Troubleshooting Test Error #497700 (Timed Out)
Question / Issue: I received Test Error #497700 named "Timed Out" (or "Step Timed Out"). What does this really mean?
Symptoms/Cause: This error indicates that a step in your transaction process took longer than the "Step Time Out" value that is configured in your monitor. This error will cause a failure.
Answer / Solution: Reviewing the failure log for this error, by logging into the Manager, can aid in identifying the exact cause of this error.
Ensure the Step Time Out duration is set to a reasonable value for your pages to load in a normal Web Browser. The default "Step Time Out" value is 10 seconds. If this value is set too low, it may be impossible for some pages to load in their entirety, which will cause this error.
Check to see if any additional errors occurred during the test. It is common for other errors to accompany this error. These additional errors can aid in seeing exactly where the problem was. Test error # 750700 ("Slow Page File"), in particular, is an error that often accompanies the Time Out error. The Slow Page File error will provide a URL that we've detected which dramatically increased the time the step took to process.
If a screenshot of the error message was captured, ensure that the content of the rendered page matches the content that you'd expect. Some issues that may arise during the test can indirectly cause a timeout error to occur.
For example, if your script is logging into a site that requires a username and password and you notice the rendered screenshot says "Invalid Password" on it, you know exactly what is causing the time out: The script cannot proceed with any steps following the login because it has no access to the pages behind it.
This error can occur due to generally slow Internet speed or delays between your web hosting provider and the rest of the Internet. If this error just began occurring, you may want to correlate the time of the error with any scheduled maintenance that your web hosting provider may have announced, as certain types of maintenance may cause localized slowness. If this error is intermittent and reoccurring, use the failure logs to see if there's any discernible pattern that is occurring. If you notice a pattern, speak to your web hosting provider to see if they can assist you in troubleshooting that issue further.
Symptoms/Cause: This error indicates that a step in your transaction process took longer than the "Step Time Out" value that is configured in your monitor. This error will cause a failure.
Answer / Solution: Reviewing the failure log for this error, by logging into the Manager, can aid in identifying the exact cause of this error.
Ensure the Step Time Out duration is set to a reasonable value for your pages to load in a normal Web Browser. The default "Step Time Out" value is 10 seconds. If this value is set too low, it may be impossible for some pages to load in their entirety, which will cause this error.
Check to see if any additional errors occurred during the test. It is common for other errors to accompany this error. These additional errors can aid in seeing exactly where the problem was. Test error # 750700 ("Slow Page File"), in particular, is an error that often accompanies the Time Out error. The Slow Page File error will provide a URL that we've detected which dramatically increased the time the step took to process.
If a screenshot of the error message was captured, ensure that the content of the rendered page matches the content that you'd expect. Some issues that may arise during the test can indirectly cause a timeout error to occur.
For example, if your script is logging into a site that requires a username and password and you notice the rendered screenshot says "Invalid Password" on it, you know exactly what is causing the time out: The script cannot proceed with any steps following the login because it has no access to the pages behind it.
This error can occur due to generally slow Internet speed or delays between your web hosting provider and the rest of the Internet. If this error just began occurring, you may want to correlate the time of the error with any scheduled maintenance that your web hosting provider may have announced, as certain types of maintenance may cause localized slowness. If this error is intermittent and reoccurring, use the failure logs to see if there's any discernible pattern that is occurring. If you notice a pattern, speak to your web hosting provider to see if they can assist you in troubleshooting that issue further.
Updated on: 10/10/2022
Thank you!