Alexa AWS Error: task timed out after 3.00 seconds

Question

I'm trying to write an Alexa skill that uses request.js & cheerio.js to do some web scraping for data.

When I run it locally it works fine, as expected but on the AWS lambda instance I keep getting a timeout error as it takes longer than 3 seconds to finish running. The error log is this:

    START RequestId: 57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93 Version: $LATEST
2018-06-13T10:34:26.850Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    NEW SESSION
2018-06-13T10:34:26.851Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    INTENT REQUEST
2018-06-13T10:34:26.851Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    Sid started
2018-06-13T10:34:26.851Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    INTENT FOR SID HAS STARTED
2018-06-13T10:34:26.851Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroform
2018-06-13T10:34:26.950Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    SESSION END REQUEST
2018-06-13T10:34:27.731Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    REQUEST MADE
2018-06-13T10:34:27.731Z    57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93    trying to use cheerio to load page now
END RequestId: 57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93
REPORT RequestId: 57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93  Duration: 3003.16 ms    Billed Duration: 3000 ms    Memory Size: 128 MB Max Memory Used: 48 MB  
2018-06-13T10:34:29.499Z 57f84024-6ef5-11e8-b49f-37c904d87c93 Task timed out after 3.00 seconds

The snippet of code causing the problem is:

var URL = 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/' + searchTerm;
                            console.log(URL)
                            request(URL, function(error, response, html){
                                console.log('REQUEST MADE');
                                try {
                                    console.log( 'trying to use cheerio to load page now')
                                    if (html){
                                    var $ = cheerio.load(html);
                                        console.log('PAGE LOADED');
                                        var infobox = $('table.infobox').children('tbody');
                                        infobox.children().each(function(i, element){
                                            var row = $(this);
                                            if(row.children().first().children().first().text() == 'GHS hazard statements') {
                                                var hCodes = row.first().first().text().toString();
                                                var pPhrases = row.first().next().text().toString();
                                                context.succeed(
                                                    generateResponse(
                                                        buildSpeechletResponse(`I found the following ` + hCodes + ` ` + pPhrases, true),
                                                        {}
                                                        ))
                                            }
                                        })

                                } else {
                                    console.log('There was no HTML loaded. Please try again')
                                } 
                                } catch(error){
                                    console.log(error)
                                    console.log('THERE WAS AN ERROR PLEASE TRY AGAIN')
                                }

                            })

Also I've tried using response.on() but I get the error "Cannot do .on" of undefined.

Has anyone had anything like this before?

Possible duplicate of [AWS lambda function stops working after timed out error](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37232827/aws-lambda-function-stops-working-after-timed-out-error) — Roledenez, Jun 13 '18 at 12:26

score 10 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 12 '19 at 10:15

10

Ah, just found it based on answer. Thought I'd add image.

answered Aug 12 '19 at 10:15

martinedwards

5,577
1
33
35

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 13 '18 at 12:03

8

Problem Solved:

Set the timeout setting to a higher number in the Lambda setup screen. Kind of hacky and you need to make sure you have good error handling. But it works now

Hope this may help others.

answered Jun 13 '18 at 12:03

Miah Thompson

239
2
12

1

IMO, not hacky - this is the correct solution. For those interested, the docs for the Lambda configuration options can be found here: [https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/configuration-console.html](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/configuration-console.html) – Keith Lyons Jul 21 '20 at 19:24

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 15 '21 at 17:14

0

AWS Lambda "errorMessage": Task timed out after 3.00 seconds

I have same error - increasing the timeout resolved it:

In the AWS Management Console:

lambda function -> configuration -> General configuration -> Edit Timeout

answered Nov 15 '21 at 17:14

Justin Joseph

3,001
1
12
16

Alexa AWS Error: task timed out after 3.00 seconds

3 Answers3