Author Topic: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid" (Read 1871 times)

lcdweb · January 12, 2009, 10:23:41 am

I think we need some improved error behavior with the profile search tool. If I open up a profile search page in the frontend of a site and run a search, and then leave the form open --- when I return to the form after some time and run another search, I get an "Could not find valid value for gid" error.

This happens because the profile search starts a session, and when I return at a later time, the session has expired, leading to the error. This can be replicated on the sandbox:
http://joomla.demo.civicrm.org/index.php?option=com_civicrm&Itemid=59

Preferred behavior is that it returns the user to the search form with a fresh session started, or ideally, creates the session when the attempt to run a new search is begun (most seamless behavior).

I've had users report the problem, so I don't think it's one of those things that is uncommon enough it can be overlooked.

lcdweb · June 08, 2009, 11:45:36 am

I'm running into this problem again. Is there any way to extend the session length as a workaround?

Dave Greenberg · June 08, 2009, 04:51:42 pm

Not sure if / how we can fix this (but smarter minds may know :-)). The current behavior does seem pretty funky for a public-facing interface :-(

One idea might be to include a hidden field in the search form with the profile's gid - and tweak the postProcess to pick this up if the session has expired???

Can you file an issue for this and we'll see what can be done....

lcdweb · June 08, 2009, 06:14:30 pm

http://issues.civicrm.org/jira/browse/CRM-4592

Chatted with lobo on irc about this. He was going to give it some thought.

If the primary use of the session is to retain the entered values for the search form fields, could those be modified to use url variables instead? There's some benefit to that anyway, as it lets people copy and send a specific search criteria set.

Donald Lobo · June 09, 2009, 06:59:25 am

I dont think this is a trivial issue and dont have an easy (or hard) workaround for this currently.

Not exactly sure why joomla restricts its admin session to some time (15 mins by default?). I think drupal keeps it forever

lobo

lcdweb · June 09, 2009, 07:06:04 am

I understand.

Limiting the session time is a security measure. You know, if you walk away from your computer you don't want admin access available indefinitely. 15min. is a pretty short default, but it's easily configurable. And I've adjusted that as a short term solution.

Thanks for looking into it.

Donald Lobo · June 09, 2009, 07:08:30 am

the session time i understand. But its wierd that the joomla folks think that this is secure while the drupal folks dont

most web services out there keep u logged on forever (or at least a few weeks), so the security argument does not seem too sound, IMO

lobo

lcdweb · June 09, 2009, 07:32:12 am

well, I wouldn't say drupal folks aren't concerned at all about this -- there's plenty of discussion on the drupal forums:
http://drupal.org/node/16217

it's just that Joomla provides native control over this setting directly in the admin interface, and Drupal makes you configure through php settings or fiddle with add-on modules to try to come up with a solution...

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Author Topic: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid" (Read 1871 times)

lcdweb

Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"

lcdweb

Re: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"

Dave Greenberg

Re: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"

lcdweb

Re: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"

Donald Lobo

Re: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"

lcdweb

Re: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"

Donald Lobo

Re: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"

lcdweb

Re: Profile Search: "Could not find valid value for gid"