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Failure login to vodafone account due to java.lang.StackOverflowError

Wolfman999
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

Tried to access my Vodafone account today but cannot get past entering the security code.  Upon entering the code and submitting it, this error message pops up. ! java.lang.StackOverflowError   ADF_FACES-60097: Server Exception during PPR, #326 (see attached).  Having checked the forum this problem has been communicated to Vodafone nearly 2 months ago (16.09.2017) yet it would seem they have done nothing about it.  The problem imco is a serverside problem given it strikes no matter which browser one uses (IE or Firefox).  Does anybody know of a workaround or, better still know of a solution?

23 REPLIES 23

I posted above on this problem back in Nov 2017.  Just checked and it is still there.  In my original post I mentioned the workaround my wife had discovered which is essentially  the same as the one posted and screen printed above which uses the buttons on the LHS of the screen.  If I try to use the "Usage" button on the RHS of the screen I also get an error message.

But on my screen (I'm PAYG) there is a "Bundle usage" button on the LHS of the screen immediately below "Account Summary".

Hope this helps

But we really and want and expect from a major IT company is software that works. Just from the posts above this piece of code doesn't work on quite a range of hardware and browsers.   

Hi TerryTzzz and SilviaJones,

This problem dates back even further as these threads indicate.

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Reporting-Site-Error-Bad-First-Impressions-Chat-Live/td-...

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Windows/cannot-submit-security-code/td-p/2534138

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Can-t-access-website-for-billing/td-p/2536731

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Windows/Failure-login-to-vodafone-account-due-to-java-lang/td-p/2578...

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Windows/Java-error/td-p/2572936

Having got nowhere with LiveChat in November 2017 with a person seemingly only prepared to work off some script but with no inclination to think I let the matter rest until the end of December 2017 in the vain hope Vodafone might have fixed the Java script error resulting in the Stack Overflow. This time me I tried DM on Twitter but with similar outcomes to others.  Standard response is that (allegedly) one's private details are needed to look into this account error as this was a requirement of the Data Protection Act (sigh!). One even gets lied to. One of the Vodafone staff said this was an isolated error, bodly lying in the face of overwhelming evidence on the Vodafone forum that this was not so.

 

Fed up with lack of competence and thus action by customer facing staff I registered a complaint with Vodafone's CEO, Mr Nick Jeffery, and I can only suggest everybody hitting the same brick wall wrt this problem to do the  same. E-mail: Directorscomplaints at help.vodafone.co.uk or nick.jeffery at vodafone.com

 

To my mind Vodafone has Three problems when dealing with technical / IT problems at their end. 1. Their customer facing staff are not trained well enough to even be able to reconginse a problem that cannot be dealt with by working through their standard script. 2. Vodadafone's standard script for dealing with customer's enquiries seems to assume it's always the customer that is at fault.  3. Vodafone have a Trump-like attitude when it comes to problems / errors at their end. They will not admit to mistakes they may have made, and if pushed will even resort to telling porkies.

This even if confronted with information from Oracle.

 https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17904_01/core.1111/e10113/chapter_adf_faces_messages.htm

One needs to scroll down to ADF_FACES-60096 and 60097 where one can see Oracle clearly points towards the server as the first point of call to find out more about the error.

As far as I recall matters from my time as web administrator for a UK university dept., when a function call is invoked by a Java application, a stack frame is allocated on the call stack. The stack frame contains the parameters of the invoked method, its local parameters, and the return address of the method. The return address denotes the execution point from which the program execution shall continue after the invoked method returns. If there is no space for a new stack frame then, a Stack Overflow Error is thrown by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).  The most common case that can possibly exhaust a Java application’s stack is recursion. In recursion, a method invokes itself during its execution which, if not properly executed (e.g. by starting with number 1 instead of 0) will create a loop. Recursion is considered as a powerful general-purpose programming technique, but must be used with caution, in order for a Stack Overflow Error to be avoided.  In the early stages of program execution (e.g. start of a new day) Stack Overflow errors may not manifest themselves for quite some time depending on the size allocated to the stack frame.  However, after a while Stack Overflow errors will start to occur the moment many users start using / accessing this page (almost) concurrently.

