Completely blank chat window, tried to fix; please help!

[NominalCanine]

My problem is exactly this! viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4975&p=97787&hilit=chat+glitch#p97787

When I go on MFC (basic member for now, future model), whether I am logged in or not, no matter what model's room I am in, the chat window is totally blank. I can hear the tip noise, but there is nothing to see. This only started a few days ago. I've tried most of what that other poster did, including the simple restarting the computer, clearing cache/cookies etc.

Has anyone else had this problem? What can I do? : (

 

[Evvie]

Can you please post what browser you're using and what solutions you've tried already?

 

[mynameisbob84]

Also, try a few different browsers. Firefox and IE could never quite handle MFC (for me anyway), whereas Opera is a fucking boss

 

[NominalCanine]

I'm using firefox. I've tried the following solutions: using a different browser (internet explorer), restarting my browser, restarting my computer, logging in and out of mfc, and clearing my cache and cookies.

In the thread I linked to, the OP said "We've tried different browsers, different PCs, different ISPs in different locations, different firewall settings and all the combinations of the above. We've tried all the suggestions on MFC's Wiki page."

Based on my lack of success with what I have tried, the fact that mfc worked fine for a couple weeks previous to this, and the fact that nothing has changed on my machine recently (such as firewall settings), and her description of her issue and efforts to resolve it, I thought before I went through trying all the things she tried and failed I would ask around here.

 

[NominalCanine]

I'll try chrome and opera.

 

[NominalCanine]

Nope, no luck.

 

[Kradek]

In Chrome, type f12 to bring up the developer tools. Go to the console and check to see if there are any error messages popping up. Make sure you check all the frames. If you don't have Chrome, or use some other browser, most of them have a developer tools window and a console. Look for javascript errors.

 

[NominalCanine]

I do appear to be getting javascript errors:

"[22:54:41.340] An unbalanced tree was written using document.write() causing data from the network to be reparsed. For more information https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Optimi ... ve_Parsing @ http://www.myfreecams.com/mfc2/static/t ... 115453&:14"

"[22:54:43.360] Use of captureEvents() is deprecated. To upgrade your code, use the DOM 2 addEventListener() method. For more help http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/DO ... ntListener @ http://www.myfreecams.com/mfc2/static/p ... et=main:60"

I have no idea what these mean... especially since everything was working fine a few days ago and nothing has changed :S

Also tried using another computer in the house, same problem.

 

[NominalCanine]

I really appreciate the suggestions so far - thank you all for trying to help. I sure hope this can be resolved, I've been really looking forward to becoming a model in the near future and this would obviously be a pretty ginormous obstacle!

 

[Kradek]

I do appear to be getting javascript errors:

"[22:54:41.340] An unbalanced tree was written using document.write() causing data from the network to be reparsed. For more information https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Optimi ... ve_Parsing @ http://www.myfreecams.com/mfc2/static/t ... 115453&:14"

"[22:54:43.360] Use of captureEvents() is deprecated. To upgrade your code, use the DOM 2 addEventListener() method. For more help http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/DO ... ntListener @ http://www.myfreecams.com/mfc2/static/p ... et=main:60"

I have no idea what these mean... especially since everything was working fine a few days ago and nothing has changed :S

Also tried using another computer in the house, same problem.

Did you upgrade your browser (looks like Firefox?) recently? The second error message points toward MFC using a function that is no longer supported by the browser you're currently using (it's also on the player page, which is where you are having the problem).

Can you try using an earlier version of the browser?

Thinking about it though, that's a really old method, and it doesn't make sense you would get it in all browsers. The first error seems to mean you're getting malformed HTML that the browser cannot parse.

Has anything changed on your computer in the time since you started getting the error? Did you enable a firewall, install a new virus checker, etc....

 

[NominalCanine]

I can give it a shot but I have also tried/had the same problem using chrome, explorer, and opera

 

[Kradek]

I can give it a shot but I have also tried/had the same problem using chrome, explorer, and opera

Yeah, I just edited my previous post. Have you installed any new antivirus software, or changed your firewall setup?

 

[NominalCanine]

No new firewall/antivirus.

If this helps at all, here are the errors from chrome:

"Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property '0' of null http://www.myfreecams.com/:29
getHeight http://www.myfreecams.com/:29
(anonymous function) http://www.myfreecams.com/:22"

Opera has too many css errors to post. The last error says this:

"[8/3/2012 11:36:05 PM] CSS - http://www.myfreecams.com/mfc2/static/p ... arget=main
HTML style attribute
Too many CSS errors... bailing out."

This is also happening to more than one PC in the house (same errors coming up)

 

[Kradek]

Did you switch ISPs? New router? Just throwing out things I can think of that would affect all computers and all browsers.

