Cyan's programming deleted the wrong avatar - twice!

Susa'n · **Posted:** Sun Sep 03, 2017 10:56 pm

I'm posting to warn you to refrain from attempting to delete any explorer avatars until Cyan fixes its deletion programming.

On two occasions (August 3 and September 2, 2017), I carefully selected a certain avatar for deletion and the program deleted another avatar instead.

I sent an email to the Cyan support team ([email protected]) and will keep you updated with their response. I do not anticipate a quick response because tomorrow is Labor Day holiday in the U.S.

Zaphod22 · **Posted:** Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:56 pm

Mac_Fife · **Posted:** Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:15 pm

I suspect there is no fault in the deletion code - it's been well tested and in use for a very long time (the only recent changes to it added an extra confirmation step) and the same code is used by virtually all the other shards without any similar problem. What I'd be more inclined to suspect is that some corruption of the vault nodes has crept in (akin to the problems that make the KI misbehave from time to time) that has resulted in the selected avatar being mis-identified.

Can you confirm that you are using the standard, Cyan distributed client?

Susa'n · **Posted:** Mon Sep 04, 2017 8:55 pm

Susa'n · **Posted:** Thu Sep 07, 2017 12:57 am

I speculate that Cyan did server maintenance on September 5 in response to my support ticket. viewtopic.php?f=36&t=28716

Thank you, Cyan!

Chogon · **Joined:** Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:13 pm **Posts:** 1059

I'm sorry you lost avatars that you did not intend to be deleted. And I am sorry that there is no way to resurrect deleted avatars.

As Mac_Fife said, this code has been working for a very long time without incident. The Cyan QA just heavily tested the avatar delete and had no failures. I looked at the server delete code and it is solid. And as far as I could tell there is no corrupt vault nodes in Susa'n's avatars.

I did look at the python code for the avatar delete and I found a *very* small window. When the “Delete Explorer” is hit the “Are you sure…” message is displayed. If you hit “OK” then the avatar list is displayed briefly (for 2/10ths of a second) and then the “WARNING: This is irreversible…” message is displayed.
It is possible, although exceedingly hard, to select a different avatar in between the “Are you sure…” and the “WARNING…” messages, when the avatar list is briefly shown. The “WARNING…” message gets the avatar name before the avatar list is shown and the actual delete gets the avatar after you hit “OK” the second time.
To get in this condition you would have to be somewhat click happy and somewhat unlucky. I don’t know if this is what happen to you but it is the only thing I could find.

--Chogon

Susa'n · **Posted:** Fri Sep 15, 2017 10:54 pm

Thank you for testing the program, checking my vault nodes and replying here, Chogon.

I'm 90% certain the avvie name I wanted to select for deletion on August 3 appeared in both pop-up boxes.

I'm 100% certain the avvie name I wanted to select for deletion on September 2 appeared in both pop-up boxes.

On both occasions (August 3 and September 2), I had four avatars in the first four slots of five possible avatars. I selected for deletion the avvie who was in Slot 4, but the avvie in Slot 2 was deleted instead.

By contrast, on two other occasions, I had three avatars in the first three slots of five possible avatars. When I selected for deletion the avvie who was in Slot 3, that avvie was properly deleted.

/scratchhead

Mac_Fife · **Posted:** Sat Sep 16, 2017 7:54 pm

Hmm... I guess that window probably ought to be closed, if possible.

JWPlatt · **Posted:** Sat Sep 16, 2017 11:14 pm

Avatar defenestration. Donate now to find a cure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNoXsV2X7bs

D'Lanor · **Posted:** Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:38 pm

That would be my programming then. :oops:

That second confirmation dialog was actually added to prevent accidental avatar deletions!

I was able to reproduce this with a fast double-click which removed the avatar directly beneath the "Yes" button even though it was not the one selected.
The timer window is not strictly necessary. However, if we skip it then compulsive double-clickers would have confirmed the second dialog before they notice it, which defeats its purpose.

The simple solution is probably to disable clicking altogether during the short timer window. For example by setting PtSetGlobalClickability(0) and then re-enable it afterwards with PtSetGlobalClickability(1).

I'm afraid someone else will have to try this because I have moved on (this was done way back in 2013) and I no longer have the necessary tools or testing environment.

Chogon · **Joined:** Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:13 pm **Posts:** 1059

Chogon · **Joined:** Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:13 pm **Posts:** 1059

Tai'lahr · **Posted:** Wed Sep 20, 2017 4:51 am

Gah, now I'm tempted to go into the cavern and start double-clicking on everything! :wink:

Jamie Marchant · **Posted:** Mon Oct 16, 2017 5:40 pm

WOW

did not expect that. Depending on your pointing device, accidentally double-clicking can be easy. I do this a lot with touchpads(but don't worry I use a mouse for MOULa). I am sorry to hear the loss of your avatars, Susa'n. I'll have to remember to test double-clicking things when testing MOULa(and other software) in the future.(it's not something you think of).

UPDATE: sometimes I double-click things when they seem not to respond and this has lead to issues with online programs like browsers and MOUla. So don't do this.

Cyan's programming deleted the wrong avatar - twice!

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