Attached Link: http://spinner.northern-studios.com/rendo.gif

Rendo had an oopsie an hr or so ago, and the following came up on my screen when I wanted to do a search for who did the v3/m3tools in the poser forum: [SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT * FROM Member WHERE UserName = 'spinner' AND is_competitor = 'Y'] Spinner is a mod at 3-D Arena. Spinner has been a mod at 3-D Arena since August 2003, which is quite a while _after_ the merchant lockout brouhaha here last year. Spinner is not exactly a merchant either, she does newsletter-freebies and site support stuff over at 3-D Arena. So, my question is - if that post in the database is outdated - why has it been updated regarding me when I am not exactly competition, or a merchant ? Why is that post there at all ? ~S

This came up a while ago - basically everyone is marked as a competitor unless they've signed up for the terms of access to the vendors' area at Renderosity. The flag should really be "is not a certified non-competitor"

basically everyone is marked as a competitor unless they've signed up for the terms of access to the vendors' area at Renderosity. Hmmm...not sure how to feel about that bit of info..

Dear Spinner, Thank you for letting us know about your concerns regarding the SQL error. Please understand that it has nothing to do with your account, or with you personally. It is simply an erroneous choice of wording on underlying code to find out if someone has access to the Merchant forum or not. Any member that is not a merchant would likewise see that same error code. We will be updating that as soon as possible to better reflect it's function. Best wishes, LillianH

Thanks for the reply, Lillian, but my curiousity isnt quite sated here; clunky is one thing, but most experienced db designers usually name a recodset for what it is. I fail to see why is_competitor is simpler than is_rmpmerchant, and why rmpmerchant or something akin to it wasnt chosen instead of that clunky word. It would probably also be simpler to tie phrase into other tables, and probably not make users raise an eyebrow when the database went away because there are Admins and competitors in the recordsets. I'll leave it there. ~S

I suspect that the people that wrote the original coding were not thinking about how an audience would view what was, to them, internal code for programming convenience. This came up last year. The explanation was the same then as it is now. Which tells me sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and doesn't represent any thing other than stinky smoke, wet tobacco, yellow teeth and bad breath, no matter how sex obsessed Freud insists on being. The fact is I (who sell nothing on any site, here or elsewhere) have the same coding. It doesn't seem very important in the big scheme of things, unless one wants to make it so. That's always a choice you have. Shrug.

Dialyn - I said I was going to leave it alone. I have programmed databases, hence my questions about the table/recordset and the why and how - I was involved in one of the biggest databases in Norway, the directory inquiries one running on Unix with Oracle with gazillions of recordsets. I dont claim to be a guru or more than competent, but I do ask questions from a corner with -some- experience. So - please leave me to enjoy my choice of --leaving-- it alone after I have stated my opinion, I think that would work for all of us, yes ?. ~S

I keep getting SQL errors and the navigation bar at the top keeps having ??? in front of all of the choices and if you click them it takes you to a page where the whole body is SQL error....makes it difficult but not impossible to navigate back and forth...Need a fix for this...not sure what to fix if its my side of it...If it's your coding I will just make do but would like to know if it's me as I would like to fix it....tried flushing the cache but no effect..heard that phatbot trojan was attacking SQL servers but not sure if that applies here....sorry...posted here because the thread mentions SQL errors...

Hi DragonWizard, Just wanted you to know we will be looking into this. Thanks for making us aware of it. Best regards, LillianH Renderosity PR

Hi DragonWizard, I checked and its working on our end. (May have been a different story at the time you were having these problems though.) This generally only happens when the database isn't accessible. I have an all clear here. I am hoping you are all clear as well. Please let us know if you are still having trouble. Best wishes, LillianH

Still the same here...would it help if I sent the exact error message??? can even send a screenshot of the page as a whole....still checking my side and will post this at Apple as well to see if anyone else is having this problem...could very well be me (well, my 'puter at least...lol)...I will PM you a copy of the coding of the error message.....DW

Thanks DragonWizard, I received your message with the specifics. We'll have a closer look and let you know what we find. Thanks, LillianH

On a related note - is it really good practice to splat your SQL statements out to the web browser at all? It's anyone's guess what personal data/schema you might reveal that way. Surely MySQL is not that lax? :(

That old link WAS the problem LH...Thanx for the help...tell the Techs I said great job...it was really starting to get me....Now all works great again...guess I better start coming in the front door instead of climbing in thru the window, eh????..lol...your the greatest....DW

Glad to hear all is working well again DragonWizard! I'll pass along the compliment. Best wishes, LillianH

And don't forget to take a compliment for yourself...after all your the one that decided to help me...for that you get the main compliment....

Thank you DragonWizard! My pleasure to help any time :-) Runs off carrying compliment in hand... LillianH