"A message may not have been sent; a timeout occurred"

[anonymous]

With Adium versions 0.85 and 0.87 (running on Mac OS 10.3.9, Netgear ADSL modem) I get the message "A message may not have been sent; a timeout occurred" one minute after sending a message, and then for every other message in that conversation until Adium is restarted. I use the MSN protocol and there doesn't seem to any particular event that triggers it, although I think it is conversation-specific; I've had the problem talking to one person but not talking to another at the same time.

If a fix isn't possible straight away can the timeout message delay be shorter? May be 30 seconds?

Thanks

[adium@…]

I'm seeing this problem as well, not exactly the same timeframe, but the same end result. OSX 10.4.4, AdiumX 0.88, saw nothing in console.app console.log or system.log relevant to the same time period the problem occured. What happens is, I can be chatting happily over MSN for hours, then at some stage, possibly if I've been idle for 10 or 20 minutes, I start getting message timeouts for any messages I send to any MSN contacts, yet they can still send me messages. The message is as above: "A message may not have been sent; a timeout occurred."

I'm able to cure it temporarily by signing out of MSN, then signing back in again. I don't see this behaviouar at all when using the official Microsoft client.

[tick]

Can someone try to duplicate this after 1.0?

[adium@…]

Adium is only up to version 0.89 to my knowledge. Where can I get hold of Adium 1.x to try it with? And can someone please email me when this bug is updated, I left my email here last time so that could happen, and didn't get this latest comment. This bug is still happening to me all the time.

[spacec0w]

I too have this problem quite regularly, using a wireless connection that just as regularly drops the connection. This is quite frustrating, like he said, is there some way to change the timeout? This doesn't happen with AIM when both protocols are connected at the same time--although I have some problems with people not receiving my messages (rarely, I think). Is there something I can do, any advice? Do you need more information? I am using 0.89 on Mac OS X 10.4.5, with a Powerbook G4 1.5 Ghz 12"

[tjw@…]

I too have this problem. I'm using a wireless network and it only happens with MSN conversations. Other MSN clients are able to send just fine, and I'm able to receive messages with Adium, jut not send after the first timeout.

Mac OS X 10.4.6 Adium 0.89.1 Multiple computers / hardware configs

[indiekiduk@…]

I been having this problem alot lately too. With MSN only. If it happens once I have to restart Adium. Havent checked if I can just sign out and in of MSN.

Adium 0.89.1 OS X 10.4.7

[tjw@…]

I still get this problem with the current beta. As usual, other MSN clients are able to send and receive normally. Unlike previous versions of Adium, sometimes I can temporarily correct the problem by closing the conversation window (and sometimes wait a little bit before retrying). I notice it happens most when other network intensive applications are running, even though other MSN clients have no issue with this.

[macman64]

I have the same problem with the current beta, very annoying!

[jas8522]

#6952

If it helps at all I may soon have some debug logging for this problem.

[am]

More info on this bug at #6316 and #6709.

[nickshanks]

For me this doesn't require any waiting, i just log in and it fails to send any MSN messages. I can receive them though.

[MrOaiki]

Having the same problem. Haven't had them forever, though, they started not too long ago. First few messages get through. Then it begins. Message after message timing out, never arriving. It's worse with some contacts. Others have no problems receiving my messages.

I don't know if I've found what triggers the bug, but I have a theory. I had two different MSN accounts active under Adium. I have now tried removing one of them, only using one. And all of a sudden I'm not getting any errorr messages. It might just be coincidence, the errors might come back. But at the moment, it seem to work. Could multiple MSN accounts be the reason behind it all?

[nickshanks]

No, that's not it. I only have one MSN account, and I always get this error (no message I send ever gets through).

[Robby]

I can't maintain any conversation in MSN due to this bug! :(

The priority should higher.

[Robby]

*be higher

[jas8522]

I assume it still doesn't work for you with 1.0.4?

Since updating to the recent AdiumBeta (1.0.5b) I haven't encountered this once, so I couldn't get any debug logging. There were a few fixes in libpurple 2.0.2 that were MSN specific, so one of those may have been the solution. Please try updating to the beta and let me know if this still occurs. If it does, go to the Adium Menu -> Debug window and check the box to enable debug logging. When you have reproduced the problem with that enabled, attach it as a text file to this ticket.

