dictDB: Exception due to str to datetime comparission

[jankatins]

This has spamed my log, but didn't happen for all tasks.

Not sure if this is related to #4550

Version is git from two or three days ago.

2013-11-16 18:12:23.312 [IPControllerApp] ERROR | DB Error updating record '7ea3ce3f-c4ed-4158-a189-66d3e5f69c3a'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\hub.py", line 731, in save_task_request
    self.db.update_record(msg_id, record)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 233, in update_record
    self._add_bytes(_rec)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 170, in _add_bytes
    self._maybe_cull()
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 191, in _maybe_cull
    self._cull_oldest(to_cull)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 179, in _cull_oldest
    for msg_id in self.get_history()[:n]:
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 275, in get_history
    return sorted(msg_ids, key=lambda m: self._records[m]['submitted'])
TypeError: can't compare datetime.datetime to str

and

2013-11-16 18:12:23.355 [IPControllerApp] ERROR | DB Error saving task destination '7ea3ce3f-c4ed-4158-a189-66d3e5f69c3a'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\hub.py", line 819, in save_task_destination
    self.db.update_record(msg_id, dict(engine_uuid=engine_uuid))
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 233, in update_record
    self._add_bytes(_rec)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 170, in _add_bytes
    self._maybe_cull()
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 191, in _maybe_cull
    self._cull_oldest(to_cull)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 179, in _cull_oldest
    for msg_id in self.get_history()[:n]:
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 275, in get_history
    return sorted(msg_ids, key=lambda m: self._records[m]['submitted'])
TypeError: can't compare datetime.datetime to str

and

2013-11-16 18:12:23.362 [IPControllerApp] ERROR | Uncaught exception in <function dispatch_monitor_traffic at 0x00000000041C7F98>
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\util.py", line 118, in log_errors
    return f(self, *args, **kwargs)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\hub.py", line 512, in dispatch_monitor_traffic
    handler(idents, msg)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\hub.py", line 856, in save_iopub_message
    self.db.add_record(msg_id, rec)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 215, in add_record
    self._add_bytes(rec)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 170, in _add_bytes
    self._maybe_cull()
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 191, in _maybe_cull
    self._cull_oldest(to_cull)
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 179, in _cull_oldest
    for msg_id in self.get_history()[:n]:
  File "C:\portabel\Python27\lib\site-packages\IPython\parallel\controller\dictdb.py", line 275, in get_history
    return sorted(msg_ids, key=lambda m: self._records[m]['submitted'])
TypeError: can't compare datetime.datetime to str

[minrk]

This will have been caused by #4497. Can you post code that reproduces it, so I might be able to add a clearly lacking test case?

[jankatins]

I don't really have a reproduceable example: it didn't happen every time I ran my simulation.

I can send you my simulation code, but I don't want to publish it here... I'm also happy to apply any debugging code which may help and run the simulation.

[minrk]

sure, if you can email me something that would be great - my email is easily discoverable on GitHub.

[takluyver]

Did this get anywhere? I've seen a similar failure on ShiningPanda from time to time.

[minrk]

This should be closed by e631d27