Yahoo cookie error caused data update to fail
Author: rbryant
Creation Date: 10/16/2019 7:27 AM
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rbryant

#1
Hi
I click a Yahoo dataset (of only 14 symbols), a dataset I have used maybe 50 times in the last few weeks. I click Update DataSet. WL hangs then says 'Yahoo cookie error' in a dialog box.

Then on Data Manager screen it says 'Yahoo session cookie cached', then 'Updating security names for 14 symbols', then 'Error Updating Security Names'.

The dataset is all common ETFs like SPY and VNQ, or a couple of indices, ^VIS and ^TNX.

The Yahoo cookie cache thing is the problem.

I have never had this before.

Any solution, please?

Thanks
Rod
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Eugene

#2
Hi Rod,

If the requested cookie cannot be saved the data update will not function. Failure to acquire Yahoo's cookie may be caused by your network connection. I noticed it during a period when its speed/stability was suboptimal. Things to try:

1. First and foremost, restart WLD after receiving this error popup.
2. Retry update at a later time. Yahoo may have its own issues
3. Switch to a different ISP or VPN and retry
4. If your network is busy downloading something, either put downloads on hold or set up QoS in your router

P.S. At any rate, please make sure that the latest version 2019.04 of the Yahoo! provider is installed (if necessary, update and restart WLD).
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rbryant

#3
Hi Eugene

Thank you for the very fast and helpful reply.

"1. First and foremost, restart WLD after receiving this error popup." - done, several times.
"2. Retry update at a later time. Yahoo may have its own issues" - done, two hours apart.
"3. Switch to a different ISP or VPN and retry" - will try
"4. If your network is busy downloading something, either put downloads on hold or set up QoS in your router" - it's not busy. What is QoS?

"P.S. At any rate, please make sure that the latest version 2019.04 of the Yahoo! provider is installed (if necessary, update and restart WLD)." - I checked, it was the updated version.

Regards
Rod
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Eugene

#4
2. From recent experience with EOD data errors in ETFs, two hours may not be enough.

3. Let me know about your experience with other ISP/VPN. In the worst case there may even be something special to your region, I'm not sure. (At least Yahoo has to appear differently to EU residents to honor GDPR and the provider must handle this particular case.)

4. If it's not busy, you may disregard #4. QoS stands for Quality of Service. Simply put, this feature gives a higher priority to certain types of traffic which require it (games, streaming video or calls) and assigns a lower priority to services which don't need fast response times (like downloads).

The cookie timeout value is currently set at 15 seconds in the Y! provider. It's believed to be enough to grab one web page and store its cookies on a broadband connection.
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rbryant

#5
Hi.

Thanks. Same issue 24 hours later. It makes WL unusable for me effectively, and I have two strategies that rely upon it.

I am in New Zealand so no EU data issues. I have had no Yahoo data download issues ever, until yesterday, and I have used Wealth Lab since about 2008.

Could it be to do with the new update for US users, that maybe changed the Yahoo data extension? I am on v 6.9.15.0 64 bit edition, which seems to be the latest for offshore users.

**EDIT: Solved, but I don't know why
I changed from my wifi to my mobile hotspot from my phone, and it worked. Do you have any idea why that would be the case? I used my wifi for the last 2 years.

Thanks and regards

Rod
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Eugene

#6
Glad to know you've solved it by changing to a different connection. Sorry, it's hard to tell what might have caused the timeout on your WiFi link. Your 'last mile' (WiFi) or ISP is to blame for a Yahoo web page failing to load in 15 seconds.

In a future release we'll investigate into bumping the timeout value up which hopefully should alleviate the issue even where connection quality is at doubt. But since this change affects everybody it should be approached carefully.

P.S. FYI, there are alternative data providers which can be used as backup when Yahoo is inaccessible e.g. Wealth-Data, Norgate/Premiumdata etc.
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rbryant

#7
Thanks Eugene.

Wealth-Data looks good (I like the focus on getting the Open price right, using the primary market - excellent), but is only for the largest stocks and not adjusted for ordinary divs.

Norgate - looks great also. Do you trust their data? It doesn't have an 'About Us' page or say anything about the company or source of data!

Thanks and best regards

Rod
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Eugene

#8
Thank you for your feedback, Rod.

Could you ask Norgate questions in specific forum threads, please? You can find them by entering keywords like Norgate, PremiumData in the "Search Forum..." text box. Richard Dale of NorgateData is open to your questions and suggestions.
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Eugene

#9
@rbryant

fyi, in Yahoo v2019.11 the timeout value is bumped up slightly to alleviate the issue you were having on your WiFi.
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