with a couple of issues that we would like to clarify and I was hoping that you or someone else would be able to do so.

In configuring the website details, when version 4 attempts to analyse the site information, we keep hitting a cookie header message in the configuration wizard at the perl installation stage that indicates that cookie headers aren't accepted.

If we cancel the configuration process at this stage and simply upload the files, is the configuration complete enough for the catalogues to be uploaded correctly or does the configuration process need to go all the way through to the email category to upload and operate successfully?

are any patches required to deal with this particular problem?

the ISP technicians are now working with me on trying to get my site working properly so any information you can provide on this point will be very helpful.

kind regards
Sheila Hill

[Darren]

Hi Sheila

we keep hitting a cookie header message in the configuration wizard at the perl installation stage that indicates that cookie headers aren't accepted.

The cookie test is not carried out in V5 and above, so please post your FTP details to communityadmin[@]actinic.co.uk along with your URL and I will try configuring in V6 and will send you back the settings if all is well. (ignore the square brackets).

are any patches required to deal with this particular problem?

I am afraid there is not, there are not going to be any more for V4.

[Darren]

Hi there.

We were experiencing problems with our email yesterday, if you have already sent your FTP details and current URL, could you please do so again.

Thanks in advance

[treasure]

Hi Darren

I would prefer to provide the FTP information over the telephone if that is okay.

can you please send me a contact phone number and whether or not you will be available tomorrow afternoon (I am currently in a time zone that is 7 hours behind UK time) so that I may call you

Kind regards
Sheila Hill

[Darren]

Hi there.

We have a support line, this is reserved to customers who have purchased the Actinic Cover support contract. The number is 0845 129 48 48. If you do not have cover, please use the email instead. You could always place the FTP details in an encrypted winzip file and send the password separately for security.

Thanks in advance.

[molnar]

Hi Sheila, Darren
I hope you don't mind me joining in, but we are experiencing exactly the same problems with V4, since our hosting company upgraded to Windows 2003 two weeks ago. At first customers couldn't even place orders, and now we just can't retrieve them and the configure website details wizard gets stuck on the perl installation, reporting the same cookie header issue. I have asked the hosting company to change us back to a Windows 2000 server, but failing this, could you clarify the following: Which version of Actinic do we need to upgrade to get things working again? I got a bit lost amongst your various postings! The trail of postings also seems to end in March...
Thanks in advance for your guidance and Sheila, I hope you site is now working again properly finally!
All the best
Jo

[Darren]

Hi Jo.

Welcome to the Actinic community :)

If you are upgrading, I would suggest going to V6 if you are going to upgrade, but 5.1.4 seems to work OK on my test server here.

Version 6 has many benefits over 4 and 5 including being able to set up popup windows easily.

I hope this helps.

[Pam Williams]

Hi
Since 3 May 2004 I have also had the same problem as Jo Molnar and Sheila Hill. I am situ in UK and hosted by a Ukl development company who also installed Actinic for me. My site is todance.com. I am running V4 and have been for 4 years. My hosting company say they have not changed anything and say problem is not theirs to resolve.
I see the problem has been discussed on this forum but I cannot see a resolution from the various discussions. Can you advise firstly, what has caused the problem and secondly, what options I have for resolving it.
Many thanks
Pam

[Darren]

Hi there.

Unfortunately the only resolution we have at this time is to upgrade to a later version of Actinic. Version 6 is recommended. You could always try the evaluation version prior to committing yourself.

I am sorry about this.

[Pam Williams]

Darren many thanks for your prompt response.
Firstly, do you know what software upgrade on the server causes the conflict/

Can you also advise if I can simply install V6 and then load a full copy of my "shop" ie., Site1 on top of V6 or is there integration work to be carried out?

V4 and the shop was originally installed by my hosting company, and I simply adminster it via the front end on my laptop. is installing V6 a simple process or do I need to get a developer to carry out the work. Finally, what is the cost of V6 and how to I get a copy.

many thanks, Pam

[cdicken]

Firstly, do you know what software upgrade on the server causes the conflict/I just placed an order on your site with no problems whatsoever. It ran fast and smoothly and I placed order number CA_8HD90000138.

