pandora - can't select stations without allowing doubleclick

ee90210 · Post by **ee90210** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:33 pm

I have 9 "stations" on Pandora.com. If I don't allow doubleclick, I can only click on the bottom 5, and a small sliver of the bottom of 4.

So, if this is the display

Station 1
Station 2
Station 3
Station 4
Station 5
Station 6
Station 7
Station 8
Station 9

Stations 5-9 are fully clickable. Station 4 has a 1 pixel horizontal bar just above station 5 that can be clicked, but anything above that line doesn't work. Stations 1-3 aren't at all clickable.

Enabling doubleclick.net allows all the stations to work.

I see only one doubleclick javascript reference. If I open the link (which contains *all* my demographic data) by copying and pasting it (after doing Select All, View Selection Source on the main Pandora window), the Javascript is this:

document.body.style.background = "transparent";
medium_rectangle();
document.write('\n');

if(parent.setActiveStyleSheet) parent.setActiveStyleSheet("default");
document.write('\n\n<a href=\"http://ad.doubleclick.net/XXX_REMOVED_XXX" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://s0.2mdn.net/2889158/Coldplay_300x250.jpg\" border=\"0\"></a>\n\n\n<img src=\"\" style=\"position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; visibility:hidden\" />\n\n<img src=\"\" style=\"position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; visibility:hidden\" />\n\n<img src=\"\" style=\"position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; visibility:hidden\" />\n\n<img src=\"\" style=\"position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; visibility:hidden\" />');

where XXX_REMOVED_XXX is basically the same demo data that's leaked in the javascript reference.

Post by **Tom T.** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:58 am

I logged in with a bugmenot.com account of crapp (@) mailnator.com, where pw = password .
It appears that the thin blue vertical bar to the right of the top four stations is where the site wants to embed an ad from Doubleclick.

JSView > Page Info > Scripts lists one call to doubleclick:

Code: Select all

http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/pand.default/prod.radio;index=1;interaction=station;fam=-1;artist=R120;gcat=none;genre=rock;ag=45;gnd=1;zip=99999;hours=5;comped=0;exp=0;fb=0;dma=747;clean=0;st=AK;co=02110;et=0;pin=0;aa=0;hisp=0;hhi=0;an=1;u=index*1!interaction*station!fam*-1!artist*R120!gcat*none!genre*rock!ag*45!gnd*1!zip*99999!hours*5!comped*0!exp*0!fb*0!dma*747!clean*0!st*AK!co*02110!et*0!pin*0!aa*0!hisp*0!hhi*0!an*1;tile=1;sz=2000x2;ord=1324121930297927008

R-clicking that blue bar, which apparently is a separate frame, then This Frame > View Frame Info:

Code: Select all

Frame info: http://www.pandora.com/radioAdEmbed.html?cb=13241219303615898

This Frame > View Frame Source =

Code: Select all

<html>
<head>
    <title>Find Music You'll Love - Pandora</title>
</head>
<body style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#fff">

<div id="adContainer" style="position: absolute; top:0px; left:0px;">
    <script type="text/javascript">
		window.onerror = function(msg, url, num) {
			return true;	// stop JS errors from propagating (doesn't prevent sub-iframes from throwing errors though)
		};

		companions = null;

        // These functions are invoked by the ad.
        // 'adType' is used by adView once the ad has loaded
        adType = null;
        function wide_skyscraper() {
            adType = "wide_skyscraper";
        }
        function medium_rectangle() {
            adType = "medium_rectangle";
        }
        function double_wide() {
            adType = "double_wide";
        }
        function double_wide_short() {
            adType = "double_wide_short";
        }
		function masthead() {
			adType = "masthead";
		}
		function masthead_with_companion() {
			adType = "masthead_with_companion";
		}
		function masthead_companion() {
			adType = "masthead_companion";
		}

        var raw = document.location.search;

        if (raw.indexOf("?displayAd=") >= 0) {
            // Force a specific displayAd
            raw = raw.substring(11);
            var audioIds = raw.split(":",2);
            var forceUrl = "/util/dartCreative.jsp?dispad="+audioIds[0]+"&c="+audioIds[1];
            document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + forceUrl + '"><\/script>');

        } else {
            // Fetch from dfp
            var dcUrl = window.top.AdService_getDisplayAdUrl();
			if (dcUrl != null) {
				document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + dcUrl + '"><\/script>');
				// Check for any companion ads to load
				companions = window.top.AdService_getAndClearDisplayAdCompanionUrls();
			}
        }
    </script>
	<!-- Companion script tags need to be in their own script blocks in order to ensure correct load order -->
	<script type="text/javascript">
		if (companions != null && companions.length > 0) {
			document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + companions.shift() + '"><\/script>');
		}
	</script>

	<script type="text/javascript">
		if (companions != null && companions.length > 0) {
			document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + companions.shift() + '"><\/script>');
		}
	</script>
	<script type="text/javascript">
		if (companions != null && companions.length > 0) {
			document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + companions.shift() + '"><\/script>');
		}
	</script>
	<script type="text/javascript">
		if (companions != null && companions.length > 0) {
			document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + companions.shift() + '"><\/script>');
		}
	</script>
	<script type="text/javascript">
		if (companions != null && companions.length > 0) {
			document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + companions.shift() + '"><\/script>');
		}
	</script>
	<script type="text/javascript">
		if (companions != null && companions.length > 0) {
			document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' + companions.shift() + '"><\/script>');
		}
	</script>
	<!-- Add more script blocks if we expect to have more than 6 companions -->

</div>
</body>
</html>

Someone else had mentioned doubleclick breaking sites, but gave no URLs. This is the first one I've seen, and it does indeed seem to break the first four titles.

