Internal Server Error 500 - 'download As '.zip File'

Hi,

A client tried to download all photos in a gallery as a zip file and received the following error:

Internal Server Error

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

Please contact the server administrator, and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.

More information about this error may be available in the server error log.

I logged in as the user and tried and received the same message.

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Might be hitting some limit. How many files on the order and are they the original upload file sizes or resized ones?

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173 files at or around 2.5 3 Mb each.

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Are you getting the server error right when you click the download button or does it take some time then show the error, like a couple of minutes.

I think I am probably going to have to make a way so the files are split up into separate zip files. Putting 100+ photos seem to be a bit much for the server to process.

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Hi Tim,

Yes, the error message was taking a minute or two to generate, so I would agree that it may be when the maximum zip file size is reached.

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Tim,

I having this issue as well.

I have 31 photo's that are 22mb each or so...

Error is displayed a few minutes after clicking the button to download the zip.

Any suggestions?

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It is probably too many and too large of files for the server to process the zip file.

Go to Settings -> Photo Settings and decrease "Download Zip File Limit" some.

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Tim,

I've dropped that setting from the default value to a value of 20 and it's still occurring.

As a Windows System Administrator, I am curious as to where the technical limitation is occurring. I'd like to discuss the issue in some depth if at all possible, even offline if needed.

I really do not like breaking the zip file into smaller bits, as it starts to get a bit clumsy and complicated for customers to follow.

Since even a low end workstation has no issues building a zip file, I'm struggling to understand how a server cannot build a 300-400mb zip file.

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Can you change the option to something like 3 and see if it works?

The limitations mainly come from PHP settings like max execution time & memory limit. If you are able to download just 3 in a zip file then it is probably one of those settings.

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I have changed to a value of "3" and it has allowed me to download the zip file, however the file is corrupt.

What I want to know is how to resolve the PHP limitation as I'm fairly confident most customers are not going to want to download photo's one by one or even in multiple chunks.

Can you help me work with my hosting company (Godaddy) to resolve?

Edited Wed Aug 12, 15 5:06 PM by James Gillette

The PHP limits are generally set by the host. I have code in Sytist to try to increase those limits, but sometimes hard limits are set by the host.

In the sy-inc -> store -> store_download_zip.php file (which generates the zip file), there are some ini_sets to try to increase those.


ini_set('max_execution_time',8000);
set_time_limit(50);
ini_set('memory_limit', '1024M');

You can try to edit that file and increase those values to see if it helps.


ini_set('max_execution_time',16000);
set_time_limit(100);
ini_set('memory_limit', '2048M');

However it might not go higher than the hard limit set by the host.

The master values are in a php.ini file. You may or may not have access to that file with your hosting account. If not, you can check with your host to see if those values can be increased.

If you are using shared hosting with godaddy, they may not increase those.

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Thank you Tim!

I'll play around with what I can and contact GD, this will be important enough for me to change hosting companies if they cannot resolve.

I do love your product and intend to stay with it, so far this is the only limitation that I have run into :(

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Tim,

Adjusting the store_download_zip.php values did indeed increase the number of files that could be zipped, however we are still a long ways off..think I successfully zipped 15 photo's.

If I can zip 50, I'd be happy for now.

I was told GD does not cap the PHP values, in fact I was told I do not have a php.ini file in the root of the public_html folder but that I could place one in there myself and set the values to whatever I want, so long as I don't cross over my plans resource allowance.

Currently I'm on the max shared hosting plan and am hitting the 2mb/sec I/O limit.

I've tried increasing the store_download_zip.php values to absurd values but It doesn't seem to help me get past 15 photos.

Do you have a PHP.INI file I could try, or do you think the I/O limitation of 2mb/sec is causing a timeout in Sytist that causes it to abort?

Any other suggestions?

Maybe move to VPS?

Edited Thu Aug 13, 15 6:00 PM by James Gillette

The php.ini file you can add may or may not override the settings. You would probably have to either go to another host or a VPS. Checkout the VPS options at https://www.knownhost.com/

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Sorry Tim,

Being a bit impatient I have signed up for Dreamhosting VPS and will attempt migration to the VPS.

I will update this thread on my success or failure to resolve this issue :)

Here's hoping DreamHosting VPS works smoothly.

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I am having the same issue as James Gillette. I have adjusted the upload sizes of my images to the smallest I am comfortable uploading them and I have changed the values in the "In the sy-inc -> store -> store_download_zip.php file" and no change. I can't seem to get more than 7 files in a zipped folder and it actually download. In October it would let me put 16 files in a folder and then one day it quit working so I dropped the number of files per folder and it was working at 12 when about a month later it quit working again and giving me the "Internal Server Error 500". Now I can only get 7 per folder. I use Godaddy for hosting and I have the maximum number of resources for a shared server and have spoken with Godaddy support and they see no reason on their end why I can not get more files in a zipped folder (they say they have no hard limits on resources). How do I find out where the issue is coming from? Godaddy is wondering if there is a specific PHP extension that sytist uses?