[Robby]

I am using 1.1b1, I also encountered this bug in 1.0.4.

I hope I'll get the chance to post a debug log...

The guys I met in #pidgin didn't show much interest in this issue. The last thing I read was "Don't use MSN".

This is always very helpful when friends only use one IM-service. :(

[bobo_italy]

I'm having the same problem under 1.0.4. I will wait for 1.0.5 eagerly to see if it has been fixed. Anyway, I want to add my 2 cents: the problem appears to be only between libpurple (Adium, Pidgin, ...) clients, not between libpurple and the "real" MSN client. Hope this helps.

[Robby]

I don't think my friend uses a third party app for MSN.

[Robby]

In the meantime, I have noticed something: This problem only occurs when I use the iTunes status, I think.

[Robby]

s/only/more often

[bobo_italy]

We tried today and it's still there.

To reproduce:

• open a tab with a msn contact
• write something, he can reply to you also
• wait three minutes
• write something more, your buddy won't receive anything.

With the MSN client it takes much more time to show the problem.

Thanks

[boredzo]

bobo_italy: Are you using the iTunes status when this occurs, as Robby mentioned?

[bobo_italy]

Me and my buddy are not using it. I had iTunes opened, but it was not playing anything.

[boredzo]

That's not what I asked. Did you have the iTunes status selected in the Status menu?

[bobo_italy]

I said we don't use it; the second phrase was unrelated to iTunes status, but only to iTunes, sorry I forgot to see the preview (they had to be on different lines...).

[boredzo]

Do you use any scripts in your status message or profile?

[bobo_italy]

No, we don't use any.

[nickshanks]

The bug is unrelated to the iTunes status. I do not use this status setting and still see the bug. Indeed the bug exists on systems where iTunes has never even been launched. boredzo: please contact me if you cannot reproduce this.

[giusva]

I have the same problem. I noticed that this happen very frequently with other adium contacts (with 1.0.x) and pidgin users. The timeout also appeared while talking with MSN users (that use Live Messenger), but only if them write to me and then after many minutes the conversation is restarted.

[stalefries]

Sorry to rain on your parade, guys, but this is not a bug. This is actually something that the MSN servers do. Whenever a conversation is idle 60 seconds, it "closes" the conversation. I imagine this is done to prevent too many connections opened with the server.

On the other hand, the proper way to "fix" this would be to fix a separate bug; Adium cannot start MSN conversations. I've been using MSN for nearly a year now, and this bug has been present for as long as I can remember. Since the MSN servers close the conversation, it needs to be re-opened before any more messages can be properly sent. I imagine that analysis of the network traffic would prove what I am saying.

[boredzo]

nickshanks: I haven't seen the message myself, but then, I almost never use MSN.

[stalefries]

Note: I rarely (if ever) use the iTunes status message. I only have 1 MSN account, and until yesterday I only used Adium for MSN.

[Robby]

I encountered this annoying problem again, today. It happened after a long a little pause, maybe one or two minutes, in the conversation.

[Robby]

Forget "a long", lol. I'm tired...

[flamejob]

If it helps, I get this an awful lot.

v1.1.2 OS X 10.4.10 MacPro

[stalefries]

I've been running the latest beta, and recently switched back to Adium from the official MSN client (the only reason I used the official client was because of this issue). Using the latest beta, I've had a couple of chances to invoke the wrath of this bug, and it seems to have been fixed. There have been a couple of 1-2 minute gaps, and I was still able to send messages. For example, a clip from a transcript:

{{{5:00:22 PM Me: oh 5:02:35 PM Me: hey, can you see this? 5:02:44 PM My buddy: see what 5:02:47 PM Me: hmm 5:03:03 PM Me: it seems that MSN has been fixed in Adium }}}

Notice the 2 minute 13 second gap between the first two messages.

