Topic: .......HELP!

[hoozah]

As the title would suggest  .. I need help. I was upgrading to the newest version of simple portal when *poof* the forum ceased to function. I've done what I could through reading the post here and researching but still, no luck.

I've tried the following:

- Used the 'back-up' feature in the Packages folder. Downloaded the last know good file and uploaded it to my /forum directory via FTP. No Luck-

- Downloaded and installed a clean SMF package to see if it would replace / overwrite the files hanging it up. No Luck

- I read about going through the cPanel on site, but it's pretty intimidating in there.

 - I downlaoded the repair tool (repair_settings.php) but still no luck.

- I even read the other post here re: simple portal workaround, but still no luck.

The site went down after I tried upgrading the Simple Portal package so I know the issue(s) lie there. However, there were no errors noted prior to the install, but as soon as I uploaded it, the page went blank.

Reading the issues associated with SP, i tried pretty much everything (well, as much as I could find). Now, I'm here asking for help.

My biggest problem is that I can't seem to differentiate the differences between my sites root folders and the forums root folders. So my fear is that I'm uploading / downloading the files to the wrong /root directories. At least that's what I'm guessing.

Make a long story short - I'm willing to pay to get this sorted out for me. I know the intent is for me to resolve it myself, but I learn from trial and error as long as I have the time. And right now, I don't have the time nor the patience to get my hands into the nitty gritty.

If anyone is willing to help me out, please PM me or send me an email. The forum is an extension of the main site (www.mysite/ forum) if that matters. Of course, you'll have access to the cPanel and smf forum.

Thanks again.

[Burke Knight]

As the title would suggest  ..

You need to learn how to title posts.

That type of title is not helpful to those that would try to help you.
We are all volunteers, and we all have different things we can help with.
Saying that, the title of a topic is vital as it is how support people choose which topics to help in. We look for descriptions in the title, that falls into something we could help with.

HELP does nothing, but make most go right by it.

If you expect help, then help us help you, by at least trying to be more descriptive in your topic title. This is the same as it is at the SMF site, and we tell the same thing to people there, here, at my site, etc.

[hoozah]

My apologies then.

The title was simply a placeholder while I typed a out my issues. Sorry I wasn't able to be more decriptive with it. 

Anyways, one of the reasons I wanted to post in here was due in large part of my issue(s) being with simple portal installation (my fault obviously). The other part was the enormous support that SiNaN has provided to 'noobs' just like me who aren't technically savvy.

The difference between SiNaN and the 'support group' around the SMF community is that he doesn't come off couseling me with proper title etiquette.

So apologies again for not posting a 'descriptive topic title' - but like I said, the main body of my post was fairly descriptive.

Anyways, I just wanted to get that off my chest. No need for future replies as I think I will move on to try other forums for support and suggestions.

[♦ Ninja ZX-10RR ♦]

Wait... How comes that the backup failed? It's actually not possible... I'd ask you to post your error log, not your smf error log, your server error log. It's a file called (you don't say? ) "error.log" or "error_log" etc... That should contain some more informations about what happened.
Plus, it's not really possible that a forum crashes when a package is just *uploaded*, basically you didn't change any code until there so there must be something else.

Let's go through each one of your statements.

- Used the 'back-up' feature in the Packages folder. Downloaded the last know good file and uploaded it to my /forum directory via FTP. No Luck-

This is what I said before, how did you that? What did you do? What did fail? These are the things we needed to know.

- Downloaded and installed a clean SMF package to see if it would replace / overwrite the files hanging it up. No Luck

Same as above. Plus, it's not possible that a clean SMF package wouldn't work.

- I read about going through the cPanel on site, but it's pretty intimidating in there.

Here I would ask you what you meant, exactly...

- I downlaoded the repair tool (repair_settings.php) but still no luck.

Nice try, however the repair settings tool is needed only when you change URL (even if you could change it manually).

- I even read the other post here re: simple portal workaround, but still no luck.

A link would have been nice, I can't find it while writing this.

The site went down after I tried upgrading the Simple Portal package so I know the issue(s) lie there. However, there were no errors noted prior to the install, but as soon as I uploaded it, the page went blank.

Already replied above. Even if now you said that you installed it... Do note that uploading and installing are 2 different things Then we need the server error log in order to assist you.

My biggest problem is that I can't seem to differentiate the differences between my sites root folders and the forums root folders. So my fear is that I'm uploading / downloading the files to the wrong /root directories. At least that's what I'm guessing.

Easy solution here Forum folders are:

Code: [Select]


attachments
avatars
cache
Packages
Smileys
Sources
ThemesThis should help you in distinguishing them however be careful there are files that are OUT those folders, too. And some mods might have created more folders (in my case I had to delete some extra ones indeed).
The standard files out of these folders are:

Code: [Select]

SSI.php
SSI.php~
Settings.php
Settings_bak.php
agreement.italian-utf8.txt
agreement.txt
index.php
index.php~
license.txt
news_readme.html
readme.html
ssi_examples.php
ssi_examples.shtml
subscriptions.php

Make a long story short - I'm willing to pay to get this sorted out for me. I know the intent is for me to resolve it myself, but I learn from trial and error as long as I have the time. And right now, I don't have the time nor the patience to get my hands into the nitty gritty.

I don't think we will need to get there, at the moment.

I hope this clears things out a bit more
[OT]Listening to GnR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w7OgIMMRc4 *yeah!*[/OT]

[Burke Knight]

Be that as it may, descriptive posts are not seen, if people skip over non-descriptive titles.

[Chen Zhen]

hoozah,

  Did you uninstall the old version of Simple Portal first prior to attempting an install of the new version?
I ask this because the installer is not meant as a straight upgrade whereas the old version must be uninstalled first.

If your forum is botched and you can not figure out the issue then I suggest using the SMF upgrade package which will render your forum to default leaving your database intact.
ref. http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading  (make sure to use the upgrade package and not the full install)

Prior to doing that I will suggest using the repair_settings tool to remove all hooks (link on bottom right of its template).

After this procedure you can upload and/or install all your mods anew including Simple Portal 2.3.6.

Regards.
 

[hoozah]

I finally got it sorted out   

Thanks to Ninja and Underdog for your assistance and patience. These are the two traits that a support forum should have to ensure that it continues to thrive - and obviously help keep new members coming back.

Be that as it may, descriptive posts are not seen, if people skip over non-descriptive titles.

Disagree with you 100% ...

It just shows good people are always willing to help new members even without a descriptive post title. 

[Burke Knight]

Actually, I am going by stats that ARE confirmed.
Most people do look past non descriptive titles, as they LOOK for titles that have something they KNOW they can help with.

Ask just about anyone at SMF site. They'll tell you the same thing, and have told just about everyone that posts such titles that.

All I was doing, was trying to help you get better and faster help for the future. If you want to get all huffy, and not listen to some rather good advice, so be it.