Rob,

I've tried numerous times to set up an external event for nightly
maintenance, but it will NOT run.

Here is what I have set up in SCFG under Timed Events:

Internal Code: PREEVENT
Startup Directory: C:\SBBS\BATCH
Command Line: NGTMAINT.BAT
Enabled: Yes
Execution Node: 1
Execution Months: Any
Execution Days Of Month: Any
Execution Days Of Week: All
Execution Time: 00:01
Requires Exclusive Execution: Yes
Force Users Offline For Event: Yes
Native Executable/Script: No
Use Shell Or New Context: No
Background Execution: No
Always Run After Init/Re-init: No
Error Log Level: Error

Every time I try to run it, it returns Error Level 255, and exits.

I can NOT always be up at 12 midnight to "manually down the nodes"
so the external event will run. If I can't get the event to run,
there's no point in me having ANY doorgames online, and I might
as well shut down the board after 31 years, and go offline forever.
I can NOT have users online while these run, or it will corrupt
the doorgame data. The system downs the nodes just fine for the
MSGMAINT at 5am local time, but it will NOT run an event with a
batchfile or any other executable program at any other time.

Originally, it was message areas that were the big draw for BBS's.
Then, it became file areas, and now doorgames. The system is running
under Windows 10 32-bit, with version 3.19c (sbbs_dev and sbbs_run)
of Synchronet.

What am I overlooking??

Daryl
---
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to digital man on Thu Jan 13 2022 12:21 am

Rob,

I've tried numerous times to set up an external event for nightly maintenance, but it will NOT run.

Here is what I have set up in SCFG under Timed Events:

Internal Code: PREEVENT
Startup Directory: C:\SBBS\BATCH
Command Line: NGTMAINT.BAT
Enabled: Yes
Execution Node: 1
Execution Months: Any
Execution Days Of Month: Any
Execution Days Of Week: All
Execution Time: 00:01
Requires Exclusive Execution: Yes
Force Users Offline For Event: Yes
Native Executable/Script: No
Use Shell Or New Context: No
Background Execution: No
Always Run After Init/Re-init: No
Error Log Level: Error

Every time I try to run it, it returns Error Level 255, and exits.

I can NOT always be up at 12 midnight to "manually down the nodes"
so the external event will run. If I can't get the event to run,
there's no point in me having ANY doorgames online, and I might
as well shut down the board after 31 years, and go offline forever.
I can NOT have users online while these run, or it will corrupt
the doorgame data. The system downs the nodes just fine for the
MSGMAINT at 5am local time, but it will NOT run an event with a
batchfile or any other executable program at any other time.

Originally, it was message areas that were the big draw for BBS's.
Then, it became file areas, and now doorgames. The system is running
under Windows 10 32-bit, with version 3.19c (sbbs_dev and sbbs_run)
of Synchronet.

What am I overlooking??

My first guess is that you have "Native Executable/Script" set to "No". But I would still expect the Events thread to report that it's trying to run the event at the specified time/interval, even if it didn't successfully run. But you didn't share any log output or any other details.
--
digital man (rob)

Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #6:
BBS = Bulletin Board System
Norco, CA WX: 61.7øF, 23.0% humidity, 0 mph SE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to digital man on Thu Jan 13 2022 12:21 am

I can NOT always be up at 12 midnight to "manually down the nodes"
so the external event will run. If I can't get the event to run,
there's no point in me having ANY doorgames online, and I might
as well shut down the board after 31 years, and go offline forever.

you should do that.

I can NOT have users online while these run, or it will corrupt
the doorgame data.

no it wont.
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Rob,

My first guess is that you have "Native Executable/Script" set to "No". But I would still expect the Events thread to report that it's trying
to run the event at the specified time/interval, even if it didn't successfully run. But you didn't share any log output or any other details. --

This is all that showed up in the error.log file:

Thu Jan 13 00:09:01 2022 master/eb8114bd1
evnt PREEVENT Timed event: PREEVENT returned 255

I also am getting these other errors (some occurred at other times, but
I'm only listing recent occurrences of each):

Mon Dec 27 14:30:15 2021 master/4ce690049
evnt DYNDNS Timed event: DYNDNS returned 1

Mon Dec 27 16:41:23 2021 master/4ce690049
evnt QNET Call-out to: VERT returned 1

I gather the 2 above were when your system was offline.

