Simple Machines Community Forum

SMF Support => SMF 2.0.x Support => Topic started by: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 01:11:40 PM

Title: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 01:11:40 PM
Hi guys and girls. I need help urgent.

I installed a new smf forum about a week ago, installed a few mods, including pretty urls. Yesterday I installed this Optimus mod. Everything was working fine.

A few minutes ago, I noticed that a few categories/boards were not showing the correct url. For example the General Discussion standard category/board that already comes with smf when we install it, I changed to another name a few days ago. However, it was still showing as general discussion in the URL.

A couple other categories created with a name that I changed right after to another name I found it was better, were also showing the first chosen name.   

Example: the URL https://www.myforum.com/new-board-name was still showing https://www.myforum.com/general-discussion

First I thought it was a browser cache problem, so I cleaned the cookies and cache. The problem was still there.

So I thought I need to run the manutention on pretty urls panel. I did it, and now I have a blank page.

I see the url of my site on my browser but I don't see anything. I have a white page.

As I read that this mod may conflict with pretty urls mod, it was probably what happened?

I looked at my server for errors, and no errors there.

I see this:

documentation.
Latest web server error log messages:
No recent web server errors exist for your domain: XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Latest suEXEC event log messages:
No recent suEXEC events exist for your domain:XXXXXXXXXXXXX

I also noticed something weird since several days. Every time I want to change something in the forum admin panel, I need to try several times until it is accepted. I click the button and stays the same. Then I wait 10 seconds and try again, and the same. After a few tryes, sometimes after one or two minutes, for some reason it is finally accepted. I think this has to do with the changed categories not being changed in the URL.

I don't know why this is happening, but I am telling you so maybe someone knows what it is.

I am running SMF 2.0.18, core theme, and these are my server settings:

Database server:
    Server: Localhost via UNIX socket
    Server type: MariaDB
    Server connection: SSL is not being used Documentation
    Server version: 10.3.31-MariaDB-cll-lve - MariaDB Server
    Protocol version: 10
    User: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    Server charset: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Web server:
    cpsrvd 11.98.0.9
    Database client version: libmysql - 5.6.43
    PHP extension: mysqliDocumentation curlDocumentation mbstringDocumentation
    PHP version: 7.3.30

phpmyAdmin:
    Version information: 4.9.7

This is the code generated today on my .htaccess file exactly when I ran the manutention on pretty urls panel:

# PRETTYURLS MOD BEGINS
# Pretty URLs mod
# https://www.smfhacks.com/prettyurls-seo-pro.php
# .htaccess file generated automatically on: October 24, 2021, 16:56

RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /

# Rules for: boards
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.$2 [L,QSA]

# Rules for: topics
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*|msg[0-9]*|new)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.$3 [L,QSA]

# PRETTYURLS MOD ENDS

More info: I have this Optimus mod installed, and also pretty urls, smfcontactpage, likeposts, StopSpammer_v2_4_0, ads management and WYSIWYGquickreply. 
 

Any help in solving this big problem will be greatly appreciated  ;D


Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on October 24, 2021, 01:35:53 PM
Quote from: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 01:11:40 PMHi guys and girls. I need help urgent.

I installed a new smf forum about a week ago, installed a few mods, including pretty urls. Yesterday I installed this Optimus mod. Everything was working fine.

A few minutes ago, I noticed that a few categories/boards were not showing the correct url. For example the General Discussion standard category/board that already comes with smf when we install it, I changed to another name a few days ago. However, it was still showing as general discussion in the URL.

A couple other categories created with a name that I changed right after to another name I found it was better, were also showing the first chosen name. 

Example: the URL https://www.myforum.com/new-board-name was still showing https://www.myforum.com/general-discussion

First I thought it was a browser cache problem, so I cleaned the cookies and cache. The problem was still there.

So I thought I need to run the manutention on pretty urls panel. I did it, and now I have a blank page.

I see the url of my site on my browser but I don't see anything. I have a white page.

As I read that this mod may conflict with pretty urls mod, it was probably what happened?

I looked at my server for errors, and no errors there.

