Magento2: Unable to add more product property values - ver CE 2.1.5

[wpendergast]

Preconditions

Base CE 2.1.5 version w/no starter products loaded.

Basically, started adding colors & sizes values, when it no longer accepts any new values. You can add, click save, get no error, refresh cache, go back, and what was there is not showing.

in eav_attribute_option_value
it's stopped at option_id of 425.

what else is strange is that value_id keeps jumping after subsequent save attempts via the admin, even tough option_id is stuck at 425.

"1671";"342";"0";"Dark Nude"
"2008";"61";"0";"No Size"

"1671";"342";"0";"Dark Nude"
"2380";"61";"0";"No Size"

"1671";"342";"0";"Dark Nude"
"4109";"61";"0";"No Size"

(sorry, Bra color & size example)

Steps to reproduce

1. Go to stores > attributes/product
2. Start creating product property values - several hundred of them under two different types (color & size)
3. Eventually will stop accepting new values.

Expected result

1. Should continue to accept new attributes until some number limit has been reached.
2. Would not expect for value_id to jump when no new option_id (values) have been successfully added.

Actual result

Unable to add new new options under a product property - with no errors reporting on the screen.

here's the debug log for an attempt to add a new option value (option_id) for the Size attribute (id=140). could not find any other errors in any logs.

[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV","EAV_ATTRIBUTE"],"mode":"matchingAnyTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV","EAV_ATTRIBUTE"],"mode":"matchingAnyTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV","EAV_ATTRIBUTE"],"mode":"matchingAnyTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV","EAV_ATTRIBUTE"],"mode":"matchingAnyTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV_ATTRIBUTE"],"mode":"matchingAnyTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV_ATTRIBUTE_140","FPC"],"mode":"matchingTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV_ATTRIBUTE_140","FPC"],"mode":"matchingTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV_ATTRIBUTE_140"],"mode":"matchingTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["EAV_ATTRIBUTE_140"],"mode":"matchingTag"},"is_exception":false} []
[2017-04-19 16:30:42] main.DEBUG: cache_invalidate: {"method":"POST","url":"https://lastandfinal-qa01.spdc.net/admin/catalog/product_attribute/save/attribute_id/140/key/32fc8e3a341ae462702b184f69966af53342dca2b811f29161b0fef55f46545b/active_tab/main/","invalidateInfo":{"tags":["TRANSLATE"],"mode":"matchingTag"},"is_exception":false} []

[korostii]

I have also experienced this issue. There are multiple input fields for every attribute and Magento (unfortunately) doesn't bother serializing into a single JSON before sending to the server. And default PHP setting have a problem with that once the number of those goes higher than usual.

If PHP encounters an error during startup (e.g. unable to process POST parameters) it won't reach Magento's logs. Please check your Apache's log (or whichever web server you use) for this host. You might then find an error which looks like the following:
PHP message: PHP Warning: Unknown: Input variables exceeded 1000. To increase the limit change max_input_vars in php.ini. in Unknown on line 0

The message includes the workaround instructions. I hope it helps you circumvent this particular issue :)

[magento-engcom-team]

Hi @wpendergast
This is not an issue.
You should change max_input_vars in php.ini

[magento-engcom-team]

@wpendergast, thank you for your report.
This seems to be correct Magento behavior. Please refer to the Community Forums or the Magento Stack Exchange site for advice or general discussion about this.
Otherwise you may submit Pull Request with the suggested changes.

[korostii]

Hello @magento-engcom-team

You should change max_input_vars in php.ini

Could you please clarify what's the recommended value for the max_input_vars php.ini variable?

There doesn't seem to be any information about that neither in php.ini.sample nor in the corresponding documentation page.

[onepack]

So I have set it to 30.000 and still I receive the following messages:
Got error 'PHP message: PHP Warning: Unknown: Input variables exceeded 30000. To increase the limit change max_input_vars in php.ini. in Unknown on line 0'