Last modified: 2011-04-30 01:21:21 UTC
Contrary to the descriptions of the parameters on http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Parameters_to_Special:Export, Special:Export does not accept parameters limit, dir and offset. When I try to get xml of limited number of revisions of specific wikipedia page, Special:Export always sends back all the revisions in ascending order. This cause malfunctions of receiving script due to the size of the xml. As far as I know, this trouble appeared 25 or 26 March 2009. I was running some scripts to obtain past revisions of wikipedia pages and until then they had no problem. Sample request (POST): http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Export&pages=XXXXX&dir=desc&limit=5&action=submit&history=1
This might be misunderstanding. The description says "if the history parameter is true, then all versions of each page are returned."
I believe this bug still remains unfixed, as I am unable to obtain specific revisions of a page. Looking through the source code, the parameters "limit", "dir", and "offset" are still being used. However, using these parameters (in POST requests) seem to have no effect in Special:Export, even if the "history" parameter is true or false. I believe that the bug is located between lines 79 and 110 of the code, but I may be wrong.
(In reply to comment #2) > even if the "history" > parameter is true or false. > Instead of setting &history=false , try setting &history=0 or not setting &history at all.
(In reply to comment #3) > (In reply to comment #2) > > even if the "history" > > parameter is true or false. > > > Instead of setting &history=false , try setting &history=0 or not setting > &history at all. > With true or false, I meant history=1 or history=0. Ignoring the parameter didn't work for me. This is the summary of my results: ------------------------------------------------ curonly history result ------------------------------------------------ - - full history 1 - current rev 0 - current rev - 1 full history - 0 full history 0 0 current rev 1 0 current rev 0 1 current rev 1 1 current rev ------------------------------------------------
In the tests I conducted, I tried using all three parameters (limit, offset, dir), and a combination of these. Using the parameters had no effect, and Special:Export simply produced the results mentioned in "Comment #4". According to "tani.kaoru@gmail.com", this bug occurred in Wikipedia sometime in March 2009. In our wiki run by Wikia, we recently upgraded from version 1.15 to 1.15.1, and Special:Export started ignoring the parameters. I think it is safe to assume that this bug is related to the 1.15.1 upgrade.
Changing the version to 1.15.1.
If I knew how to produce a patch, I would have. But I simply don't know how to go about it. ******************************** File: /includes/export.php ******************************** This involves moving the if statement of "# Full history dumps..." (Line 210) below the if statement of "Time offset/limit for all pages/history..." (Line 229) The time offset/limit parameters were being ignored because the if statement for "Full history dumps" was being triggered first. Moving the if statement for "Time offset/limit for all pages/history" parameters above the full history seemed to have solved the bug. I tested this in my wiki, and after this patch, the parameters are now being recognised. I was able to export specific revisions of a page.
Created attachment 6534 [details] Export.php -> recognise limit, dir and offset parameters This version of "Export.php" should recognise the limit, dir, and offset parameters.
Created attachment 6544 [details] Diff patch Patch to recognise offset/limit/dir parameters
*** Bug 15667 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Patch applied in r56298
Some followup tweaks in r57083