Tue Dec 28 16:57:48 2021 master/4ce690049
srvc 0000 JSON Error: socket disconnected 1

Thu Dec 30 00:04:55 2021 master/4ce690049
srvc 0000 JSON send failed (53): {"scope":"syncwall2","func":"UPDATE","oper":"UNSUBSCRIBE","location":"LATEST","data":{"id":2184,"nick":"","system":"The
Thunderbolt BBS"}}

Wed Jan 5 05:19:58 2022 master/4c726caf5
evnt QNET !JavaScript C:\sbbs\exec\load\ftp.js line 358: Error: Invalid response: 4

Fri Jan 7 12:04:27 2022 master/4c726caf5
web 3096 !ERROR 13 opening/creating c:\sbbs\temp\SBBS_SSJS.6692.3096.html

Mon Jan 10 12:34:23 2022 master/a3cb54710
term Node 1 <Daryl Stout> !VDD WriteFile(0xf60, 1) FAILURE (Error=38)

Tue Jan 11 04:20:11 2022 master/a3cb54710
evnt QNET Call-out to: DIGDIST returned 1

Wed Jan 12 00:00:01 2022 master/eb8114bd1
evnt SRCOLMNT Timed event: SRCOLMNT returned 255

Wed Jan 12 03:00:01 2022 master/eb8114bd1
evnt SBL2SMB Timed event: SBL2SMB returned 1

Wed Jan 12 06:07:58 2022 master/eb8114bd1
evnt QNET !JavaScript C:\sbbs\exec\load\ftp.js line 376: Error: recvline timeout waiting for response to command: 'QUIT'

Thu Jan 13 00:00:01 2022 master/eb8114bd1
evnt JPRDYMNT Error: (admin) User not found: Daryl Stout

For that one, I haven't played the game in awhile.

Thu Jan 13 00:00:01 2022 master/eb8114bd1
evnt SRCOLMNT Timed event: SRCOLMNT returned 255

Is there a wiki page or something else that notes these errors??

Daryl

... Error: Blue Screen Of Death. Would you like a better OS??
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Thu Jan 13 2022 08:48 am

Rob,

My first guess is that you have "Native Executable/Script" set to "No". But I would still expect the Events thread to report that it's trying to run the event at the specified time/interval, even if it didn't successfully run. But you didn't share any log output or any other details. --

This is all that showed up in the error.log file:

Thu Jan 13 00:09:01 2022 master/eb8114bd1
evnt PREEVENT Timed event: PREEVENT returned 255

Yes, and as you can see sbbs is tryint to execute the command-line you specified, which as I recall, is executing a batch file. This is likely failing because you have "Native Executable/Script" set to "No" (as I previously stated and you quoted). Try changing that setting to "Yes".

I also am getting these other errors (some occurred at other times, but I'm only listing recent occurrences of each):

...

Is there a wiki page or something else that notes these errors??

Probably not, but if you determine the *context* of those errors (e.g. by looking at the terminal server log output or the event thread log output), you could determine more about *why* those errors might've occurred. The error.log file alone is often not enough to root-cause an issue, it's just an indication that there is a problem and that you may have more research to perform to find and fix.
--
digital man (rob)

Synchronet "Real Fact" #66:
Synchronet was conceived of and mostly developed in southern California.
Norco, CA WX: 66.1øF, 31.0% humidity, 0 mph SE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Rob,

Yes, and as you can see sbbs is tryint to execute the command-line you specified, which as I recall, is executing a batch file. This is likely failing because you have "Native Executable/Script" set to "No" (as I previously stated and you quoted). Try changing that setting to "Yes".

Already tried that...no dice.

Probably not, but if you determine the *context* of those errors (e.g.
by looking at the terminal server log output or the event thread log output), you could determine more about *why* those errors might've occurred. The error.log file alone is often not enough to root-cause an issue, it's just an indication that there is a problem and that you may have more research to perform to find and fix. --

I try to force the timed event to run, and all it does is give an error
255, and it quits.

Daryl

... Deja-Moo: When you feel you've seen this bullcrap before.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sat Jan 15 2022 08:47 pm

Rob,

Yes, and as you can see sbbs is tryint to execute the command-line you specified, which as I recall, is executing a batch file. This is likely failing because you have "Native Executable/Script" set to "No" (as I previously stated and you quoted). Try changing that setting to "Yes".

Already tried that...no dice.

What does the event log output say when that happens?

Probably not, but if you determine the *context* of those errors (e.g. by looking at the terminal server log output or the event thread log output), you could determine more about *why* those errors might've occurred. The error.log file alone is often not enough to root-cause an issue, it's just an indication that there is a problem and that you may have more research to perform to find and fix. --

I try to force the timed event to run, and all it does is give an error 255, and it quits.

Yeah, it wouldn't matter if it was at the scheduled time or forced, sbbs can't execute the command-line you've configured. You've messed it up somewhere, just gotta figure out where. The log output would be helpful (and no, I don't mean the error.log file).
--
digital man (rob)

Sling Blade quote #22:
Karl: I don't reckon you have to go with women to be a good father to a boy. Norco, CA WX: 59.9øF, 30.0% humidity, 1 mph SSE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Digital Man to Daryl Stout on Sun Jan 16 2022 02:45 am

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sat Jan 15 2022 08:47 pm

Rob,

Yes, and as you can see sbbs is tryint to execute the command-line you specified, which as I recall, is executing a batch file. This is likely failing because you have "Native Executable/Script" set to "No" (as I previously stated and you quoted). Try changing that setting to "Yes".

