I tried reloading the pages.  If I reloaded the actual elog page 

https://server.triumf.ca/?cmd=Elog

then it bypassed the cache and got the correct updated page from mhttpd.

However, if when I reloaded the status page

https://server.triumf.ca/?cmd=Status

and then clicked the Elog button then I just got the cached (old) page.  Admittedly reloading the status page doesn't make so much sense (once I thought about it), but it is what I tried first (I'm good at modelling unexpected user behaviour); so there is some risk that the user will try reloading the wrong page and will be stuck not getting the external elog page (until 24 hours runs out).

Anyway, I will update the documentation to note that you need to reload the elog page after changing this variable.  That's probably an adequate solution.

I certainly don't suggest getting rid of caching entirely.  I was trying to think whether there was a set of pages where it would make sense to disable the cache (like the elog page).  But maybe that will just cause more problems.


> Let me first explain a bit why caching is there. Once we had the case that someone from 
> TRIUMF opened a midas custom page at T2K. It took about one minute (!) to load the page. 
> 
> When we looked at it, we found that the custom page pulled about 100 items with individual
> HTTP requests from Japan, each taking about one second for the roundtrip. Then we redesigned
> the custom page communication so that many ODB entries could be retrieved in one operation,
> which improved the loading time from 100s to about 2s.
> 
> With the buttons we will have to make the same compromise. If we do not cache anything,
> loading the midas status page over the Pacific takes many seconds. If we cache all, any
> change on the midas side will not be reflected on the web page. So there is a compromise
> to be made. I thought I designed it such that the side menu is cached locally, but when
> the user presses "reload", then the full menu is fetched from the server. Of course one
> has to remember this, so changing the ELOG URL or other things on the menu require a
> reload (or wait a certain time for the cache to expire). So try again if that's working
> for you. If not, I can visit it again and check if there is any bug.
> 
> If we go the route to disable the cache, better try this to T2K and see what you get before
> we commit ourselves to that. Last time TRIUMF people were complaining a lot about long
> load times.
> 
> Best,
> Stefan