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Need help installing Vanilla2rc2 - database error unknown system variable 'names'

phdphd
edited June 2010 in Vanilla 2.0 - 2.8
Hello,

I am a newbie, so I am probably making an obvious mistake... I am unable to install Vanilla2 rc2. I got a "An error occurred while attempting to connect to the database|Gdn_Database|Connection|SQLSTATE[00000] [1193] Unknown system variable 'names'" error in the installer, and was unable to solve it. I found no post about that here, so I am utterly lost. Any help will be warmly welcomed.

I checked permissions, I erased and re-uploaded all files, to no avail.

(While testing, I installed Vanilla (Vanilla 1) without problem, so I have a working forum for the time being.)

TIA

Comments

  • phdphd
    Can't anybody help me ?

    I found nothing about this on github issues. Requirements are met as far as I can tell... that is: not very far, but I suppose that Vanilla would complain more loudly if something was missing (total garbage, function unknown, ...). I have no idea of what to check next.
  • lukoielukoie New
    you need to delete all gdn_ tables in your DB via phpmyadmin, and reinstall
  • phdphd
    No luck, no gdn_ tables was ever created, fails even with a completely empty database. Thanks anyway.
  • lukoielukoie New
    edited June 2010
    do you have MYSQL database?
    did you entered correct DB host, DB name, username and password while installing Vanilla2?
  • phdphd
    edited June 2010
    I guess so. The same settings work perfectly well with phpBB (deleted), punBB (removed), Vanilla 1 (kept, yeah).

    I fear my host (OVH) might not perfectly meet Vanilla's requirement, but the only way I know to check that is their documentation and reports, which aren't sufficiently detailed. No word about the web server exact version (nor even software - I guess it's Apache because .htaccess works correctly), nor on the exact php modules available. I just hope Vanilla's installation script would give me an useful error message if some requirement wasn't met... Right ?

    Thanks for your time :)

  • lukoielukoie New
    yes, it would
    just read carefully forum posts in the vanilla2 category regarding installation, in the part where it says about error handling
    you need to uncomment this line
    $Configuration['Garden']['Errors']['MasterView'] = 'error.master.php';

    look at this sample url at ovh: http://1000gp.ovh.net/test.php5
    what you need is to create the sample.php file with the content:
    <?php
    phpinfo();
    ?>
    and open it in your browser
  • lukoielukoie New
    edited June 2010
    actually, you can do it more easily
    google for phpfm (php file manager) script (its the best one. one file, fast and pretty)
    here's a screenshot: http://img329.imageshack.us/i/ss0920sh.gif/
    the second button on top there is yours ; )
  • phdphd
    Excellent, I'll try that as soon as I can find some time.

    About the line to uncomment, I guess you mean the /conf/config-defaults.php line 48 with deverror.master.php (instead of error.master.php). I read about that, but that line was already uncommented in the files (rc2) I downloaded from github. I guess I already get the verbose error.

    I'll try phpfm in the next days and report back what I find.

    Many thanks for your help.
  • TimTim Vanilla Staff
    edited June 2010
    Hi @phd!

    Are you running MySQL 5? This is a common error that happens when the software is run against a MySQL 4 database server.

    Vanilla Forums COO [GitHub, Twitter, About.me]

  • phdphd
    Thank you Tim, you found it. Too bad the only thing I can do about that is changing host or, maybe, upgrading my hosting plan :(

    Sorry about that, I really thought I had checked that, but it turns out that I mistook phpmyadmin's version number with mysql's :/

    Thanks all for your time, my apologies for wasting it as I should have known better.

    Sincerely,

    phd.
  • TimTim Vanilla Staff
    @phd

    No worries, it was my pleasure. Sorry to hear that your host is still using MySQL4! Have you looked into hosting your forum with us, at http://www.vanillaforums.com? Something to think about :)


    Regards,
    Tim

    Vanilla Forums COO [GitHub, Twitter, About.me]

  • phdphd
    Ok, it *IS* solved. My host offered the possibility to upgrade mysql very easily, free. It seems to work, I am glad :D

    Regarding vanillaforums.com, that's the first thing I looked up. But the free option is advertisement supported, which I do not want, and the first pricing plan ($19/month) is too expensive for what I want to invest for a forum for me and a few friends (and say no words about add-ons).

    Sincerely, I'd prefer a pricing that depends on traffic and disk space, not on features (except domain, maybe. Don't see what it costs the host to allow a custom logo btw), with less steep price jumps.

    Thanks again. This is a friendly community.
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