Updated from 2.0.18.11 to 2.1 - forum up and running, but most discussions cannot be reached

DoyceT

There are a few - just a few - existing discussions that (following the update) can be reached. Most cannot, and return:

Something has gone wrong.

We've run into a problem and are unable to handle this request right now.
Please check back in a little while.

I tried /index.php?p=/utility/structure - which returns

Failure

The update was not successful.

I'd really like to get up to 2.1 for a number of reasons, so I'm trying to soldier on, but it's a bit daunting at the moment.

whu606

@DoyceT‌

Have you deleted the ini files from the cache folder?

DoyceT

I had not. I have now. I hadn't spotted that instruction anywhere in the readme.

Doing this allowed me to successfully run /index.php?p=/utility/structure - the discussions are still unavailable.

UPDATE: I've identified the pattern of the discussions that cannot be reached - any discussion with more than 1 (the original) post cannot be reached.

If I reply to a currently-reachable post, it becomes unavailable as soon as there is a reply of any kind to the original post.

peregrine

Something has gone wrong.

We've run into a problem and are unable to handle this request right now. Please check back in a little while.

the logical steps would be:

when ever you get a result you don't understand - the best thing is to search for it on the forum

e.g. searching for "Something has gone wrong".

which would yield this discussion

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/comment/208629/#Comment_208629

also when doing upgrades there are troublelshooting tips in this thread, that can be useful, and some upgrade instructions if not followed will create problems.

read the Upgrade instructions and Troubleshooting Tips in this discussion:

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/26685/vanilla-2-1-stable-released/p1

this may also be useful

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/comment/199091/#Comment_199091

DoyceT

I turned on debug in config.php and got the following when I tried to access one of the broken discussions.

40:             Deprecated('DiscussionController->CommentData', "DiscussionController->Data('Comments')");
41:             return $this->Data('Comments');
42:             break;
43:       }
44:       throw new Exception("DiscussionController->$Name not found.", 400);
45:    }
46: 
47:    /**
48:     * Default single discussion display.

whu606

@DoyceT

Can you outline the steps you took to upgrade, especially with regard to the database?

peregrine

In addition to what whu606 said.

disable all your plugins via the dashboard. Also change your theme to default.

then follow these steps

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/comment/199091/#Comment_199091

and review the instructions in
http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/26685/vanilla-2-1-stable-released/p1

to see if you missed something or did something incorrectly.

it will be easier to debug and solve if you disable all plugin via dashboard and default theme, to simplify where the problem exists.

DoyceT

I was able to narrow it down to FileUpload.

Was able to find the discussion about this, went and got 1.8.2 off of GitHub, and updated the plugin with @peregrine's replacements.zip, and that's working now. Hurrah!

Now to get ReplyTo functional...

peregrine

glad we could help you DoyceT

So this was the tip that should be in the installation instructions @linc it would save numerous people issues.

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/comment/206771/#Comment_206771

My suggestion when upgrading is to disable all your plugins via the dashboard immediately prior to upgrading. change your theme to the default theme. then upgrade to 2.1, then enable your plugins via the dashboard. In this way you will find out which plugins will crash or cause problems.

Take heed in this or go at your own risk.

peregrine

@DoyceT

if you would be so kind as yo add to this.

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/26703/plugins-themes-that-work-and-don-t-work-in-vanilla-2-1#latest

DoyceT

Will do!

peregrine

Now to get ReplyTo functional...

This is used by people who are used to old style threaded discussions. In vanilla, there is no need since you can use the quotes plugin, and the offsetting always take you to the last unread discussion if you are logged in. Using reply to throws some of these things off. Your users will carp at first. But after a few weeks, they will say wow, I decided I like it better without the "reply to" because it was so hard to find user comments, plus it leaves all comments in chronological order. That was my experience.

Reasons why I would not use it, even if you did fix it.

DoyceT

In our case, ReplyTo was literally the reason the faculty went with Vanilla over another option.

... and it was the first thing they noticed was missing once I got the 2.1 version of the forums up and running today.

peregrine

I believe you, that was my experience as well helping some friends. and they were weaned off it and quite happy, it may not be the case for you, but if you explain how to use quotes, and explain the vanilla automatically goes to the last unread discussion, they may be able to adjust, and realize it is acutally easier to navigate discussion without.

peregrine

@DoyceT said:

 tried /index.php?p=/utility/structure - which returns

    Failure

    The update was not successful.

is this successful now, after you disabled the "incompatible plugins".

since @vrivlinder may be interested.

DoyceT

Actually, what fixed that was deleting the .ini files in /cache.

DoyceT

@peregrine said:
I believe you, that was my experience as well helping some friends. and they were weaned off it and quite happy, it may not be the case for you, but if you explain how to use quotes, and explain the vanilla automatically goes to the last unread discussion, they may be able to adjust, and realize it is acutally easier to navigate discussion without. This worked for some friends on a forum with octagenarians, septugenarians, and nonagenarians as well.

I'll definitely give it a shot.

The main problem is usage - lots of students in a discussion, asking questions, and one "answer man" per discussion. The reply-to function let's the faculty answer questions as they scroll down through all the posts that came in since the last time they looked a thread, and answer right where they are in the thread, instead of quote->answer->scroll back to where they were -> keep reading.

To be sure, either solution is going to be miles ahead of the tool they've been using.

peregrine

gotya' only solution to that is separate question per discussion which may not be ideal in you situation

DoyceT

Yeah. It's a thing where everyone's reading, say, a single text and commenting on it, and the faculty want to be able to scroll through and reply in-line to student comments, ask follow-up questions, and maybe see it spin off into a fruitful side topic... all in the same thread.

Messy, but they're doing it now, half-assed, without the tool, and are basically salivating at having the reply-to tool in place.