Template stops working after some time

1

Hey, so I’ve been using the templates like this “https://quickchart.io/chart/render/sf-1e799ea0-1f7c-4682-a5d9-35c014ca8617” and it works fine.

Though, after about a week, it breaks. It doesn’t render any more new graphs and I have to create a new template link every time.

It’s not used that much, it’s probably called about 4-5 times a day. What could be the problem? Anybody else have this issue? Thanks

2

Do you get an error?

I posted a question as my graphs have disappeared. Looking like I need to create them from scratch, which after 1 year is not easy to remember.

3

I think when typing the link there’s an error, but I’m not sure. Previously cached graphs will continue to show I believe. I’ll update back when it happens again

4

For reference, I get a 404 for graphs I have not used in awhile.

5

Hi @Iain and @Hyporos,

Short URLs created with the /chart/create endpoint on the free tier have a guaranteed lifetime of 3 days. The Professional plan extends this lifetime to 6 months (or more if desired). @Hyporos is correct that the cache may extend this lifetime past the published expiry.

Charts created with the Chart Maker tool currently have a lifetime of 60 days, and the timer is refreshed when they are rendered (this means that a template works indefinitely, as long as it’s used regularly).

We’re looking into ways to make the free tier more user-friendly with indefinite expiration. The problem i that right now there aren’t user accounts for the free tier. Although that makes it easy to use, it means that we need to enforce a expiry instead of letting users maintain a smaller number of short URLs indefinitely.

Hope this clarifies and let me know if you have any questions.

6

I can see now that there is an Account option bottom left of chart maker to link to a api key.

Regarding “or more if desired”, how do we extend beyond 6 months? I suspect the client sat on the app for awhile, and the chart has now gone.

7

Thanks for the info! I do happen to be using a template though, and it still seems to expire for some reason. It’s being used regularly (3-5 times a day) so it should stay working, no? Once the link breaks again I can send it over for debugging

8

Here, this link has just broken again: https://quickchart.io/chart/render/sf-1e799ea0-1f7c-4682-a5d9-35c014ca8617

9

Hi @Hyporos,

Your URL is made with the /chart/create endpoint on the free plan, so its lifetime is 3 days and it does not refresh on use.

Here’s a summary of expiration behavior as of today:

Free Tier Professional Plan
API 3 days 6 months
Can be extended by contacting support
Chart Maker 60+ days
Expiration is reset when rendered 		6+ months
Expiration is reset when rendered

I’ve also added this table to the documentation.

Hope this helps!

10

Hey @ian

Thanks again for the response. But is my URL not the /chart/render endpoint? It’s what I get when pressing on “Save as template”. Using the chart maker as well, which you said should be indefinite as long as it’s being used.

Thanks

12

Bump. still confused as i am not using the /chart/create endpoint thus i shouldn’t have this issue.

this is the code i’m using

 const xLabels = getLabels("x");
    const yLabels = getLabels("y");
    const graphColor = user.graphColor || "255,189,213";
    const borderColorAlpha = graphColor !== "255,189,213" ? 0.7 : 0.6;

    const url = `${bot[0].graphTemplate}?labels=${xLabels}&data1=${yLabels}&borderColor1=rgba(${graphColor},${borderColorAlpha})&backgroundColor1=rgba(${graphColor},0.4)`;

graphTemplate is https://quickchart.io/chart/render/sf-e3dd6de4-3eea-4b81-88c0-fc5b4fde2fa4

edit: i could very well be wrong but thats just what it looks like to me. if it is using the /chart/create, how can i use the /chart/render instead?