Localhost Pavlovia error

Online experiments
1

I am getting a persistent error for accessing my online experiment on different devices from running or accessing the backend:

Full description:

{
“origin”: “https://pavlovia.org/api/v2/designers/authenticate”,
“context”: “when getting the designer information corresponding to the oauth token”,
“user”: {
“id”: 25432,
“name”: “Cate MacColl”,
“username”: “catemaccoll”,
“state”: “active”,
“avatar_url”: “https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/640611e6f0db61f26b911285149c6a40?s=80&d=identicon”,
“web_url”: “Sign in · GitLab,
“created_at”: “2021-12-23T04:09:43.389Z”,
“bio”: “”,
“bio_html”: “”,
“location”: null,
“public_email”: “”,
“skype”: “”,
“linkedin”: “”,
“twitter”: “”,
“website_url”: “”,
“organization”: null,
“job_title”: “”,
“work_information”: null,
“last_sign_in_at”: “2025-04-06T01:04:25.864Z”,
“confirmed_at”: “2021-12-23T04:09:43.071Z”,
“last_activity_on”: “2025-08-23”,
“email”: “c.maccoll@uq.net.au”,
“theme_id”: 1,
“color_scheme_id”: 1,
“projects_limit”: 100000,
“current_sign_in_at”: “2025-04-06T04:17:56.963Z”,
“identities”: ,
“can_create_group”: true,
“can_create_project”: true,
“two_factor_enabled”: false,
“external”: false,
“private_profile”: false,
“shared_runners_minutes_limit”: null,
“extra_shared_runners_minutes_limit”: null,
“emails”: [
“c.maccoll@uq.net.au”
],
“oauthToken”: “68814034c85abdf04aadde2b8c295fc484f5531b680b235b9062e66fb777eec0”
},
“designer”: null,
“error”: “unable to connect to the database: localhost:27017: timed out, Timeout: 30s, Topology Description: <TopologyDescription id: 68a90d1a38a78e35708451a9, topology_type: Unknown, servers: [<ServerDescription (‘localhost’, 27017) server_type: Unknown, rtt: None, error=NetworkTimeout(‘localhost:27017: timed out’)>]>”,
“errorCode”: null,
“httpStatusCode”: 503
}

2

@wakecarter unsure if this is a general issue but multiple lab members are experiencing it here

3

+1

I am experiencing the same error when I try to access the dashboard.

4

I am getting this too, it’s been about 1 hour. Just before that, I was not able to synch my experiment from Psychopy to Pavlovia anymore, it was working just fine and then it stopped, showing some kind of warning about the “designer”. Not sure what is happening but my whole Pavlovia/experiment crashed with no reason, as the last thing I changed was the colour of my experiment font, synchronised, crashed. Then the log in issue

>>> unable to connect to the database: localhost:27017: timed out, Timeout: 30s, Topology Description: ]>

If the error persists, contact Pavlovia’s administrator.

Full description:

{
  "origin": "https://pavlovia.org/api/v2/designers/authenticate",
  "context": "when getting the designer information corresponding to the oauth token",
  "user": {
    "id": 92552,
    "name": "Martina Ventura",
    "username": "mv0395",
    "state": "active",
    "avatar_url": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/84ccfe567194ea87e479ea99bb668840?s=80&d=identicon",
    "web_url": "https://gitlab.pavlovia.org/mv0395",
    "created_at": "2024-02-29T08:46:44.292Z",
    "bio": "",
    "bio_html": "",
    "location": null,
    "public_email": "",
    "skype": "",
    "linkedin": "",
    "twitter": "",
    "website_url": "",
    "organization": null,
    "job_title": "",
    "work_information": null,
    "last_sign_in_at": "2025-08-23T00:29:05.192Z",
    "confirmed_at": "2024-02-29T08:49:48.069Z",
    "last_activity_on": "2025-08-23",
    "email": "90959375@westernsydney.edu.au",
    "theme_id": 1,
    "color_scheme_id": 1,
    "projects_limit": 100000,
    "current_sign_in_at": "2025-08-23T02:50:37.337Z",
    "identities": [],
    "can_create_group": true,
    "can_create_project": true,
    "two_factor_enabled": false,
    "external": false,
    "private_profile": false,
    "shared_runners_minutes_limit": null,
    "extra_shared_runners_minutes_limit": null,
    "emails": [
      "90959375@westernsydney.edu.au"
    ],
    "oauthToken": "37bbcb8b8eeab6662c9c2a285f2d7baa951e67e5359a723051039b3ce1ba088a"
  },
  "designer": null,
  "error": "unable to connect to the database: localhost:27017: timed out, Timeout: 30s, Topology Description: <TopologyDescription id: 68a933eaa284a2cef589bf16, topology_type: Unknown, servers: [<ServerDescription ('localhost', 27017) server_type: Unknown, rtt: None, error=NetworkTimeout('localhost:27017: timed out')>]>",
  "errorCode": null,
  "httpStatusCode": 503
}
5

I’m getting the same error. Wonder if it’s a problem with the system rather than individual experiments.

6

Hi everyone,

This has been reported to our developers, I’ll update this thread as soon as there’s an update.

Kim

7

Good morning,

Our database got itself into a confused state. I have just sorted this out and we are back.

With my apologies for the interruption.

Cheers,

Alain

8

Hi

I am still having the same issue though on Pavlovia this morning. I am unable to log in, with the same error reported

9

I’m also getting the same “unable to connect to the database” error currently when attempting to run experiments on pavlovia.

10

I successfully tested once this morning, and am now getting the error again

11

We’re still having the same problem.

12

We’re still having the same problem.

13

+1; was working this morning, but has reverted to previous error.

14

I just tried to work on my experiment and encountered this issue. Is it the overall issue? When is it expected to be fixed?

15

Morning everyone,

I can confirm that this has now been fixed.

Thanks,

Kim

16

The issue reared its head again. We are now back and I will investigate in the afternoon what is the cause

Alain