Well to be honest, although it is largely down to the speed of your host, I'd also consider it to be a slight bug in Vanillas code. There are a number of reasons which would cause that page to stop loading half way through or whatever and any of them would result in all the settings being wiped out. Any chance of implementing something on a similar theory to Wallphones idea, Mark? Or is there a particular reason you havent?
Well, first of all, change the permissions on the settings file to read-only so that Vanilla cannot make any changes to the file. Then, whenever Vanilla attempts to access the file, instead of the file getting wiped and Vanilla redirecting to the setup page, you will see an error saying that the file couldn't be written to. This should help greatly with identifying what code actually causes the problem.
When/If you see any errors, copy and paste them into this discussion (and drop me an email so I don't miss it).
i'm 99% sure the permissions are correct mark; i did check them after it happened the first time. maybe they are too high still. what's the recommended setting? the problem with the error is that it only appears RIGHT as the forum goes down, but i will try crash it on purpose (!) and see if i can get to it.
Normally the recommended settings would be 777 or 644 or something along those lines, but try 444 (which should be read only for owner, group, and anon users)
After you change the permissions, the forum won't go down anymore - but you will see an error when it normally would be going down - that's what we want to see..
Hold on, it might look ugly but that's not the point. Why is it trying to write to the settings file when posting a comment? What extensions do you have running?
that error was also making the individual thread (comment) pages mess up too. everything loaded except the comments. i didn't realise until i got up this morning.
extensions: don't think i have added many since the server move, but i have upgraded versions. i did switch my old bbcode set-up for bbcodeparser and autop. crude rss and dplayer are new.
also, minisweeper, i got that error just opening post.php, not even when i tried to post a comment. if anyone wants to see the error happening i can change the permissions and give you the URL.
I don't think it is normal that each load need to update settings.php. Take off the extension one by one and check if the error message disappears. when you find the extension tell us. Someone will check.
What Dinoboff said, except I would disable all extensions and re-enable one extension a day while noting which ones were enabled in what order. This way you can gauge that one of the recently enabled extensions is conflicting or causing an error.
The ONLY thing that comes to mind now for Vanilla writing to the settings file randomly, is if it's performing update checks on a daily basis (which it shouldn't be doing as frequently) which is weird. But not many extensions I can think of should be writing to the settings file beyond their initial setup unless they for whatever reason never had a chance to write to it in the first place.
Maybe posting the current contents of your settings.php (minus any revealing information about the host setup) would uncover something if we could see what it contains and if there's any errors within.
Yeah, other than the obvious lot of extension settings, none of default Vanilla settings appear to be off kilter and the update was last tested in March so that kind of disproves my updater causing the issue idea.
circuit, have you yet followed through the multiple suggestions and disabled all extensions yet to see if the problem persists? That would be a logical next step if you haven't. I'm willing to bet with the number of extensions you have running, one is probably throwing a monkey wrench into the machine on a nightly basis. Disable every extension you have, then day by day reset one at a time making notes.
I'm guessing one of those listed (I haven't checked) is probably not 100% compatible with the latest version of Vanilla in some shape or form.
lech, as i said before the forum is most active in the daytime on weekdays so i haven't been able to. i'm in the UK, it's not night-time (quite) yet. my plan initially is to disable everything and then see which one causes the error to come up, but i will have to do this when nobody is online.
Comments
we all know lech scared him away really but lets pretend he didn't so he doesnt feel bad
When/If you see any errors, copy and paste them into this discussion (and drop me an email so I don't miss it).
the problem with the error is that it only appears RIGHT as the forum goes down, but i will try crash it on purpose (!) and see if i can get to it.
After you change the permissions, the forum won't go down anymore - but you will see an error when it normally would be going down - that's what we want to see..
The file could not be opened. Please make sure that PHP has write access to the /messageboard/conf/settings.php file.the site still loads, but it looks ugly. oh well, i'll try ignore it and see what's happening in the morning.
extensions: don't think i have added many since the server move, but i have upgraded versions. i did switch my old bbcode set-up for bbcodeparser and autop. crude rss and dplayer are new.
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if anyone wants to see the error happening i can change the permissions and give you the URL.
If waking up messed it up perhaps going back to sleep will fix it.
worth a try i think.
The ONLY thing that comes to mind now for Vanilla writing to the settings file randomly, is if it's performing update checks on a daily basis (which it shouldn't be doing as frequently) which is weird. But not many extensions I can think of should be writing to the settings file beyond their initial setup unless they for whatever reason never had a chance to write to it in the first place.
Maybe posting the current contents of your settings.php (minus any revealing information about the host setup) would uncover something if we could see what it contains and if there's any errors within.