Edited Mon Jan 08, 18 9:05 PM by Jaime Johnson

This has to do with the hosting / server. The server will only be able to generate so many photos per zip depending on several different factors (server speed, cpu, memory, etc .... the photos sizes, if the photos are getting resized for the download or getting watermarked / logoed. ).

It uses the PHP ZIP function / extention.

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Sorry it took me so long to follow up with this topic! I'm still having the issue and my photos are not getting watermarked and the photos are not getting resized for download and the photos are still high resolution but not even original resolution because I make them a little smaller when I upload them to sytist. According to Godaddy I have the maximum amount of resources that I can have on a shared server and they see no reason that a zipped folder can not be created. The even monitored my resources while my site was trying to make a zipped folder and it was not maxing out ANY of my resources. Is it possible there is some kind of miscommunication between the sytist software and godaddy? I really need this to work. This is one of the big reasons I purchased this software. I'm very new to building websites and dealing with hosting and I really have no idea what to do next to find out where the issue is really coming from. Godaddy says is an issue with how sytist is zipping the folders and your telling me it's a problem with godaddy servers and I am a third party going back and forth with out any real knowledge of how all this works together. How can I find out where the issue is?

Edited Tue Apr 24, 18 9:02 PM by Jaime Johnson

Check out this gallery in the demo:
http://www.sytist.net/clients/places-around-the-world/

At the top of the page in the header is a download icon to download all photos in a zip file. This gallery has 50 images in it and I have it set to put 50 images in a zip file. Test it out and you will see it works. It all has to do with the resources on the server.

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I totally believed that it works, I was just concerned that there was some kind of issue with communication between sytist and godaddy. But, fyi, I was also having an issue with the free instant downlaods and you gave me a link to manually update my site ( https://www.picturespro.com/support-forum/sytist/index.php?t=38080-urgent-individual-free-downloads-err_empty_response-page) and that also fixed my zipped folder issue. I can now get 18 LARGE images per zipped folder where as yesterday I could only get it to zip 3. Is it possible that godaddy did an update last October (when I first started having this issue) that started causing this issue? And, if it happens again (as it did this past December) could this be something that a tweak on my sytist site could fix if you know what the update was?

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The problem is not Sytist!

The problem is GO DADDY.

Change your hosting!
Get you a dedicated plan or go with Saratoga and use Amazon AWS for hosting your photos.

I was at 1and1 and had to limit the client batch hi-res files to 5 at a time. Because of that I am in the habit of zipping all the files separately and FTP uploads to the server and emailing the client a link. I have also used 'we transfer' and 'drop box'.

I have found from talking with my clients they prefer to single click download their favorite images anyway.

Two months ago I changed to Saratoga Hosting. Admittingly, I haven't tried the batch Sytist hi-res downloads with Saratoga but only because I already have a workable alternative.

Just realize there are abundant online system resources between the host, Sytist and the online connection from the client to the server that is beyond your control (or Sytist control) to online batch hi-res images for a zip file download.

Edited Wed Apr 25, 18 12:02 PM by M Davis

Hey M Davis,
I appreciate your info. I really want the zipped folder downloads to work so I can track who and when they have been downloaded and it has quit working for me again. I have to do something so I think I'm gonna try switching to a different host. Is Saratoga still working well for you? Have you tried the zipped folder downloads yet by any chance?

Thanks,
Jaime

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I have not tried it with Saratoga, but Every review I've seen about this issue with Sytist is that Saratoga will be the only host - on a shared hosting plan - that can do the max images you may need to download as a zip file. The only other option would be a dedicated server but you are talking $$$$$ for one. Depending on your volume that might be the way to go. However, I haven't seen anyone post on this forum going to a dedicated server after using Saratoga.

My recommendation would be to use Saratoga. I am positive they will work for a sharing hosting among all other hosts available.

I have no vested interest in Saratoga no endorsement or anything. Just my honest opinion.

Edited Fri May 18, 18 1:41 PM by M Davis

Hey Tim,
I started having this issue again and GoDaddy wants to know what all of the specific PHP Settings are that Sytist uses and they can put all of those manually. Sadly, switching hosts is not really an option for me right now because they will not prorate a refund for me so I want to try one more time to see if I can get it to work consistently.

Thanks

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PHP settings

memory_limit: 512M Or even 1024M
upload_max_filesize 30M
post_max_size 30M
max_execution_time: 120

But I don't think those changes would make much difference. It is more about the quality and power of the server to generate those zip files.

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