Few more comments. We are using MAUS 0.5.4, with one modification to GDMLtoCDB.py to stop cdb defaulting to URL from an environment variable; diff output:

=== modified file 'src/common_py/geometry/GDMLtoCDB.py'
--- src/common_py/geometry/GDMLtoCDB.py    2013-02-13 14:49:22 +0000
+++ src/common_py/geometry/GDMLtoCDB.py    2013-06-25 09:57:43 +0000
@@ -68,8 +68,9 @@
                         generated automatically
         """ 
         self.config = Configreader()
-        self.wsdlurl = None
-        self.geometry_cdb = cdb.GeometrySuperMouse()
+        self.wsdlurl = self.config.cdb_upload_url+\
+                                                self.config.geometry_upload_wsdl
+        self.geometry_cdb = cdb.GeometrySuperMouse(self.wsdlurl)
         self.textfile = textfile
         self.text = "" 
         if type(notes) != str:

working from onrec01. From MAUS command line we are running

python upload_geometry.py --configuration_file Config.py

where Config.py has following contents

simulation_geometry_filename = "/data/neutrino02/rbayes/MICE/devel_maus/maus/files/geometry/download/ParentGeometryFile.dat" 
accumulate_tracks = 1
geant4_visualisation = True
verbose_level = 4
spill_generator_number_of_spills = 10

# simulation_geometry_filename = "files/geometry/download/RotatedGeometryFile.dat" 

# configuration database
cdb_upload_url = "http://preprodcdb.mice.rl.ac.uk" 
# target URL for configuration database uploads TestServer::http://rgma19.pp.rl.ac.uk:8080/cdb/
# cdb_download_url = "http://rgma19.pp.rl.ac.uk:8080/cdb/" # target URL for configuration database downloads

# geometry download
geometry_download_wsdl = "geometry?wsdl" # name of the web service used for downloads
geometry_download_directory   = "%s/files/geometry/download" % os.environ.get("MAUS_ROOT_DIR") # name of the local directory where downloads will be placed
geometry_download_by = 'current' # choose 'run_number' to download by run number, 'current' to use
                                    # the currently valid geometry or 'id' to use the cdb internal id 
                                    # (e.g. if it is desired to access an old version of a particular
                                    # geometry)
geometry_download_run_number = 0
geometry_download_id = 0
geometry_download_cleanup = True # set to True to clean up after download
g4_step_max = 5.0 # this is the value which shall be placed in the Mice Modules which have been translated from CAD

# geometry upload
geometry_upload_wsdl = "" # "/cdb/geometrySuperMouse.wsdl" # name of the web service used for uploads
geometry_upload_directory = "%s/files/geometry/upload" % os.environ.get("MAUS_ROOT_DIR") # name of the local directory where uploads are drawn from
geometry_upload_note = "New step IV geometry includes tracker but not placement of tracker. Does include placement of TOFs, KL, Ckov, and EMR. Now uses the correct materials for beamline elements." 
# note, pushed to the server to describe the geometry. A note must be specified here (default will throw an exception).
geometry_upload_valid_from = "2013-06-08 18:00:00" # date-time in format like: that the specified installation was made in the experiment. A date-time must be specified here (default will throw an exception).
technical_drawing_name = "TD-1189-3004" #name and version of the technical drawing from which the CAD model came from.
geometry_upload_cleanup = False # set to True to clean up after upload

#dates need to get geomtry ids
get_ids_start_time = "2012-01-01 09:00:00" 
get_ids_stop_time = "2013-10-11 09:00:00" 
get_ids_create_file = False

#get beamline information
# This executable will give the run numbers of the runs which the CDB has information on.
# The information is the magnet currents, reasons for run and other information which
# is specific to that run. When downloading a geometry by run number the beamline 
# information is merged with the geometrical infomation. Options for querying
# beamline information are; 'all_entries' returns a list of all run numbers with beamline info.
#                           'run_number'  prints whether info is held for this run number or not.
#                           'dates'       returns a list of run numbers with info during specified time period.
get_beamline_by = "dates" 
get_beamline_run_number = "" 
get_beamline_start_time = "2009-10-15 09:00:00" 
get_beamline_stop_time = "2013-10-11 09:00:00" 

Problem was that

• the constructor takes a url which overloads the environment variable/default and is the url of the server
• set_url(...) takes a url which is the url of the wsdl

We were calling both the constructor and set_url, with the same url. So always one or the other url would throw an exception, resulting in failure.

Propose set_url(...) should be deprecated and constructor should be the way to do it.

Still having trouble - I do

python upload_geometry.py --configuration_file Config.py
"http://configdba.micenet.rl.ac.uk" 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "upload_geometry.py", line 72, in <module>
    main()
  File "upload_geometry.py", line 59, in main
    (ul_dir, str(configuration.geometry_upload_note))
  File "/home/mice/MAUS/.maus_release/src/common_py/geometry/GDMLtoCDB.py", line 74, in __init__
    self.geometry_cdb = cdb.GeometrySuperMouse(self.wsdlurl)
  File "/home/mice/MAUS/.maus_release/third_party/install/lib/python2.7/site-packages/cdb/_geometry_supermouse.py", line 40, in __init__
    "/cdb/geometrySuperMouse?wsdl")
  File "/home/mice/MAUS/.maus_release/third_party/install/lib/python2.7/site-packages/cdb/_geometry.py", line 44, in __init__
    super(Geometry, self).__init__(url, wsdl_dir)
  File "/home/mice/MAUS/.maus_release/third_party/install/lib/python2.7/site-packages/cdb/_base.py", line 39, in __init__
    _cdb_wsdl)
cdb._exceptions.CdbTemporaryError: Unable to contact CDB server at http://configdba.micenet.rl.ac.uk/cdb/geometrySuperMouse?wsdl

nmap responds with

nmap configdba -P0 -p80

Starting Nmap 4.11 ( http://www.insecure.org/nmap/ ) at 2013-06-27 11:17 BST
Interesting ports on configdba.micenet.rl.ac.uk (172.16.246.25):
PORT   STATE    SERVICE
80/tcp filtered http

Nmap finished: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 0.006 seconds

What am I doing wrong now?

filtered = behind firewall

configdba.micenet.rl.ac.uk is listening on port 8080. I've just updated iptables so you can now talk to it on port 80 as well

You're right, I didn't spot it - but I didn't see anywhere in config db area or online area a requirement to talk on this port or that port... (or even what URL to use)

ps: upload completed now

Ryan, I made a new install of MAUS on onrec01 /home/mice/MAUS/.maus_cdb for doing cdb uploads. Can you please use this and not the production install for doing cdb uploads.