I see this:

documentation.
Latest web server error log messages:
No recent web server errors exist for your domain: XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Latest suEXEC event log messages:
No recent suEXEC events exist for your domain:XXXXXXXXXXXXX

I also noticed something weird since several days. Every time I want to change something in the forum admin panel, I need to try several times until it is accepted. I click the button and stays the same. Then I wait 10 seconds and try again, and the same. After a few tryes, sometimes after one or two minutes, for some reason it is finally accepted. I think this has to do with the changed categories not being changed in the URL.

I don't know why this is happening, but I am telling you so maybe someone knows what it is.

I am running SMF 2.0.18, core theme, and these are my server settings:

Database server:
    Server: Localhost via UNIX socket
    Server type: MariaDB
    Server connection: SSL is not being used Documentation
    Server version: 10.3.31-MariaDB-cll-lve - MariaDB Server
    Protocol version: 10
    User: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    Server charset: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Web server:
    cpsrvd 11.98.0.9
    Database client version: libmysql - 5.6.43
    PHP extension: mysqliDocumentation curlDocumentation mbstringDocumentation
    PHP version: 7.3.30

phpmyAdmin:
    Version information: 4.9.7

This is the code generated today on my .htaccess file exactly when I ran the manutention on pretty urls panel:

# PRETTYURLS MOD BEGINS
# Pretty URLs mod
# https://www.smfhacks.com/prettyurls-seo-pro.php
# .htaccess file generated automatically on: October 24, 2021, 16:56

RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /

# Rules for: boards
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.$2 [L,QSA]

# Rules for: topics
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*|msg[0-9]*|new)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.$3 [L,QSA]

# PRETTYURLS MOD ENDS

More info: I have this Optimus mod installed, and also pretty urls, smfcontactpage, likeposts, StopSpammer_v2_4_0, ads management and WYSIWYGquickreply. 
 

Any help in solving this big problem will be greatly appreciated  ;D




I moved your post out of the optimus mod support thread and into it's own support thread as this is (partly) a pretty urls issue

in your admin under forum go to boards for each board that you renamed click on pretty urls
put a new name that you want to use and click add, after it adds it click on Make primary after it is primary you can delete the old url name

you may need to run pretty url maintenance afterwards, I don't remember
in your admin under configuration go to pretty urls
click on the 3rd button (maintenance) then click on Run maintenance tasks

as for a white page?????? there should be an error logged in your server errors

as for having to set settings a few times before they take, sounds like you have caching on or your server has some sort of caching set
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 02:19:59 PM
Like I said, I can't even see the site, so I can't access the admin panel to do what you are suggesting.

If I would be able to delete the url after, I would post the url of my forum here so you could see the blank/white page, but, the problem is that after some time I can't anymore modify the post to delete the url.

Just let me know where I can see the errors, and I will take a look.

I looked under Metrics --> Errors and Advanced --> Error pages

There is some other place to look for errors?
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on October 24, 2021, 02:40:47 PM
check your host and see if you've gone over any of your resource limits, I think this is what caused the white page, if so ask if they can bump that resource up
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 02:46:08 PM
The forum is brand new still no traffic, so that is impossible.

Here are the actual server stats:

Disk Usage
46.14 MB / 10 GB (0.45%)
   
File Usage
2,069 / 500,000 (0.41%)
   
MySQL® Disk Usage
419.47 KB / 9.96 GB (0%)
   
Bandwidth
9.38 MB / ∞
   
Addon Domains
0 / ∞
   
Subdomains
0 / ∞
   
Aliases
0 / ∞
   
Email Accounts
0 / ∞
   
Mailing Lists
0 / ∞
   
Autoresponders
0 / ∞
   
Forwarders
0 / ∞
   
Email Filters
0 / ∞
   
FTP Accounts
0 / ∞
   
MySQL® Databases
1 / ∞
   
CPU Usage
0 / 100 (0%)
   
Entry Processes
0 / 20 (0%)
   
Physical Memory Usage
0 bytes / 1 GB (0%)
   
IOPS
0 / 10,240 (0%)
   