I see you are using version 4.0.7 of Actinic. Have you, by any chance, installed Norton Internet Security on your PC recently. This breaks Actinic v4 stores that user an earlier version than 4.1.1. I suggest you go to http://www.actinicdownloads.com/v4/4_1_cat.htm and install the full upgrade to 4.1.0 and then install the patch to go to 4.1.1. You can then install the 'firewall patch' from http://www.actinicdownloads.com/v4/ and see if that gets you up and running.

[Darren]

Just a quick question. Is it just the network test that fails, does the site upload ok with no errors? If this is the case this is nothing to worry about. It is just that the server does not like the cookie check performed by the V4 test routine.

[Pam Williams]

Darren/Chris
Firstly, i am pleased to say that as of this morning I can now retrieve orders from my site.
I have changed nothing on my laptop; however, I did inform my hosting group that I had consulted this forum and that the problem could be related to a software upgrade on the server. The day after I told them that, (magically) I was able to retrieve orders. I am still trying to find out from them what changes they have made so that I can understand firstly, why it stopped working and secondly, why it is now working again.

To answer your question, no I have not installed any norton changes on my laptop. Network test worked fine, its just retrieval and updating that was failing.

thanks, Pam

[Darren]

I am still trying to find out from them what changes they have made so that I can understand firstly, why it stopped working and secondly, why it is now working again

Sorry for the late reply. Yes, it would be useful to know, as I have tested V4 on our test IIS6 server, and it suffers from the same problem. I have tried many things such as changing the perl extension to .plx (wth IIS6 default) and have tried with and without a virtual cgi-bin.

[juliageek]

Hi I had the exact same problem as you because of an "upgrade" to 2003 of a formerly finely functioning v4 site. I updated the website, which actually looked more like a refresh whilst it was doing it (which suggests to my dullard mind that everything may have NEEDED changing). Voila: everything works again. (though not the cookies thing still in the wizard. But downloading, ordering etc all works.

Hope it works for you

Julia

[superzig]

This is beginning to annoy me - I dont want to upgrade to V6 as I have 2 sites and can not afford it (yet)

I get an error:
Retreiving orders
Site refresh
Complete Site refresh

So I can not do anything

dont have norton.

if anyone gets the solution... this site has been up for 4 or 5 years no probs - well ok a few but refreshes or deleteing that 2 byte file which can lurk has always solved the problem.

Tony
(does V6 allow you to offerr products to the customer bought by other customers, or related suggestions?)

[Darren]

I take it your host has upgraded your hosting package to IIS6 (Windows 2003 server) . Perhaps you could be moved to another server. IIS5 is ok.

(does V6 allow you to offerr products to the customer bought by other customers, or related suggestions

Unfortunately no, but you could perhaps offer suggestions and create a link from one product to another. I will add the suggestion to the wish list, but I would expect that Actinic would be required to have an online database for this to work.

[superzig]

I don't know yet as my host company has not told me, and they may not, I have emailed them and am waiting for a response.

My host has also moved on to another (inferior?!) shop software package so they may not have the skills to help - we will c!!

Thanks for your help tho' will have to look for shop software that does tho' as this is important to modern sites, though I take your database point.

moving it may be the only solution.

Dunno if any orders are waiting on the site

Tony

[juliageek]

If your host is fathots, you could look into taking their linux option which might be worth a try and is cheaper than upgrading actinic (ie buying a whole new set of software)... Certainly works well with v6. Not tried w/v4 site - has anyone else?

[superzig]

Fathots is definately a better name.....

shall we regsiter it .co.uk?

Surely not a geek?

Well I mailed the company that put me on the server and I wait with baited breath and trapped wind.

Gone past being annoyed now

blue mist rising

Tony

[cdicken]

Tony

You need to register an email support query at http://www.actinic.co.uk/support/register.htm. The team can check out your setting and get your store working for you.

Problems like this are really tricky to diagnose on the web.

[Darren]

Hi there.

(does V6 allow you to offerr products to the customer bought by other customers, or related suggestions

I have been made aware that an add on exists that may help you with this, view this Thread (http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7214) for more info.

[garyhay]

STOP WASTING YOUR TIME WITH NT/WINDOWS SERVERS.

JUST GET UNIX/LINUX HOSTING.

I have said this many times after resolving all my issues with a switch of host.

If you want more info send a private message

[cdicken]

I have now closed this thread.