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Console messages:" WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret:

Greetings all!,
just getting familiar with OS10 from 9.0.1iMac and found this repeating message in the "Console":

WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret:

This message is filling up the Log> i'm getting a little worried about this.
here's the details:

new iMac20in. Intel:
M

iMac5,1/Intel Core 2 Duo/20in, Mac OS X (10.4.8), Memory:2 GB

Posted on Dec 15, 2006 8:16 PM

Reply
24 replies

Dec 16, 2006 7:23 AM in response to mouseonmoon

The warning message you quoted seems a little short. Is it more like:
2006-12-16 08:57:29.547 SyndicationAgent[23419] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 04:46:15 -800'
?

If it is it is saying that at that time SyndicationAgent had a problem converting some data it thought should be a date into a date. SyndicationAgent is a program that Safari runs periodically to check for RSSfeeds you have subscribed to. There probably is a problem with SyndicationAgent interpreting some data which it 'thinks' should be a date. Most likely the feed is feeding it data which isn't a date or the feed is sending it a date in a format SyndicationAgent doesn't understand.

I don't think it is anything to worry about. I think at worst you may not get the subscription with the date data in question or maybe a bad date. How many feeds are you subscribed to? How many lines of warning are you seeing for each time period?

You can see the feeds you have subscribed to under your bookmarks tab.

Michael

Dec 16, 2006 10:34 AM in response to mouseonmoon

mouseonmoon

I have also noticed 26 entry's in the console each time the RSS feed updates. Safari / Preferences / RSS / Check for updates.

As Michael say's, "I don't think it is anything to worry about." It is just a warning!

I'm looking for a way to identify which feed(s) is(are) the culpert(s) here???
Does anyone else have any thought's on this subject?

Dennis

17" iMac Intel Core Duo 1.5GB Ram Mac OS X (10.4.8) Maxtor 300GB FireWire 2G Nano

Dec 16, 2006 1:47 PM in response to Michael Mays

1st "The warning message you quoted seems a little short."
correct> i wasn't able to post any of the Log messages!
I copied the Log to TextEdit and then tried to post it but
strangely it didn't show up in either post> like invisible ink ?

2 Glad to find out exactly what "Syndication Agent" is> and
you may have nailed it re RSSfeeds> i found 2 exact 'bookmarks'
for Washington Post which i had 'added' (i'd also added a couple others)>

I'm thinking there might be a glitch with the 'double bookmark 'for WP>
so i deleted both...and will monitor.

3 "How many lines of warning are you seeing for each time period?"

This is my concern as it's almost continuous since Dec 11>
((test: i've bolded a Log message to see if it will post:{551}
2006-12-16 02:36:37.195 SyndicationAgent[551] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Fri 15 Dec 2006 21:04:10 -800'

That 'message' repeats about 35 times>then {587}repeats 25 times
2006-12-16 04:06:35.705 SyndicationAgent[587] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Fri 15 Dec 2006 21:34:27 -800'

{610} begins and repeats 26 times so far....


I'll check back to see if {another} "warning" occurs.
Thanks Michael,
m

(ps the 'message' is in "Preview" > but unable to use 'bold,italic,underline' when i Quote your post....


iMac5,1/Intel Core 2 Duo/20in Mac OS X (10.4.8) Memory:2 GB

iMac5,1/Intel Core 2 Duo/20in Mac OS X (10.4.8) Memory:2 GB

Dec 16, 2006 2:11 PM in response to den.thed

mouseonmoon

I have also noticed 26 entry's in the console each
time the RSS feed updates. Safari / Preferences /
RSS / Check for updates.

As Michael say's, "I don't think it is anything to
worry about." It is just a warning!

I'm looking for a way to identify which feed(s)
is(are) the culpert(s) here???
Does anyone else have any thought's on this subject?


Dennis

17" iMac Intel
Core Duo 1.5GB Ram Mac OS X (10.4.8)
Maxtor 300GB FireWire 2G Nano


Thanks Dennis> i checked Prefs and have it set to look for updates every 30 minutes> i noticed the "26 entry's" > what are your settings?

Also, mine is set on "Never" re "Remove articles"> think i'll change that,yet see what happens when "Remove Now" is used....

Thanks Dennis,that's been helpful too,
m

iMac5,1/Intel Core 2 Duo/20in Mac OS X (10.4.8) Memory:2 GB

Dec 16, 2006 3:55 PM in response to mouseonmoon

Hi--


Couple of things:

{610} begins and repeats 26 times so far....


First, the number in square brackets after the SyndicationAgent string is nothing to worry about in this context. It's just the process ID of that program. So the fact that it goes up means nothing except that maybe periodically quits and relaunches (perhaps in sync with Safari).

Second, it looks like the log is giving at least a little hint to where you can look for the culprit feed:

<pre class="command">can't interpret: 'Fri 15 Dec 2006 21:04:10 -800'</pre>I'd look for a feed that originates on the west coast, and see if you can find one that updated or published at about that time.