I/O Usage
0 bytes/s / 50 MB/s (0%)
   
Number of Processes
0 / 50 (0%) 


The server status are also all ok, everything checked green.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on October 24, 2021, 02:52:47 PM
what is the inode usage? this is most likely the resource that went over and your host may bump it up a bit
depending on your host and seeing all of the other "unlimited" specs, most likely they give very little inode usage

if everything was working fine before you ran the maintenance mod, most likely some resource somewhere on your server/hosting account was hit

not saying that it still isn't a mod issue or conflict but most likely a resource limit reached
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 03:02:16 PM
Inode usage is the File Usage in my post above.

I used only 2,069 from 500,000. I am with CrocWeb and so far I am very happy with everything. Some other hosts give only 100,000 inode usage.

File Usage
2,069 / 500,000 (0.41%)


About the cache, my server has LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager, but I don't know if it is installed by default or it is there if i want to use and still need to install in my site.

Anyway I have a lscache folder on my Home directory, but, it is empty, and a cache folder on my public_html folder, and that one has about 30 files with today's date.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 04:29:33 PM
Update.

I contacted my Host asking if they see errors on their side, and this was the response.

Hello,

I do not see any errors at our end that would point to where the issue might be in the website/script. If you are not sure what modifications on the forum caused the issue then you can use "Acronis Backup" in your cPanel account to restore the database/files to the last restore point when the website was working properly.

We do not have any caching enabled on the server by default. Try using a different browser and delete the browser's cache/history.


Do you know how to use this Acronis Backup?

When I click the Acronis Backup button on cPanel I see Backups and Recovery Operations Log. If I click the last backup before the white page, when the site was working well, it loads for about one minute, and then I have two choices(two buttons).

Export the account or Recover the account

Below the buttons I have the word Types and under it 5 links

Domains
Files
Databases
Mailboxes
Mail forwarders

Anyone know what I need to do?



 
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on October 24, 2021, 05:35:36 PM
still seems odd that everything worked fine until you ran the maintenance mode, and then got the white page, which leads more towards a resource issue

I would do a back up of your current files and db just in case, yes even though you're getting the white screen

and then I would use the restore the database and restore the files from before the white page showed up
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on October 25, 2021, 07:02:13 AM
I understand why you thinking it was a resource issue, but, the truth is that everything was ok in the server, with no errors there, and also on the Admin panel.

I have no idea what caused the white screen.

I did just that. I restored the database and the files using the Acronis Backup and the site is back. Then I uninstalled the pretty urls mod, installed it again, and everything is working fine. So this topic is solved.

Thanks 
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 01, 2021, 11:17:13 AM
I marked this topic as solved, but, it is not.

Both plugins are installed and working well, except the problem with the General Discussion board URL.

All other URLs are well rewritten, except this one.

I can create any Board with any other name for example Lounge or Test or any other name, and immediately the URL shows https://www.myforum.com/lounge or https://www.myforum.com/test.

But every time I try to create a General Discussion board, even in my language that I've installed(not in English), the URL looks like this: https://www.myforum.com/category/index.php?board=21.

I tried several times to create it, and, the url is never rewritten.

To try to solve the problem, I tried to change the name of the Board Test or Lounge to General Discussion, and it changes on the Board, but, not in the URL, so the Board https://www.myforum.com/category/general-discussion, points to the URL https://www.myforum.com/category/test.

The only reason is some piece of code that already comes with the SMF, that for some reason doesn't let to rewrite the General Discussion board that already comes with the new installation of SMF.

I am sure you guys that made SMF know what it is, and what I need to change to solve this problem.

Thanks
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on November 01, 2021, 11:39:16 AM
Quote from: Dr Web on November 01, 2021, 11:17:13 AMI marked this topic as solved, but, it is not.

Both plugins are installed and working well, except the problem with the General Discussion board URL.

All other URLs are well rewritten, except this one.

I can create any Board with any other name for example Lounge or Test or any other name, and immediately the URL shows https://www.myforum.com/lounge or https://www.myforum.com/test.

