PageGate fails to send a page due to the no. of chars

[sirjames]

PageGate fails to send a message if it contains 1 character greater than the Max. Char set on the Carrier Settings . Otherwise, the page will be successful. This happens only to this kind of message ... Here is an example of a message that will fail when sent through my PageGate Setup.

OM:{5D9614AB-8D2A-4E66-BB95-BFE210C318B3}/Major/FILESYSTEM.mex1-oranlad.FSCapacity/FILESYSTEM mex1-oranlad FSCapacity in ALARM 96 percent full/20080901 03:14:44


Setup:
Carrier Settings:
Protocol: GSM-AT
Max Chars: 160

Recipient Settings:
Type: Normal
Max Chars: 320
Alpha option is checked
Drop non-printable characters option is checked

Is this a bug? or there is already a known solution?

[OzCom]

The SMS spec calls for no more than 160 characters. We send moch longer messages by leaving the CARRIER set at 160 and increasing the RECIPIENT character limit to more. PageGate will split longer messages at the 160 limit and send the message as 2 or more packets - it also marks the message as 1 of 2 and 2 of 2.

_________________
Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[sirjames]

That is exactly what is not happening here. PageGate can not send the message if a message contains 2 characters greater than the Max. Char set on the Carrier Settings . It should have divided the message and sent it but it did not, instead it failed to send it. I already played with the numbers on the Carrier Settings Max Character and that is how I got the conclusion.

[OzCom]

What do you have the individual RECIPIENT limit set to?

That works with the CARRIER limit to split messages.

Also - are you using GUI Client? If so - what is the Max Message Length set to?

_________________
Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[sirjames]

As mentioned the Recipient is set to a limit of 320 chars ... messages are received via the GetTap interface. The error can also be re-created by using the PG Admin console and sending a message to a recipient.
Note: If the message contains 163 (3 chars greater that what was set on the carrier) ... it gets divided to 2 messages and gets sent too. The error only appears if the condition I stated above is reached.
This can easily be created.
Below is a sample message containing 162 characters .. you can verify this using Notepad or other tools that can count chars... Thanks

SAMPLE MSG:

Here is a sample message that contains 162 character. Please use this message to re-create this error. This is a test message..test message..test message..test..

[OzCom]

I have tried to duplicate your issue on 4 different installations using getTAP and a MultiTech cellular (Both GSM and CDMA) modem. I have a few more configurations available to try next week.

1) What do you have the character limitations set in the system SENDING tha TAP data to PageGate?

2) What is the make and model number of the cellular modem you have attached to your PageGate?

_________________
Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[sirjames]

1) What do you have the character limitations set in the system SENDING tha TAP data to PageGate?
==>> It's 320 Chars. Btw, I also used the PG Admin console to send the message.

2) What is the make and model number of the cellular modem you have attached to your PageGate?
==>> Teltonika (Produc Code: CM100 EM11)

[sirjames]

My BAD! Today I did some test again and the message I posted seems to be fine which nullifies the general condition I posted on this topic. The conditions seems to be consistent only to this message which I'm including below...
Message that is failing:

OM:{5D9614AB-8D2A-4E66-BB95-BFE210C318B3}/Major/FILESYSTEM.mex1-oranlad.FSCapacity/FILESYSTEM mex1-oranlad FSCapacity in ALARM 96 percent full/20080901 03:14:44

Test: Sent the message as is using (PG Admin) ... here is the error on the PGDial.log

10/6/2008 11:30:35 AM Start connection to carrier: SMC_GSM_1
10/6/2008 11:30:35 AM Connect using GSM protocol
10/6/2008 11:30:35 AM Setting communication parameters (115200,n,8,1)
10/6/2008 11:30:36 AM ----------------------------------------
10/6/2008 11:30:36 AM Working on message to: n41248 from:
10/6/2008 11:30:36 AM Formatting message
10/6/2008 11:30:36 AM Message contained in a single packet
10/6/2008 11:30:36 AM Sending packet
10/6/2008 11:30:36 AM Sent:AT+CMGS="+639178806461"<CR>
10/6/2008 11:30:37 AM Received:<CR><LF>>
10/6/2008 11:30:37 AM Sent:OM:{5D9614AB-8D2A-4E66-BB95-BFE210C318B3}/Major/FILESYSTEM.mex1-oranlad.FSCapacity/FILESYSTEM mex1-oranlad FSCapacity in ALARM 96 percent full/20080901 03:14:44<SUB>
10/6/2008 11:31:07 AM Received:<CR><LF>ERROR<CR><LF>
10/6/2008 11:31:07 AM Error sending packet

Note: If you add/remove 1 character on this message. It will be successful!

[sirjames]

Here's another message that is failing to be sent ... this particular message can not be sent whether you add or remove a char ...

OM:{E3265F14-C4BF-475D-9C61-5984FE02A6D8}/Major/FILESYSTEM.shared-tivoli.FSCapacity/FILESYSTEM shared-tivoli FSCapacity in ALARM 96 percent full/20080719 19:25:54

With this second message the condition is different ...

If you'll be able to send both these messages then it's probably something on my system... Thanks and I'll wait for your feedback.

[OzCom]

I CUT/PASTEd the messages you provided into a couple different installations - messages were processed properly. ALL the installations I have done have used the MultiTech brand of cellular modems (both GSM and CDMA). Another setting to look into - does the recipient have "Drop Non Printable Characters" checked? It could well be that the string you posted may have a character sequence in the body of the mesage that is being interpreted by your cellular modem as a diagnostic command. I have encountered the same sort of issue in the past with the "@" symbol and the "#" symbol within the string. I noticed that your message used the "{" and "}" symbols

_________________
Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[sirjames]

If the messages are being sent on your setup then I guess it could be something on my modem or provider. Anyway, thanks and I'll look further into this direction ... =)

[sirjames]

After many months of using the it ... I'm pretty sure that it is failing when a message contains this characters "[" and "]" ... Can you please test on your side and let me know of the results.