It's been a long time since I wrote the RSS script I use on the site I manage, but I seem to remember something about the dates using the time zone name, not offset. Additionally, I think I had troubles until the dates were GMT dates, too. Here's the publication date and build date from my site's feed:

<pre class="command"><pubDate>Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:45:01 GMT</pubDate>
<lastBuildDate>Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:45:01 GMT</lastBuildDate></pre>See how it's "GMT" and not "-0000"? So you might be able to track it down that way...

charlie

Dec 16, 2006 5:04 PM in response to mouseonmoon

mouseonmoon

Settings were the same, I did change "Check for updates" to every hour (just to verify) and "Remove articles" to After one day. Also hit the "Remove Now" bar at about 11:15am, and the warning log entry's stopped untill 16:10:49 and the 26 returned. So I'm sure I'll see them again after one hour. Still looking for the exact feed and it did seem to start about the same time as you indicated to Michael (last weekend or maybe monday).

Dennis

Dec 16, 2006 9:05 PM in response to den.thed

I lost my Internet connection (all new experience > finally got it back after unplugging the 'router'

anyway>they're back>here's first 3 and last 2:

2006-12-16 22:53:12.799 SyndicationAgent[308] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 16:44:59 -800'
2006-12-16 22:53:12.878 SyndicationAgent[308] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 16:44:59 -800'
2006-12-16 22:53:12.879 SyndicationAgent[308] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 16:44:59 -800'

...

2006-12-16 22:53:12.903 SyndicationAgent[308] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 16:44:59 -800'
2006-12-16 22:53:12.904 SyndicationAgent[308] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 16:44:59 -800'

---
there's only one changing number>as numbering the message-not the 'time'

I did Spotlight search for "SyndicationAgent" > supposed to be in Library(HD)/Preferences >
it's not there> yet it will open from 'Search' > but sheds no light on the matter.

As far as the RSS feeds> tons were Bookmarked already>i've only added another NYT page> no idea which one of these might be it.....

"Error" messages are 'going away'> but the "WARNING" remains!
If this isn't a problem>call it a "glitch" or something less 'frightening' ! aghhhhhhh.

((time to learn how to use Disk Utilities for back up)),
onward,
m

Dec 16, 2006 10:11 PM in response to mouseonmoon

Can't seem to find the bum feed now 26 every hour, it does not seem to be a problem just anoying!

1) 2006-12-16 21:20:46.821 SyndicationAgent[2500] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 17:56:15 -800'
...
...
...
26) 2006-12-16 21:20:48.020 SyndicationAgent[2500] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sat 16 Dec 2006 17:56:15 -800'

Still searching, because it would be impossible for me to ignore it at this point!

Dennis

17" iMac Intel Core Duo 1.5GB Ram Mac OS X (10.4.8) Maxtor 300GB FireWire 2G Nano

Dec 17, 2006 7:05 AM in response to mouseonmoon

You cannot make the warnings go away if the RSS feed is supplying you with dates are not formatted correctly.

It is not important unless you are not getting the RSS feed. If you are not getting the feed then you need to:
1) Ask Apple to allow feeds which have badly formatted dates (and I think it already does this (and I think you are getting all your feeds which are generating the warnings)).
2) Ask your RSS feed to use a properly formated date according to RSS 2.0 specifications (I think).
3) Use some other program which accepts these feeds without generating a warning that you kind see.:)

If you want SyndicationAgent to 'reset' itself and you are willing to lose all your subscriptions then you can delete the file "Syndication" in ~/Library. I don't really think you need to do this.

Michael

Dec 17, 2006 10:03 AM in response to Michael Mays

Michael--

The spec says GMT or -0800 is fine.

I think this is the spec:
http://asg.web.cmu.edu/rfc/rfc822.html#sec-5


Actually, I meant the RSS specification. I remember having problems with dates when I built the RSS feed for my site, and I thought it was related to whether or not I set the time zone to GMT or some specific time zone.

But, in looking at his log entry, and your other post, you're right: it's the missing comma after the day name. I can force the exact same error if I deliberately leave out the comma from the last build date and force a refresh in Safari:

<pre class="command">2006-12-17 10:48:06.462 Safari[6995] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sun 17 Dec 2006 17:47:55 GMT'</pre>As soon as I add the comma back (after the "%a"):

<pre class="command">lastBuildDate => strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S GMT", gmtime($time)),</pre>and regenerate the feed, the error goes away...

charlie

Dec 17, 2006 10:17 AM in response to den.thed

Dennis--

Still searching, because it would be impossible for
me to ignore it at this point!


I suspect it's an Apple feed or feeds. In the process of writing up a way to figure it out, I subscribed to a one of the iTunes Music store feeds from Apple's RSS page and bam, there it was, the same error:

<pre class="command">2006-12-17 11:08:46.207 Safari[7021] WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret: 'Sun 17 Dec 2006 08:58:02 -800'</pre>I did a spot check of the other feeds on that page and it looks like only the iTunes Music store feeds have the bad dates.

There's another, more intense, way to figure out which feed it is, if it's not one of the iTMS ones. Post back if you'd really like to know. Be warned, though, it involves the Terminal application, and UNIX and SQL commands...

charlie

Console messages:" WARNING: BestCalendarDateFromString - can't interpret:

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