Already tried that...no dice.

What does the event log output say when that happens?

Oh, and enable debug-level log output. It should look something like this:
1/16 03:01:55a BBS Events Semaphore signaled for Timed Event: FIDO_AD
1/16 03:01:55a FIDO_AD Running native background timed event: FIDO_AD
1/16 03:01:55a FIDO_AD Executing external: vert_ad.bat
--
digital man (rob)

Sling Blade quote #18:
Karl Childers: Some folks call it Hell, I call it Hades.
Norco, CA WX: 59.9øF, 30.0% humidity, 1 mph SSE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Digital Man to Daryl Stout on Sun Jan 16 2022 02:45 am

Rob,

What does the event log output say when that happens?

Exited with Error Level 255. I tried it with a main program, such
as SBBSECHO.EXE, and it does the same thing. It's as if I can NOT
add any new Timed Events.

I went through the batchfile, and apparently I can sacrifice 5
doorgames, as their maintenance takes the longest time. Those
include local versions of Trade Wars 2002 and Trade Wars Services
(for version 2 of the game), Trade Wars Gold, VGA Planets, L.O.R.D.
II Complete New World (local) and Terra Firma. Those doors also
have gotten little usage recently, and there's a version of Trade
Wars 2002 Game Services on Valhalla BBS that's available for those
"needing a Ferrengi fix". I'm able to run a local version of L.O.R.D.
4.06 and L.O.R.D. II with no nightly maintenance issues.

There are also several other doors that do have maintenance, but
they don't take as long to run, and appear rarely used anyway.

Yeah, it wouldn't matter if it was at the scheduled time or forced, sbbs can't execute the command-line you've configured. You've messed it up some

I may end up doing a fresh install of 3.19b -- and that will take
awhile.

Daryl

---
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sun Jan 16 2022 07:12 am

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Digital Man to Daryl Stout on Sun Jan 16 2022 02:45 am

Rob,

What does the event log output say when that happens?

Exited with Error Level 255.

I'm asking you to paste the event thread log output at the time of the problem, just like I did here, as an example.

I may end up doing a fresh install of 3.19b -- and that will take
awhile.

I doubt that is necessary.
--
digital man (rob)

Rush quote #55:
He'd like a lover's wings to fly on, to a tropic isle of Avalon .. Digital Man Norco, CA WX: 71.8øF, 24.0% humidity, 3 mph NW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sun Jan 16 2022 07:12 am

I went through the batchfile, and apparently I can sacrifice 5

what batchfile?

doorgames, as their maintenance takes the longest time. Those
include local versions of Trade Wars 2002 and Trade Wars Services
(for version 2 of the game), Trade Wars Gold, VGA Planets, L.O.R.D.
II Complete New World (local) and Terra Firma. Those doors also
have gotten little usage recently, and there's a version of Trade
Wars 2002 Game Services on Valhalla BBS that's available for those
"needing a Ferrengi fix". I'm able to run a local version of L.O.R.D.
4.06 and L.O.R.D. II with no nightly maintenance issues.

There are also several other doors that do have maintenance, but
they don't take as long to run, and appear rarely used anyway.

I may end up doing a fresh install of 3.19b -- and that will take
awhile.

you have made an error in your configuration or you have made an error in whatever batchfile you are using.

you havent posted screenshots of your configuration, correct?
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sun Jan 16 2022 07:12 am

I went through the batchfile, and apparently I can sacrifice 5
doorgames, as their maintenance takes the longest time. Those
include local versions of Trade Wars 2002 and Trade Wars Services
(for version 2 of the game), Trade Wars Gold, VGA Planets, L.O.R.D.
II Complete New World (local) and Terra Firma. Those doors also
have gotten little usage recently, and there's a version of Trade
Wars 2002 Game Services on Valhalla BBS that's available for those "needing a Ferrengi fix". I'm able to run a local version of L.O.R.D. 4.06 and L.O.R.D. II with no nightly maintenance issues.

It doesn't sound like your batch file Daryl, but if you want to be sure, run your batch file manually from a dos command window from whatever directory you have your batch file set to run in, If it runs, you have eliminated that.

I have a feeling that you have exited setup wrong, or typed in a wrong command somewhere in the event section running other events, or you have installed a program in windows that has corrupted your event structure. Anything is possable. Take your time, and check out how your events are setup to make sure you don't have a miss type. I've done it here before. It would help if you would show us the logs, as another pair of eyes sometime work wonders.

Hope this helps some.