I'll ask Giorigo if he can write a Surrogate Script for doubleclick, or any other cure for this site, when he has a chance.
If blocking doubleclick is indeed breaking many sites, then a surrogate would be very helpful.

Thanks for the report, and for your patience until Giorgio gets a chance to reply.

Post by **Giorgio Maone** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:04 pm

Can you see any new error message in your Tools>Error Console when this happens?

BVoris · Post by **BVoris** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 7:25 pm

I have this problem because I block doubleclick.net in my router. When I unblock it there, I can allow scripts from doubleclick.net and access more than four Pandora stations.

My error console has no errors but many warnings. One of each of the warnings follows. Each of the following occur multiple times. If you want a complete dump, I can do that too. However, even when I allow doubleclick.net (and so am able to select all stations), I see the same errors in the console.

Warning: Error in parsing value for 'border-bottom'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Unknown property 'zoom'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Error in parsing value for 'filter'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Error in parsing value for 'top'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Error in parsing value for 'background'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Unknown property 'text-indext'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Expected declaration but found '*'. Skipped to next declaration.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Error in parsing value for 'clear'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Error in parsing value for 'text-decoration'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Error in parsing value for 'font-weight'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Error in parsing value for '-moz-transition-timing-function'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Unknown property 'transition-property'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Unknown property 'transition-duration'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Warning: Unknown property 'transition-timing-function'. Declaration dropped.
Source File: http://www.pandora.com/css/compiled.css?v=95845013
Line: 1

Post by **Tom T.** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 7:23 am

BVoris wrote:I have this problem because I block doubleclick.net in my router. When I unblock it there, I can allow scripts from doubleclick.net and access more than four Pandora stations.

OP's issue was that the *first four* stations listed were blocked; beyond that, s/he had no problem.

However, you're still adding confirmation that toggling access to doubleclick does in fact affect some pages, thanks.

BVoris wrote:My error console has no errors but many warnings.

Usually, the warnings aren't very significant. It's the red Error messages that are usually the key, and also any blue Info messages pertaining to [NOSCRIPT], [ABE}, [XSS}, or other NoScript-related.

BVoris wrote: One of each of the warnings follows. Each of the following occur multiple times. If you want a complete dump, I can do that too. However, even when I allow doubleclick.net (and so am able to select all stations), I see the same errors in the console.

Kind of confirms that the warnings aren't relevant. (Assume "warnings'" was meant, rather than "errors", correct?)
With DC allowed, you can access all stations, and without it, you can't, and the warnings don't change either way.

I'll try one more time to create a temp Pandora account, and see if there are Errors. No need for a complete dump unless/until Giorgio asks for one.
Thanks for the report.

Still sounds like a surrogate for doubleclick would be useful, rather than forcing "allow" on those who'd rather not.

Post by **Tom T.** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:17 am

PERFECTLY REPRODUCIBLE. Fx 3.6.25, NS 2.2.5RC3 on Win XP, with RequestPolicy.

The bugmenot logins had exceeded their allotted hours for the month, so I had to create my own account.

With DoubleClick blocked at Hosts level:

Log in.
TA pandora.com
TA the Flash player and Pandora in "Blocked Objects".
TA pandora.com again, per NS menu.
All loads.
Create "stations" by listing various artists in the box -- created nine. (9)
Cannot access the first three. (No "hand" onmouseover.) The other six are fine, with a hand onmouseover.

Close browser.
Substitute dummy Hosts file with only localhost entry; i. e., remove all DC blocking.
Redo all above login.
Same results as above; i. e., can't click the first three stations.

NOW:
TA DoubleClick in both NS and RP.
Page refreshes.
ALL stations accessible; symptom disappears.
Box with "Your ad here" appears to the right of the Station list, as predicted here:

Tom T. wrote:It appears that the thin blue vertical bar to the right of the top four stations is where the site wants to embed an ad from Doubleclick.

TOGGLE:
Forbid DoubleClick in NS (that's enough)
Symptom re-occurs: first three stations are not accessible; no hand onmouseover.

Error Console:
Nothing. No Error messages, no Info messages; only the Warnings as reported by BVoris

TOGGLE:
TA DC again.
Cured.
Q.E.D.

@ Giorgio: I'll PM you my login creds. Please see if you can find anything other than DoubleClick permission as being the cause of this problem.
Perhaps only Pandora needs a surrogate, but since this issue previously arose at IMDb as noted here, it seems more and more sites are doing it, so a DoubleClick surrogate might save a lot of individual surrogates.

ETA: Just reproduced on Fx 9.01, all else the same. Still nothing in Errors, and nothing in Info.

Xan · Post by **Xan** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:21 pm

I know this is a pretty old thread, but... the problem still exists. Anyone know how to keep DoubleClick blocked but properly use Pandora?

Post by **Giorgio Maone** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:19 pm

In Tools|Advanced|ABE, USER ruleset:

Code: Select all

Site .doubleclick.net
Accept from SELF++
Accept from .pandora.com
Deny

On pandora.com, "Allow doubleclick.net".
Even if shown as allowed, It will load on Pandora only and be blocked by ABE elsewhere.

Xan · Post by **Xan** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:30 pm

While that means I still get the ads on Pandora, it does mean Pandora works properly AND I don't have to worry about ads from the plethora of other sites using DoubleClick. Tested, working, and thank you!

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