Posting Length Limit: Database Error?

[Hootenanny]

Whilst attempting to preview a reply to a thread in the Tutorials Sub-forum I keep receiving a database error, the post is relatively long but I've never had any such problems before. Is there a limit of the length of the post or is the sever just acting up?

 

[JasonRox]

I hope you saved your post!

 

[Hootenanny]

I hope you saved your post!

Google Docs to the rescue!

 

[berkeman]

Yes there is a limit. I forget what it is, but I've hit it in some PMs that I've tried to send.

 

[Hootenanny]

Yes there is a limit. I forget what it is, but I've hit it in some PMs that I've tried to send.

Is there anyway round it without splitting up your post?

 

[berkeman]

Is there anyway round it without splitting up your post?

I always just cut it into two pieces (while cursing a bit) after getting the warning. A bit of a PITA, but I doubt there is a way around it. Anybody else know?

 

[Moonbear]

You won't get a database error for an overly long message, you'll get a message telling you that you've exceeded whatever the number of characters the maximum is. If you were getting a database error, yeah, that's the server acting up most likely.

If you are exceeding the maximum, you'll have to split up the post. The few times I've run into that problem (back when I first joined and would get overly enthusiastic about replying in great detail to questions ), I just titled the replies part 1 and part 2, etc.

 

[_Mayday_]

The limit in a forum post must be a few 1000...

 

[Evo]

The limit used to be 30,000 characters.

 

[Hootenanny]

You won't get a database error for an overly long message, you'll get a message telling you that you've exceeded whatever the number of characters the maximum is. If you were getting a database error, yeah, that's the server acting up most likely.

Well guy's I'm still getting the database error, the word count is 588 with 3158 characters.

 

[cristo]

Which thread are you trying to reply to? Perhaps try posting a short reply, and then edit it?

 

[Hootenanny]

Which thread are you trying to reply to? Perhaps try posting a short reply, and then edit it?

It's my own tutorial thread, I'm not quite ready to post it yet, I'm composing it on the forums so that I've got all the vB code already in and I can keep previewing it to make sure it displays correctly. Luckily, I'm also saving it in Google Docs as I go.

 

[Kurdt]

Whats the message you're getting exactly? Might help the admins track down the problem.

 

[Hootenanny]

Whats the message you're getting exactly? Might help the admins track down the problem.

Database Error
The Physics Help and Math Help - Physics Forums database has encountered a problem.
Please try the following:

* Load the page again by clicking the Refresh button in your web browser.
* Open the www.physicsforums.com home page, then try to open another page.
* Click the Back button to try another link.

The www.physicsforums.com forum technical staff have been notified of the error, though you may contact them if the problem persists.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

However, this only happens when my reply is large, for smaller replies this isn't the case, that is what lead me to believe that there was a posting limit, but my post length is nowhere near 30 000. Perhaps, the number of cycles is limited, there is a fair amount of LaTeX involved.

 

[awvvu]

If you view the page source you can see the specific database error in a comment.