forecastfox for PM; trouble reloading weather data

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Bytram

forecastfox for PM; trouble reloading weather data

Unread post by Bytram » 2018-08-11, 11:21

Hi! Longtime user of Pale Moon, first time on this forum.

When my internet connection drops out for a period of a few minutes and then returns (sometimes with a different IPv4 address), if FF4PM tries to "Reload weather data" before I can hover over the radar icon and get a display, the addon will fail to ever load new weather data. Leaves the update spinner spinning with "Connection Error (x)" displayed. The only way I have found that will allow updated weather data to be retrieved when it reaches this state is to close PM and then start it up again... which forces me to re-download at least a dozen tabs.

But, if I mouse-in / mouse-out over the radar icon until I get an actual radar image displayed, *that* seems to initialize things so that normal retrieval of weather data proceeds successfully.

Background: I used Firefox from back when it was called Phoenix (and Netscape before that), changed to pale moon over 3 years ago (v24.6.2 and now at v27.9.4 (32-bit) on Win 7 64bit).

Have used Forecastfox for years. Eventually changed to using "Forecastfox for Pale Moon" (FF4PM). Just reloaded v1.0.0.0 (Updated on July 18, 2018).

I've seen this going back for at least a year, probably more... so I suspect this is an issue that was inherited by this latest version of Forecastfox.

Based on what I have observed, my suspicion is that there is an initialization that is performed as part of initially starting up FF4PM, that is not repeated when one performs a "Reload weather data" operation.

Other symptoms:
1.) When I hover my mouse cursor over the 5-day-display icon, it sometimes truncates the amount of information displayed so that it is the same size as that of the radar display.
2.) When I hover my mouse cursor over and single day/night icon, the displayed information is displayed within a box of the same size as that of the radar display with the day/night information presented in its normal position/size. IOW, there is a large dark background (radar-image-sized) viewport with an inset of the requested information in the upper left-hand corner of that viewport.

A) Has anyone else experienced this?
B) Have you found any better mitigation than restarting Pale Moon?

riiis
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Re: forecastfox for PM; trouble reloading weather data

Unread post by riiis » 2018-08-11, 14:40

Bytram wrote:When my internet connection drops out for a period of a few minutes and then returns ...
Your issues with Forecastfox may result entirely from your undependable internet connection or the quality of your internet connection. You might try testing the speed of your connection (such as with http://www.speedtest.net/) to determine if you're getting the speed of internet connection you need and are paying for. You might try working with your current internet provider to determine if your current internet connection needs repair or upgrade. Or you might determine you need to change your internet provider. However, if the issues you're experiencing do not result from a poor internet connection (or that a poor internet connection exists but cannot be fixed at this time)-- following are other steps you might try:

First, open Forecastfox Options and write down your settings. Change to the default icon set ("AccuWeather.com Iconic"). See if this change fixes the issues you're experiencing.

If issues are not fixed by changing to the default icon set, click the "restore all defaults" button on the options page. Re-enter your current weather location and delete the default location if not used. Change other settings (such as "Units") if needed. Leave optional settings (such as "Icons") unchanged, for the time being. See if these measures fix the issues you're experiencing.

If not fixed, consider removing the forecastfox extension entirely and reinstalling. After removing but before reinstalling, check "about:config" for entries containing the forecastfox GUID ("extensions.{4d60e663-9c10-48d9-895a-801285687ced}."). Reset all such entries. Your Pale Moon profile should contain a "forecastfox.sqlite" file. The "restore all defaults" process should have replaced this file with a fresh "forecastfox.sqlite" file. However, I recommend making a backup copy of this file, then deleting the file. Then reinstall "Forecastfox for Pale Moon".
The only way I have found that will allow updated weather data to be retrieved when it reaches this state is to close PM and then start it up again... which forces me to re-download at least a dozen tabs.
The Pale Moon "appmenu" (open from the "Pale Moon" button) and the Pale Moon "File" menu (open from the "Alt" key (in Windows)) contain "Restart" menus. Using "Restart" may avoid "re-download" of tabs.

Bytram

Re: forecastfox for PM; trouble reloading weather data

Unread post by Bytram » 2018-08-11, 19:07

Thank you for the *extensive* reply.

I was unaware of "Alt+File / Restart..." and look forward to giving that a try!

Yes, I *expected* the problem *does* depend on my internet connection being intermittent. My point was there seems to be a code path whereby an expected initialization is lost when a connection is re-established. I tried to provide examples which seemed to mitigate its occurrence as well as (hopefully) help identify its location in the code.

I fail to see how connection *speed* can be a factor. Are you suggesting that if I should be getting on-line using a dial-up 56k modem, that things might not work? It might run *really* slowly, but it should still work.

I know this sounds like a newbie question, but where on my disk is the profile stored? (I'd found it with firefox way back when, and hadn't needed to track it down for PM until now.)

I'll give the other suggestions a try but I, sadly, have to head in to work so probably won't be able to the other suggestions for another day or two. :(

Again, thank you VERY much for the detailed reply! And so quickly, too!

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Nigaikaze
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Re: forecastfox for PM; trouble reloading weather data

Unread post by Nigaikaze » 2018-08-11, 19:16

Bytram wrote:I know this sounds like a newbie question, but where on my disk is the profile stored?
Easiest way to find out: in Pale Moon, under Help > Troubleshooting Information, look for "Profile Folder" under "Application Basics" and then click on the "Open Folder" button. That opens up your profile folder.
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