[rt-users] Problem with Searches with many CustomFields and possible fix

[Scott Hebert]

Hi,

I'm using RT 3.0.8, RH 8.0, mysql 4.0.15, apache 2.0.43 and fastcgi 2.4.0.
We have only ~1200 tickets.

Here's my setup:

- My RT instance has 37 global Custom Fields some of which have long names.
- I'm using IE 6.0
- I create a new search
- I select status = 'New' and click Search. Tickets are returned.
- I then select status = 'Open' and click Search. Tickets are returned.
- I then select TicketType = 'Bug' (a global custom field) and click Search.
*** IE does NOTHING. ***

The same steps with Mozilla work perfectly.

It seems that the GET url that is formed for the SUBMIT action is too long.
I found that IE's url is limited to ~2,048 characters. 
(See Microsoft's site:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:
80/support/kb/articles/Q208/4/27.ASP&NoWebContent=1)

When using Mozilla, I found this in my server log after the last search
above:

x.x.x.x - - [21/Jan/2004:10:51:22 -0500] "GET
/global/rt/Search/Listing.html?Bookmark=FrT%253B%25402%257C%25256%257C%25241
%257C1%25241%257C2%25241%257C3%25258%257C%252411%257CDESCRIPTION%25245%257CF
IELD%25248%257COPERATOR%25245%257CVALUE%252412%257CStatus%2520%253D%2520new%
25246%257CStatus%25241%257C%253D%25243%257Cnew%25258%257C%252411%257CDESCRIP
TION%25245%257CFIELD%25248%257COPERATOR%25245%257CVALUE%252413%257CStatus%25
20%253D%2520open%25246%257CStatus%25241%257C%253D%25244%257Copen%252510%257C
%252411%257CCUSTOMFIELD%252411%257CDESCRIPTION%25245%257CFIELD%25248%257COPE
RATOR%25245%257CVALUE%25241%257C1%252419%257CCF.TicketType%2520%253D%2520Bug
%252413%257CCF.TicketType%25241%257C%253D%25243%257CBug%25241%257C4&CompileR
estriction=1&OwnerOp=%3D&ValueOfOwner=&WatcherRole=Requestor&WatcherRoleOp=L
IKE&ValueOfWatcherRole=&SubjectOp=LIKE&ValueOfSubject=&QueueOp=%3D&ValueOfQu
eue=3&PriorityOp=%3C&ValueOfPriority=&DateType=Created&DateOp=%3C&ValueOfDat
e=&AttachmentField=Content&AttachmentFieldOp=LIKE&ValueOfAttachmentField=&St
atusOp=%3D&ValueOfStatus=&CustomFieldOp4=LIKE&CustomField4=&CustomFieldOp26=
LIKE&CustomField26=&CustomFieldOp5=LIKE&CustomField5=&CustomFieldOp6=LIKE&Cu
stomField6=&CustomFieldOp7=LIKE&CustomField7=&CustomFieldOp8=LIKE&CustomFiel
d8=&CustomFieldOp13=LIKE&CustomField13=&CustomFieldOp10=LIKE&CustomField10=&
CustomFieldOp11=LIKE&CustomField11=&CustomFieldOp19=LIKE&CustomField19=&Cust
omFieldOp38=LIKE&CustomField38=&CustomFieldOp9=LIKE&CustomField9=&CustomFiel
dOp12=LIKE&CustomField12=&CustomFieldOp18=LIKE&CustomField18=&CustomFieldOp1
4=LIKE&CustomField14=&CustomFieldOp15=LIKE&CustomField15=&CustomFieldOp16=LI
KE&CustomField16=&CustomFieldOp17=LIKE&CustomField17=&CustomFieldOp22=LIKE&C
ustomField22=&CustomFieldOp20=LIKE&CustomField20=&CustomFieldOp21=LIKE&Custo
mField21=&CustomFieldOp23=LIKE&CustomField23=&CustomFieldOp24=LIKE&CustomFie
ld24=&CustomFieldOp27=LIKE&CustomField27=&CustomFieldOp25=LIKE&CustomField25
=&CustomFieldOp28=LIKE&CustomField28=&CustomFieldOp29=LIKE&CustomField29=&Cu
stomFieldOp30=LIKE&CustomField30=&CustomFieldOp31=LIKE&CustomField31=&Custom
FieldOp32=LIKE&CustomField32=&CustomFieldOp33=LIKE&CustomField33=&CustomFiel
dOp34=LIKE&CustomField34=&CustomFieldOp35=LIKE&CustomField35=&CustomFieldOp3
6=LIKE&CustomField36=&CustomFieldOp37=LIKE&CustomField37=&CustomFieldOp39=LI
KE&CustomField39=&CustomFieldOp40=LIKE&CustomField40=&RowsPerPage=50&Tickets
SortBy=id&TicketsSortOrder=ASC&RefreshSearchInterval=-1&Action=Search
HTTP/1.1" 

which is > 2400 characters.

If I change /Search/Elements/PickRestriction to be <FORM
ACTION="Listing.html" METHOD="POST"> instead of <FORM ACTION="Listing.html"
METHOD="GET">, the problem disappears!

Now, the only question is, 'Are there any side effects to changing it to be
POST?'. I don't have enough RT knowledge to answer it.

Anyways, hope this helps.

SH