Hi, I wanted to get some clarity on how error monitors work in Distill:
If a website has an issue, will the monitor automatically move to an “Error” state?
If the monitor goes into an “Error” state, will it automatically turn off?
If it turns off, will Distill automatically retry or turn the monitor back on after some time to check whether the website is working again? Or we have to turn it on?
If the monitor does not automatically recover, what action is expected from our side? Do we need to manually check the monitor and verify whether the website is working?
In some cases, the website opens and works normally in Chrome, but it doesn’t work in Distill. Even after changing the proxy, the website still shows an error. How should we troubleshoot and handle these cases?
Is there a recommended workflow or best practice for handling website that work in Chrome but fail in Distill?
If a check fails, the monitor can show an Error state. This means Distill could not complete the check successfully, for example due to timeout, page load failure, blocked request, missing selected element, or another website/load issue.
A monitor does not usually turn off immediately after one error. However, if errors continue repeatedly, the monitor may be stopped/disabled to avoid repeated failed checks.
If the monitor is turned off due to repeated errors, it will not automatically turn itself back on. You would need to review the issue and turn it back on manually after fixing or confirming the setup.
The first step is to open the monitor’s Check Log ( How to view logs of checks? ) and review the exact error. That will tell you whether the issue is timeout, selection empty, page not found, access blocked, proxy issue, etc.
If the website works in Chrome but fails in Distill, it usually means the site is behaving differently for Distill’s browser/session/network. Common causes include login/session differences, anti-bot protection, region/proxy differences, cookies, CAPTCHA, page load timing, or dynamic content not loading before the check runs.
Recommended workflow:
Check the monitor’s Check Log for the exact error.
Open Webpage Selector and confirm the page loads correctly there.
Increase Wait for duration if the page loads slowly.
Reselect the monitored element if the selector no longer matches.
Try a different proxy if using Cloud monitoring.
If the page requires login/session/cookies, try Local monitoring or Dedicated Cloud Device.
If the site has CAPTCHA or strong bot protection, monitoring may be limited.