Searching Error Conditions

Following is a list of error conditions that can occur when conducting a search or trying to get the next page of results in a search. This list is specific to the X-Server OSID, though many of these same conditions will apply to the Web2Bridge OSID as well.

X-Server Timeout

The X-Server timeout period is currently set to 60 seconds. The X-Server will return a timeout error if there is no response to an X-Service request within the timeout period. It is possible for a search (or next page request) to take longer than 60 seconds, however, since the X-Server OSID is making mulitple X-Service requests to complete a search or next page request from the Citation Search Tool.

Condition	OSID action	Citation Search Tool Action
X-Server login fails	Throw a METASEARCH_ERROR RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties	Catch the RepositoryException, search cannot be continued.
The user's X-Server session expires (they wait too long between search operations)	Throw a SESSION_TIMED_OUT RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties	Catch the RepositoryException, search cannot be continued.
X-Server is down (non-responsive)	Throw an OPERATION_FAILED RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties	Catch RepositoryException, search cannot be continued.
X-Server is under heavy load	Searches will take a long time and may time out. If the search times out, throw a METASEARCH_ERROR RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties.	(1) Wait for the RepositoryException or (2) Establish a Search Timeout within the Citation Tool
Database being searched is down (non-responsive)	The OSID will (relatively quickly) throw a METASEARCH_ERROR RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties.	Catch the RepositoryException, search cannot be continued.
Database being searched is under heavy load	Searches will take a long time and may time out. If the search times out, throw a METASEARCH_ERROR RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties.	(1) Wait for the RepositoryException or (2) Establish a Search Timeout within the Citation Tool
X-Server cannot merge any more results (configured to 300 records)	Searches are not be able to return more than 300 records (even though more than 300 may have been found). The merge feature can be turned off when searching a single database. Throw a METASEARCH_ERROR RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties.	Catch the RepositoryException, search cannot be continued.
An unknown X-Server error occurs	The X-Server could encounter an error other than the ones listed above - throw a METASEARCH_ERROR RepositoryException and update searchStatusProperties. This will be rare.	Catch the RepositoryException, search cannot be continued.