--- loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2006/05/08 22:34:00	1.364
+++ loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2006/05/09 14:38:09	1.365
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common routines
 #
-# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.364 2006/05/08 22:34:00 albertel Exp $
+# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.365 2006/05/09 14:38:09 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -3820,25 +3820,24 @@ can be sent to &get_group_settings() to
 ###############################################
 
 sub coursegroups {
-    my ($curr_groups,$cdom,$cnum,$group) = @_;
-    my $numgroups;
+    my ($cdom,$cnum,$group) = @_;
     if (!defined($cdom) || !defined($cnum)) {
         my $cid =  $env{'request.course.id'};
+
+	return if (!defined($cid));
+
         $cdom = $env{'course.'.$cid.'.domain'};
         $cnum = $env{'course.'.$cid.'.num'};
     }
-    %{$curr_groups} = &Apache::lonnet::get_coursegroups($cdom,$cnum,$group);
-    my ($tmp) = keys(%{$curr_groups});
-    if ($tmp=~/^error:/) {
-        unless ($tmp eq 'error: 2 tie(GDBM) Failed while attempting dump') {
-            &logthis('Error retrieving groups: '.$tmp.' in '.$cnum.':'.
-                                                                   $cdom);
-        }
-        $numgroups = 0;
-    } else {
-        $numgroups = keys(%{$curr_groups});
+    my %curr_groups = &Apache::lonnet::get_coursegroups($cdom,$cnum,$group);
+    my ($tmp) = keys(%curr_groups);
+    if ($tmp=~/^(con_lost|no_such_host|error: [^2] )/) {
+	undef(%curr_groups);
+	&logthis('Error retrieving groups: '.$tmp.' in '.$cnum.':'.$cdom);
+    } elsif ($tmp=~/^error: 2 /) {
+	undef(%curr_groups);
     }
-    return $numgroups;
+    return %curr_groups;
 }
 
 ###############################################