[jas8522]

stalefries, what doesn't make any sense about your reasoning for this problem is that there are many other people who never encounter (or previously encountered this) with a 1-2 minute gap between messages... in fact since 1.0.5 I have never encountered this problem yet I leave message windows open for extended periods of time with a gap between message often much longer than your suggested 1-2 minutes. This is of course with MSN as my primary protocol.

flamejob, if you're still encountering this, then try out the latest AdiumBeta and visit the Adium menu -> debug window and enable logging. When you encounter this problem grab the corresponding portion of the log and attach it here as a file (don't paste it in the window).

[stalefries]

jas8522, I don't know what to say. My conclusion makes the most sense to me: the MSN servers are closing the "conversation" after 60 seconds, and Adium doesn't know to reopen the conversation to continue sending messages. It may be that an update of libpurple has fixed this somewhere between when this was reported and now.

[NocturnDragon]

I've been encountering this problem since the first version I used, it was around 0.85 or so. And I still am with 1.1.3.

It's really easy for me to reproduce it. Just log on msn with adium, reboot my router, After a little while all the services will reconnect. After that happens, I can still receive messages on msn, but if I sent them I will get this error.

To solve it I need to close and relaunch adium, or just disconnect manually from msn and reconnect.

I get this error both on a macbook and a 2.2GHz mac book pro.

[mangee]

Replying to NocturnDragon:

I've been encountering this problem since the first version I used, it was around 0.85 or so. And I still am with 1.1.3.

I too get this error frequently on MSN chats. Version 1.1.3. I recall it used to say the remote user has closed the connection in a previous version (I forget which), but now just the timeout error message.

Pondering it a changign status message (such as iTunes) would help keep connection open? Some chats don't seem to timeout.

[sabaoth]

I completely agree with the point stalefries make. There's that thing, called the switchboard, which keeps on closing when there is no activity in the conversation. You can see it in action when using AMSN. It prints a message anytime a switchboard session is opened or closed.

I usually get these timeouts, but not always. It might depend on the server load, or it might depend on my ISP's load, or any other thing. The point is that sometimes Adium is not able to reopen the switchboard session and messages keep on being undelivered.

By the way, the Miranda guys had (or have) the same problem:

 http://forums.miranda-im.org/archive/index.php?t-5437.html

AMSN seems to work fine. Maybe they coud put some light on this.

[mrbay]

Just wanted to make sure guys at Adium knows, THIS BUG STILL EXISTS! I've just updated to the newest version, but this bug is still there.. Is there any chance that you will solve this? I am getting really tired of quitting the client everytime this bug happens..

[zacw]

This is a bug in libpurple; most development work on MSNP9 code has been redirected to getting MSNP14 working, so it's unlikely you'll see this fixed before MSNP14 is deployed.

[stalefries]

Does anyone have a rough estimate for when we'll see MSNP14 deployed?

[Robby]

 #p3330 looks similar.

[aragost]

@Robby: yes, I think it's the same issue.

@stalefries: unfortunately, there is no estimate. MSNP14 has been in the works since aeons, and though there is a Milestone for it in the pidgin project progress is pretty slow (to be euphemistic).

[Geppo1982]

I've the same problem. (Adium 1.3b3)

[Striker]

I get this error very frequently.. We have a flaky internet connection here and if it drops out for more than a couple of minutes I nearly always get this error.. (Haven't noticed it under any other situations). When it occurs any messages I send aren't received and incoming messages don't get through either. I've noticed that it also doesn't update my contact list after this occurs , so I miss when friends log in and out or change status, almost as if it thinks it's still online but isn't sending/receiving any traffic..

I can fix this either by logging out and then in again or just restarting Adium.. either seems to work fine.. And I'll suddenly see contacts who weren't showing as online before but are now, and vice versa.. Often when I log out after trying to send messages and getting suspicious this bug is in action I will get the message "A message may not have been sent; a timeout occurred" and "A switchboard error has occurred, message may not have been sent." (Not sure of the exact wording of the second one, can't remember fully off the top of my head.. :P)

This is not just a bug for the msn protocol.. It also affects the xfire plugin that I use (Xblaze).

Hope this helps.. (Adium 1.2.7)

[Wim Leers]

I too experience this problem frequently, for *many months* now. So frequently, that it often becomes impossible for me to chat in the first place. Even Pidgin users (on Linux) I know experience the same problem (switchboard and connection timeout errors).