Fixing the script/command that causes the Stack Overflow error will be easy but finding the actual line of code may/will be time consuming. However, only Vodafone's IT staff are in a position to do this. 

JohnJ
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

Hi all,

We totally understand how frustrating this maybe, a java script error is very complex and annoying. 

As this can be caused by multiple reason's, we'd require each individual to get in touch with us via the links provided. This is so we can look in to the account on a case by case investigation, to find the route cause of the problem.

Once we've looked into your issue, we'll contact you with our findings 👍🏼

 

Agreed, finding a java script error in 1000s of lines of script can be frustrating.  However, it is equally frustrating to be fed the same lame excuses again and again and again while seemingly nothing gets done for months.

 

It is also frustrating to note that this error has not been fixed in more than 1 month even when all requested account details were provided.  What excuse do you have for that?

 

BTW, it is equally hard to believe this error is account specific given how much space in TB would be required if Vodafone had an individual web page for each customer.

 

This (generic) error is caused by a stack overflow related to function call common to the log-in process to accounts such as verification of the security code sent by SMS (which is when I see this error which in turn prevents a successful log-in).

JohnJ
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@Wolfman999 I'm sorry to hear you're still having issues with your online account. 

Has our email team be able to advised you on this issue and what steps have they offered?

Also have you tried the process that @Annie_N has posted which seems to be working for others?

Please lets us know how you get on :Thumbs_Up:

@Annie_N workaround does work, but I cant understand why we as users have to follow an abnormal process just to facilitate Vodafones shortcomings. I cannot believe how a company the size of Vodafone cannot fix the problem. I posted this as an issue ages ago and all of a sudden a lot more people have the same issue. I'm retired now, but worked in IT including programming for over 40 years. As I remember a stack overflow occurs when the program tries to access an area outside of its own confines. Come on Vodafone get your act together. Very poor.

Independently I have figured a way to access my account/s and essentially it works along the same lines as posted by Annie_N.

 

However, as you have pointed out, why should we as customers enable Vodafone's poor customer service as well as apathy when it comes to fixing what basically is a simple problem caused by sloppy scripting?

 

Even with information given on where to find information on Oracle what the ADF_FACES error code/s mean (stack overflow java during ppr request) Vodafone are not interested. Why act when it so much easier to allege this an account specific problem. 8-|

 

 

Dear JohnJ,

 

Regrettably, nobody has been offering any advice and neither has anybody offered any steps.

 

The latter I can understand since any steps that need to be taken have to be taken by Vodafone or rather its IT dept.

 

Communications from Vodafone staff were confined to the usual standard statements. A. We are not aware of a problem. (Not being aware does not prove a problem doesn't exist. Note, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence as any forensic scientist will tell you). B. This is an isolated problem (which of course it isn't as numerous posts to this forum ate testament to). C. We need your personal details such as your dob to investigate for reasons of Data Protection. Really? Even providing such details has not furnished any tangible result.

 

In short, your lot have done diddly and it would seem your lot have neither interest nor inclination to do anything because this would mean you would have to admit you made a mistake (for which the customer cannot be blamed).

 

My conclusion from all this is if you cannot be bothered to fix a problem affecting account access, I can no longer be bothered to be your customer. Simples.

 

I also have this problem.

Tried on 3 different computers all with different browsers.  It must be on their end.

Apparently they're doing 'maintenance' tomorrow, so hopefully that'll fix it.

Annie_N
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

I reported it, along with a screenshot, back in October, but I'm still experiencing it. 4 different browsers, 2 different PCs, 4 different phones and 5 different accounts!

However, I do have a workaround of sorts:

Login obstacle.JPG

On a PC, the trick seems to be to click OK (1), then click My Account (2, the main bit, don't use the drop-down), then navigate using the links down the left-hand side of the page (3). Don't use links elsewhere in the page (4) or you'll get another error - just close the error pop-up, and use the LHS links instead. My accounts are PAYG, so the details look different, but others report that the same trick works for Pay Monthly.

On an Android phone, the error screen overlies the stuff you want to see - using Back then Forward arrows in the triple-dot menu generally seems to clear the difficulty, but I'm not entirely confident that there isn't an extra stage somewhere. Again, some of the menus then work OK, others produce the error.

It would be nice if the problem could be fixed.