SysOp: C.G. Learn, AKA: DesotoFireflite
Valhalla Home Services! - (Synchronet) - bbs.valhallabbs.com
Valhalla II! - (GAP) - bbs.valhallabbs.com:24
Valhalla III! - (RemoteAccess) - bbs.valhallabbs.com:5023
Valhalla Home Services Web! - http://bbs.valhallabbs.com
A Gamers Paradise - Over 150 Registered Online Game Doors!

Home Of Odin's Maze Game Server!
Come Play Trade Wars On Valhalla's T.W.G.S!

--- Don't eat the yellow snow!
þ Synchronet þ Valhalla Home Services þ USA þ http://valhalla.synchro.net
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sun Jan 16 2022 07:12 am

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Digital Man to Daryl Stout on Sun Jan 16 2022 02:45 am

Rob,

What does the event log output say when that happens?

Exited with Error Level 255.

BTW, reviewing your configuration:

Native Executable/Script: No
Use Shell Or New Context: No

*Both* of those should be set to Yes when executing a shell script or batch file on Windows.

Like the SCFG help screen says (for the "Use Shell" option):

If this command line requires the system command shell to execute
(e.g. uses pipes/redirection or invokes a Unix shell script or
DOS/Windows batch/command file), then set this option to Yes.
--
digital man (rob)

Breaking Bad quote #3:
Please tell me: how much is enough? How big does this pile have to be? - Skyler Norco, CA WX: 70.7øF, 32.0% humidity, 1 mph S wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Rob,

I'm asking you to paste the event thread log output at the time of the problem, just like I did here, as an example.

I'll have to get that data off of the BBS computer...as I reply to QWK
Mail off of another system. But, it basically won't let me create any new
timed events...as all of them return an error level of 255 when I try to
run them.

I may end up doing a fresh install of 3.19b -- and that will take
awhile.

I doubt that is necessary.

I decided just to zap the doors that took forever for their nightly maintenance to run. They weren't being used much anyway.

Daryl

... Relax...it's all a matter of 1's and 0's.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Rob,

BTW, reviewing your configuration:

Native Executable/Script: No
Use Shell Or New Context: No

*Both* of those should be set to Yes when executing a shell script or batch file on Windows.

Like the SCFG help screen says (for the "Use Shell" option):

I'll try that...but for the moment, I've removed the doors that were
little used, but took the most amount of time during nightly maintenance.

Daryl

... I'm an amateur crastinator. Some day, I'll turn pro.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sun Jan 16 2022 07:02 pm

Rob,

I'm asking you to paste the event thread log output at the time of the problem, just like I did here, as an example.

I'll have to get that data off of the BBS computer...

Please have easy access to your BBS files when requesting support.

as I reply to QWK
Mail off of another system. But, it basically won't let me create any new timed events...as all of them return an error level of 255 when I try to
run them.

No, it has nothing to do with "new timed events". It's simply the way you've configured yours, that it/they won't run.

I may end up doing a fresh install of 3.19b -- and that will take awhile.

I doubt that is necessary.

I decided just to zap the doors that took forever for their nightly maintenance to run. They weren't being used much anyway.

Or do that. <shrug>
--
digital man (rob)

Sling Blade quote #1:
Karl: I've killed Doyle with a lawn mower blade. Yes, I'm right sure of it. Norco, CA WX: 62.8øF, 43.0% humidity, 0 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Sun Jan 16 2022 07:02 pm

I'm asking you to paste the event thread log output at the time of the problem, just like I did here, as an example.

I'll have to get that data off of the BBS computer...as I reply to QWK

yes. you do have to get that off your bbs computer.
so people know what you are doing wrong.

Mail off of another system. But, it basically won't let me create any new timed events...as all of them return an error level of 255 when I try to
run them.

not runnin gand not creating them are two different things. which one is it?

I decided just to zap the doors that took forever for their nightly maintenance to run. They weren't being used much anyway.

so you removed the popular doorgames that are on bbses because you can't figure out how to make an event on your bbs.

why not just make a batchfile that uses taskkill to kill sbbsctrl, run your maint and then start the bbs up?

and why are you saying these maint events take a long time to run? they really shouldnt take long.

i think you have a lot of problems and you should eliminate them one by one. ---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

Re: Re: Event Won't Run
By: Daryl Stout to Digital Man on Thu Jan 13 2022 08:48 am

Mon Jan 10 12:34:23 2022 master/a3cb54710
term Node 1 <Daryl Stout> !VDD WriteFile(0xf60, 1) FAILURE (Error=38)

This is likely the same harmless log entry reported by DesotoFireflite and recently addressed:
http://git.synchro.net/gitpushlog.ssjs#9445866c80a38b5ee6c170ea8d68227c8497de03 --
digital man (rob)

Rush quote #28:
The future pre-decided, detached and subdivided in the mass production zone Norco, CA WX: 65.0øF, 13.0% humidity, 1 mph NNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)