<?php // Application Settings // Wordpress Authenticator $Configuration['PREFERENCE_NotifyOnNewWhisper'] = 1; $Configuration['AUTHENTICATION_MODULE'] = 'People/People.Class.WordpressAuthenticator.php'; $Configuration['SETUP_TEST'] = '1'; $Configuration['APPLICATION_PATH'] = '/home/.lock/xxx/xxx/messageboard/'; $Configuration['DATABASE_PATH'] = '/home/.lock/xxx/xxx/messageboard/conf/database.php'; $Configuration['LIBRARY_PATH'] = '/home/.lock/xxx/xxx/messageboard/library/'; $Configuration['EXTENSIONS_PATH'] = '/home/.lock/xxx/xxx/messageboard/extensions/'; $Configuration['LANGUAGES_PATH'] = '/home/.lock/xxx/xxx/messageboard/languages/'; $Configuration['THEME_PATH'] = '/home/.lock/xxx/xxx/messageboard/themes/vanilla/'; $Configuration['DEFAULT_STYLE'] = '/messageboard/themes/vanilla/styles/default/'; $Configuration['WEB_ROOT'] = '/messageboard/'; $Configuration['BASE_URL'] = 'http://www.mysite.net/messageboard/'; $Configuration['FORWARD_VALIDATED_USER_URL'] = 'http://www.mysite.net/messageboard/'; $Configuration['SUPPORT_EMAIL'] = 'bounce@mysite.net'; $Configuration['SUPPORT_NAME'] = 'mysite forum'; $Configuration['APPLICATION_TITLE'] = 'mysite'; $Configuration['BANNER_TITLE'] = 'mysite'; $Configuration['COOKIE_DOMAIN'] = ''; $Configuration['COOKIE_PATH'] = '/'; $Configuration['SETUP_COMPLETE'] = '1'; $Configuration['DEFAULT_ROLE'] = '3'; $Configuration['ALLOW_IMMEDIATE_ACCESS'] = '1'; $Configuration['ADDON_NOTICE'] = '0'; $Configuration['ENABLE_WHISPERS'] = '1'; $Configuration['COMMENTS_PER_PAGE'] = '30'; $Configuration['SEARCH_RESULTS_PER_PAGE'] = '30'; $Configuration['ALLOW_NAME_CHANGE'] = '0'; $Configuration['USE_CATEGORIES'] = '0'; $Configuration['EXTENSION_VOTE_VERSION'] = '1.0'; $Configuration['LAST_UPDATE'] = '1173026826'; $Configuration['EXTENSION_VIEW_DISCUSSION_VERSION'] = '1.2'; $Configuration['INLINEIMAGES_MAX_WIDTH'] = '400'; $Configuration['EXTENSION_POLL_VERSION'] = '1.3'; $Configuration['UserMessages_INSTALLED'] = '1'; $Configuration['USER_WALL_SCHEMA_VERSION'] = '1.0'; $Configuration['USER_WALL_COMMENTS_PER_PAGE'] = '5'; $Configuration['MAX_COMMENT_LENGTH'] = '10000'; $Configuration['ACCOUNTPICTURES_UPLOAD_PATH'] = 'uploads/AccountPictures/'; $Configuration['ACCOUNTPICTURES_ICON_WIDTH'] = '40'; $Configuration['ACCOUNTPICTURES_ICON_HEIGHT'] = '40'; $Configuration['ACCOUNTPICTURES_PICTURE_WIDTH'] = '280'; $Configuration['ACCOUNTPICTURES_PICTURE_HEIGHT'] = '200'; $Configuration['ACCOUNTPICTURES_SETUP'] = '1'; $Configuration['NOTIFY_SETUP'] = '1'; $Configuration['COMMENT_PROTECTION_SETUP'] = '1'; $Configuration['ATTACHMENTS_UPLOAD_PATH'] = '/home/.lock/xxx/xxx/messageboard/uploads/%userid%/%year%/%month%/'; $Configuration['ATTACHMENTS_MAXIMUM_FILESIZE'] = '512000'; $Configuration['ATTACHMENTS_VERSION'] = '2.0'; $Configuration['ATTACHMENTS_NOTICE'] = '1'; $Configuration['EXTENSION_TODO_SETUP'] = '1'; $Configuration['EXTENSION_TODO_VERSION'] = '1.3'; $Configuration['LOG_ALL_IPS'] = '0'; $Configuration['PRIVATE_MESSAGES_CATEGORY_ID'] = '3'; $Configuration['TAB_POSITION_PRIVATE_MESSAGES'] = '100'; $Configuration['PRIVATE_MESSAGES_PER_PAGE'] = '30'; $Configuration['TEXT_PREFIX'] = '<img src="images/'; $Configuration['TEXT_SUFFIX'] = '.gif" />'; $Configuration['JanineVersion'] = '1.1.1'; $Configuration['JanineAllowPostBack'] = ''; $Configuration['JanineControlType'] = 'WordPress21'; $Configuration['JanineDiscUserID'] = '0'; $Configuration['JanineDiscCategoryID'] = '1'; $Configuration['JanineDiscName'] = '%BlogPostTitle%'; $Configuration['JanineDiscBody'] = '<b>This discussion relates to the article <a href="%BlogPostLink%">%BlogPostTitle%</a>:</b><p>%BlogPostBeforeSplit%</p><p><br /><br /><br /><em>This item was posted automatically. The author may not have been online when it was posted.</p></em>'; $Configuration['JanineDiscFormat'] = 'Html'; $Configuration['JanineBlogDiscLabel'] = ''; $Configuration['TEXT_SINK'] = ''; $Configuration['UPDATE_REMINDER'] = ''; $Configuration['FORUM_IS_OFFLINE'] = '0'; $Configuration['FORUM_OFFLINE_MESSAGE'] = 'The forum is down for maintainance.'; $Configuration['INLINEIMAGES_USE_THICKBOX'] = '0'; $Configuration['BBCODEPARSER_VERSION_EXT'] = '1.0.2'; $Configuration['HTML_BBCODEPARSER_VERSION'] = '2.0';circuit, have you yet followed through the multiple suggestions and disabled all extensions yet to see if the problem persists? That would be a logical next step if you haven't. I'm willing to bet with the number of extensions you have running, one is probably throwing a monkey wrench into the machine on a nightly basis. Disable every extension you have, then day by day reset one at a time making notes.
I'm guessing one of those listed (I haven't checked) is probably not 100% compatible with the latest version of Vanilla in some shape or form.
my plan initially is to disable everything and then see which one causes the error to come up, but i will have to do this when nobody is online.