--- loncom/interface/lonindexer.pm	2011/07/04 09:24:58	1.209
+++ loncom/interface/lonindexer.pm	2011/10/17 12:41:30	1.211
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # Directory Indexer
 #
-# $Id: lonindexer.pm,v 1.209 2011/07/04 09:24:58 foxr Exp $
+# $Id: lonindexer.pm,v 1.211 2011/10/17 12:41:30 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -755,6 +755,8 @@ sub scanDir {
 sub get_list {
     my ($r,$uri)=@_;
     my @list=();
+    my $listerror;
+    
     (my $luri = $uri) =~ s/\//_/g;
     if ($env{'form.updatedisplay'}) {
 	foreach (keys %hash) {
@@ -778,10 +780,20 @@ sub get_list {
 	$hash{'dirlist_files_'.$luri} = join("\n",@list);
     } else {
 # is really a directory
-	@list = &Apache::lonnet::dirlist($uri);
+	(my $listref,$listerror) = &Apache::lonnet::dirlist($uri);
+        if (ref($listref) eq 'ARRAY') {
+            @list = @{$listref};
+        }
 	$hash{'dirlist_files_'.$luri} = join("\n",@list);
 	$hash{'dirlist_timestamp_files_'.$luri} = time;
     }
+#Checking for error messages associated with empty directories or inaccessible servers (See Bug 4984)
+    if (($listerror eq 'no_such_dir') || ($listerror eq 'no_such_host')) { 
+        $r->print("<p class='LC_info'>" . &mt("Directory does not exist."). "</p>");
+    } elsif ($listerror eq 'con_lost') {
+        $r->print("<p class='LC_info'>" . &mt("Directory temporarily not accessible."). "</p>");
+    }
+
     return @list=&match_ext($r,@list);    
 }