[OzCom]

Tested -no issues - I suspect your issue is likely related to your modem. The below snapshot of the logfiles is from a PageGate system with the MultiTech MTCBA series modem attached:

1/27/2010 8:43:04 AM ========================================
1/27/2010 8:43:04 AM Start connection to carrier: SMS_Modem
1/27/2010 8:43:04 AM Connect using GSM protocol
1/27/2010 8:43:04 AM Setting communication parameters (115200,n,8,1)
1/27/2010 8:43:05 AM Attempting to reset modem
1/27/2010 8:43:07 AM Sent:AT<CR>
1/27/2010 8:43:08 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:43:08 AM Modem reset
1/27/2010 8:43:08 AM Sent:AT+CMGF=1<CR>
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM Text delivery mode entered
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM ----------------------------------------
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM Working on message to: osgood_aaron_cell from: ado
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM Formatting message
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM Message broken into 2 packets
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM Sending packet
1/27/2010 8:43:09 AM Sent:AT+CMGS="xxxxxxxxxx"<CR>
1/27/2010 8:43:10 AM Received:<CR><LF>>
1/27/2010 8:43:10 AM Sent:1of2:ado:OM:{E3265F14-C4BF-475D-9C61-5984FE02A6D8}/Major/FILESYSTEM.shared-tivoli.FSCapacity/FILESYSTEM shared-tivoli FSCapacity in ALARM 96 percent <SUB>
1/27/2010 8:43:13 AM Received:<CR><LF>+CMGS: 37<CR><LF><CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:43:13 AM Packet sent successfully
1/27/2010 8:43:13 AM Sending packet
1/27/2010 8:43:14 AM Sent:AT+CMGS="xxxxxxxxxx"<CR>
1/27/2010 8:43:14 AM Received:<CR><LF>>
1/27/2010 8:43:14 AM Sent:2of2:full/20080719 19:25:54<SUB>
1/27/2010 8:43:17 AM Received:<CR><LF>+CMGS: 38<CR><LF><CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:43:17 AM Packet sent successfully
1/27/2010 8:43:17 AM SUCCESSFUL Stn:10 To:osgood_aaron_cell Frm:ado Msg:OM:{E3265F14-C4BF-475D-9C61-5984FE02A6D8}/Major/FILESYSTEM.shared-tivoli.FSCapacity/FILESYSTEM shared-tivoli FSCapacity in ALARM 96 percent full/20080719 19:25:54
1/27/2010 8:43:17 AM Attempting to hang up modem
1/27/2010 8:43:19 AM Sent:AT<CR>
1/27/2010 8:43:20 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:43:20 AM Modem hung up
1/27/2010 8:44:00 AM Log ping...
1/27/2010 8:44:05 AM ========================================
1/27/2010 8:44:05 AM Start connection to carrier: SMS_Modem
1/27/2010 8:44:05 AM Connect using GSM protocol
1/27/2010 8:44:05 AM Setting communication parameters (115200,n,8,1)
1/27/2010 8:44:06 AM Attempting to reset modem
1/27/2010 8:44:08 AM Sent:AT<CR>
1/27/2010 8:44:08 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Modem reset
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Sent:AT+CMGF=1<CR>
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Text delivery mode entered
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM ----------------------------------------
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Working on message to: osgood_aaron_cell from: ado
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Formatting message
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Message contained in a single packet
1/27/2010 8:44:09 AM Sending packet
1/27/2010 8:44:10 AM Sent:AT+CMGS="xxxxxxxxxx"<CR>
1/27/2010 8:44:10 AM Received:<CR><LF>>
1/27/2010 8:44:10 AM Sent:ado:this is a [test]<SUB>
1/27/2010 8:44:12 AM Received:<CR><LF>+CMGS: 39<CR><LF><CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:44:12 AM Packet sent successfully
1/27/2010 8:44:12 AM SUCCESSFUL Stn:10 To:osgood_aaron_cell Frm:ado Msg:this is a [test]
1/27/2010 8:44:12 AM Attempting to hang up modem
1/27/2010 8:44:15 AM Sent:AT<CR>
1/27/2010 8:44:15 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
1/27/2010 8:44:15 AM Modem hung up

_________________
Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[sirjames]

Can you try sending this message but before that please set your recipient settings to this settings...

RECIPIENT SETTINGS:
Type: Normal
Carrier: <whatever yours is..>
Failover: None
ID/PIN: <whatever yours is..>
Max Chars: 160
Notify Code: 999
Alpha: checked
Drop non-printable characters: checked

MESSAGE:
GRP/IM605470/Open/P2/Mitsuyoshi/mchikaoka@ab.cd.com/11-1-1111-1111//01/28/10 00:20:07/[SR]Request for updating of I6-Capex Release Strategy - Adjustment of IM598907/finance/pacific/release related/release strategy - pacific

Note: I sent the message twice using different Max Chars settings. Here are the results:
Max Chars set to 320 --- SUCCESSFUL
Max Chars set to 160 --- FAILED

Based on my testing today: The test message above will only fail if the max char is set to 160. This doesn't mean that if I set every recipient to 320, it will never happen because there is a message length where it will also fail.

But I want to know if you'll be able to replicate the same error on your setup. thanks