 

[NominalCanine]

Nope and nope.... my partner is pretty technically knowledgeable and has been trying to help figure this out the whole time too, and hasn't been able to come up with anything. Too bad the OP of the thread I linked to in my first post either never got her answer or didn't follow up.

 

[NominalCanine]

I've got to go to bed now, but I'll certainly be back to try more tomorrow. Thanks again.

 

[Kradek]

Hrm. Something I might try is connecting to MFC from an entirely different network. If your neighbors, for example, have an unsecured wireless router, connect to it and try getting to MFC from it and see if you have the issue. Or go to Starbucks and try from there. Just to completely eliminate your modem/router from the picture.

 

[LolasLiger]

There is a known error with the latest Firefox updates (I experienced them with the last two updates). Though there has been no definative solution announced by FF themselves (they keep sending you around in circles) anecdotal evidence around the web is that the updates have caused problems with Flash, which has a knock on effect on other browsers.

Though the solution doesn't always work, most (including myself) have found that following these steps can sort it out:

(1) disable all add-ons on FF, clear all cookies and then close it

(2) completely uninstall flash on your computer (through the control panel), reboot, and then do fresh install of flash.

Either download the exe file from the Adobe site before step one but don't start step 2. Or use a different browser to download Flash.

I still use FF but am finding that as time passes it has started becoming more and more bloated, and more often than not their add-ons cause the most problems.

Good luck

 

[jazzy242]

Try logging in to MFC with antivirus/ firewall disabled, to verify that the settings are not blocking chat. Don't forget to re-enable when you're done.

Check that you've not accidentally hidden chat, on your login, via the options button at the top of the chat window.

Are Java, Flash, Shockwave plugins up to date for each browser? MFC recommend using the Chrome browser.

Apologies if you've already tried these - I'm just throwing a few ideas out.

 

[NominalCanine]

Hrm. Something I might try is connecting to MFC from an entirely different network. If your neighbors, for example, have an unsecured wireless router, connect to it and try getting to MFC from it and see if you have the issue. Or go to Starbucks and try from there. Just to completely eliminate your modem/router from the picture.

I haven't gotten to try this yet.

There is a known error with the latest Firefox updates (I experienced them with the last two updates). Though there has been no definative solution announced by FF themselves (they keep sending you around in circles) anecdotal evidence around the web is that the updates have caused problems with Flash, which has a knock on effect on other browsers.

Though the solution doesn't always work, most (including myself) have found that following these steps can sort it out:

(1) disable all add-ons on FF, clear all cookies and then close it

(2) completely uninstall flash on your computer (through the control panel), reboot, and then do fresh install of flash.

Either download the exe file from the Adobe site before step one but don't start step 2. Or use a different browser to download Flash.

I still use FF but am finding that as time passes it has started becoming more and more bloated, and more often than not their add-ons cause the most problems.

Good luck

This was an awesome suggestion and I am actually really surprised it did NOTHING!! Grr argh >.< (I triple checked that I didn't miss any steps or anything).

Try logging in to MFC with antivirus/ firewall disabled, to verify that the settings are not blocking chat. Don't forget to re-enable when you're done.

Check that you've not accidentally hidden chat, on your login, via the options button at the top of the chat window.

Are Java, Flash, Shockwave plugins up to date for each browser? MFC recommend using the Chrome browser.

Apologies if you've already tried these - I'm just throwing a few ideas out.

No luck.


This is crazy :S

 

[Shaun__]

Do you use any ad blocking software? Sometimes that stuff is a little overzealous in its actions. Also my internet has been crap lately, so do a speed test to make sure you are getting what you pay for.

 

[NominalCanine]

No ad blocking and speed is fine.

 

[Kradek]

Are you possibly using Java for chat and Java somehow became disabled on your computers?

You can find out if you're using by doing this: open Chrome, type F12, go to the Console, type "g_sConnectionMode" and hit return.

 

[NominalCanine]

Well everyone, the other day it just randomly started working again. After trying all of the (really smart) suggestions in this thread (and more), none of it did a thing, then the other day after I had given up on it and was just hopefully checking mfc occasionally, it just happened to work. I thought maybe it was just a fluke and didn't get my hopes up too much, but after refreshing repeatedly and checking different rooms and then again over the next couple days, it really truly seems to be working. I'm glad, but baffled, and I just hope it doesn't happen again.

I'm posting about this outcome because if some other person with this problem in the future goes searching through the forums, as far as I can tell all they will find is the thread I linked to in my original post, and this one. The other one never posted a resolution so as much as there is no actual solution to be found here, I at least want to put out there how it turned out. So if you're having this problem.... just keep checking back, it might take weeks, but it might eventually go back to normal functioning on its own.

Thanks a lot to everyone who tried to help!

EDIT: special thanks to Kradek for coming back again and again with some of the best suggestions/questions.