[Mediawiki-l] incomplete import

[Emanuele D'Arrigo]

On 7/26/07, Emanuele D'Arrigo <manu3d at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Greetings,
>
> I'm trying to import a file of approx 1 Megabyte (1014 KB to be precise)
> but the import stops around 20% of the way and returns a blank page.
> I've been able to exclude a few things:
>
> 1) this isn't a problem with the import: it works with other (smaller)
> files.
> 2) it isn't a problem with PHP limits: they are set to 2 MB
> 3) it isn't a problem with the hidden input field, also set to 2MB
> 4) it isn't a problem with the content of the file: the import stops at
> around 20% of the way, but not on the same page every time.
>
> Am I missing something?
> Could it be a webserver timeout?
> Could it be a MySQL timeout?


Following from this initial message and for posterity, I've been
able to locate the limiting factor.  After many blank pages returned,
for a second time the import process returned an error message:

*Fatal error*: Maximum execution time of 240 seconds exceeded in *
D:\Inetpub\wwwroot\MediaWiki\includes\GlobalFunctions.php* on line *245
*
The first time around I didn't manage to preserve the message.
*
*It turns out however that the message only points to the location of
the function exceeding the execution time limit, and not where the
time is set. The Maximum Execution Time limit is set in the
appropriately named variable maximum_execution_time in php.ini.
The default value is 60 seconds.

One problem I'm facing is how to determine a reasonable value that
can allow for the import of an entire 2MB file. The 240 seconds limit
I just set has allowed for about 750 KB to be imported. I will do the
easy math and find the value, but if the server is under heavy load even
that could still result in an incomplete import.

Interestingly, if the import process had a consistent output error or
had a live progress report, with each page appearing in the output
as soon as it has been stored on the wiki, the user could then
edit the file to import whatever was left out.

Now, any suggestions about where I should document this
findings for other people not to get stuck as I did?
Help:Import maybe?

Ciao!

Manu