This makes me suspect that either the libpurple code is buggy, or – less likely – Adium's code that interacts with libpurple is buggy.

[Dimmuxx]

MSN is really sensitive to connection problems and if your connection is unstable this will happen a lot. MSNp15 which will be used in 1.3.2 have changed a thing regarding switchboard connections that hopefully will mean that this will happen less frequently at least.

[donsherio]

Replying to Dimmuxx:

MSN is really sensitive to connection problems and if your connection is unstable this will happen a lot. MSNp15 which will be used in 1.3.2 have changed a thing regarding switchboard connections that hopefully will mean that this will happen less frequently at least.

Thats great news if the source of the problem can be fixed by this. I have had this issue also, where certain contacts are really picky with this bug and others aren't. My messages just sometimes don't go through and I get really frustrated with it. I'm SOO excited for 1.3.2... so many bug fixes that actually matter to me!

[apaterson]

Replying to donsherio:

Replying to Dimmuxx:

MSN is really sensitive to connection problems and if your connection is unstable this will happen a lot. MSNp15 which will be used in 1.3.2 have changed a thing regarding switchboard connections that hopefully will mean that this will happen less frequently at least.

Thats great news if the source of the problem can be fixed by this. I have had this issue also, where certain contacts are really picky with this bug and others aren't. My messages just sometimes don't go through and I get really frustrated with it. I'm SOO excited for 1.3.2... so many bug fixes that actually matter to me!

Adium 1.3.2 doesn't fix it. I'm still getting this problem and it is irritating the hell out of me! I'm positive it's my dodgy router, but other clients work perfectly.

[jackietreehorn]

Replying to apaterson:

Adium 1.3.2 doesn't fix it. I'm still getting this problem and it is irritating the hell out of me! I'm positive it's my dodgy router, but other clients work perfectly.

I still experience this problem as well. Running Adium 1.3.2 on Macbook pro (10.5.5). I have a wrt54g router running ddwrt

[macdamon]

I don't know how probative this is to anything, but I've been getting the "A message may not have been sent because a timeout occurred" in msn? messages for a few months... until today.

Last night I went back through my chat transcripts and found what I believed to be the first instance of the message (the timeout messages themselves aren't in the logs, but me complaining about it was). The date corresponded to the release of 1.3.2.

I downgraded to 1.3.1 this morning and no longer have this problem (quantified by going several hours without a timeout message, whereas with 1.3.2 I couldn't have gone 10 minutes without at least one).

Is this diagnostically relevant? What can I do to make this distinction between versions more diagnostically relevant?

[Dimmuxx]

This problem usually happens when you or the contact you are trying to send messages to have packet loss or an unstable connection. 1.3.3b1+(I think this change was done after 1.3.2 was released.) tries to resend the message once before it show this error message. Some clients might just drop the message without reporting the error and some maybe try to resend it a couple of times. I don't know what msn-pecan does which is used in 1.3.0-1.3.1.

[snatflazin]

I just went back to 1.3.1 this morning and haven't seen an issue yet, but it's worth noting that I've definitely noticed a trend with this error. It happens constantly while I'm at work (University, backbone of a T3 or T1 line... probably lots of packet loss) but only when I'm talking to other mac users using Adium or linux users using Pigin. I never see this error when I'm talking to plain MSN users. This timeout error has been consistent for months. I sort of don't want to go back to 1.3.1 on a permanent basis, but seriously, getting this error so frequently is ridiculous. I don't see it often at home, but all the time at my office where I use Adium the most.

Anyway, I just thought it would be useful since no one else has pointed out a connection between who you're chatting with. I've never seen a timeout error while chatting with an ordinary windows MSN user.

[aragost]

My update in response to what snatflazin just wrote. I happen to have a fiber connection at home, so maybe there's a link on this point. The weird thing is that I'm quite sure it has happened to me with people using straight MSN; what I don't know is the precise version of msn these people are using. I might collect some stats on this if I remember to do it as soon as it happens.

[zacw]

Closing all "waiting on libpurple" tickets. There's no reason to keep them around as open, and largely go ignored anyway. File a ticket at  http://developer.pidgin.im for any functionality you want to see.

[anonymous]

Milestone Waiting on libpurple deleted