But every time I try to create a General Discussion board, even in my language that I've installed(not in English), the URL looks like this: https://www.myforum.com/category/index.php?board=21.

I tried several times to create it, and, the url is never rewritten.

To try to solve the problem, I tried to change the name of the Board Test or Lounge to General Discussion, and it changes on the Board, but, not in the URL, so the Board https://www.myforum.com/category/general-discussion, points to the URL https://www.myforum.com/category/test.

The only reason is some piece of code that already comes with the SMF, that for some reason doesn't let to rewrite the General Discussion board that already comes with the new installation of SMF.

I am sure you guys that made SMF know what it is, and what I need to change to solve this problem.

Thanks

I think you forgot about this bit from my first reply
Quote from: shadav on October 24, 2021, 01:35:53 PM
Quote from: Dr Web on October 24, 2021, 01:11:40 PMA few minutes ago, I noticed that a few categories/boards were not showing the correct url. For example the General Discussion standard category/board that already comes with smf when we install it, I changed to another name a few days ago. However, it was still showing as general discussion in the URL.

A couple other categories created with a name that I changed right after to another name I found it was better, were also showing the first chosen name. 

Example: the URL https://www.myforum.com/new-board-name was still showing https://www.myforum.com/general-discussion

in your admin under forum go to boards for each board that you renamed click on pretty urls
put a new name that you want to use and click add, after it adds it click on Make primary after it is primary you can delete the old url name

you may need to run pretty url maintenance afterwards, I don't remember
in your admin under configuration go to pretty urls
click on the 3rd button (maintenance) then click on Run maintenance tasks

any time that you rename a board you will need to then change it's pretty url to match the new board name (or whatever you want it to be) then set your new name to primary and then delete the old name
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 01, 2021, 12:11:40 PM
I tried this too, and you can't change the URL on pretty URLS. You can only change the last part of the URL.

When you click the button to change the URL, and insert the complete URL, then you have something like this:
https://www.myforum.com/httpswww-myforum-comgeneral-discussion
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on November 01, 2021, 12:32:58 PM
you don't need to add the full url just the end part that you want
so you'd just add
general-discussion
Untitled.png
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Kindred on November 01, 2021, 12:38:31 PM
this would appear to be a pretty urls question -- not an issue with the core product
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 01, 2021, 12:44:10 PM
That was the first thing I tried, and I did it maybe 30 times, and when I click the button, nothing happens.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 01, 2021, 12:47:42 PM
Quote from: Kindred on November 01, 2021, 12:38:31 PMthis would appear to be a pretty urls question -- not an issue with the core product

If it is a pretty urls question, why any other board url can be rewritten, only this one with the exact name "general discussion" can't?

It's obvious it is related to the code because this precise board already comes with the software, pre-installed.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on November 01, 2021, 01:16:04 PM
this is still a pretty urls question/issue
nothing to do with smf core code

the only reason I didn't move it to the pretty url support thread was the white screen issue

all other issues are pretty url related (white screen may have been too)

is any of your boards already using the general-discussion?
after adding the general-discussion to the board you want, did you then press on the Make Primary and delete the old name that you didn't want?
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 01, 2021, 01:24:23 PM
Sorry but it is not pretty urls question. Any, I repeat, any other board created with any other name immediately gets a correct URL, without the need of changing in pretty urls.

I have the default language, English installed, and my language, and I tried now to create a board with the name General Discussion in a language I don't have installed, Spanish, and immediately got a correct URL: https://www.myforum.com/category/discusion-general

If you don't believe me, I can give you access to my Admin Panel and you can see for yourself.

Pretty URLS is working perfectly, so this can be only a code problem.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on November 01, 2021, 01:36:53 PM
yes you are correct when you create a board, pretty url automatically assigns it the name of the board
however if you rename a board, as you mentioned earlier, then you must go and manually change the pretty url of the board and set your manually added pretty url to primary, then delete the old pretty url

if you try to add 2 boards with the same name you will notice that pretty url will then automatically assign the second one with a number at the end since there's already a board with that name (even if the pretty url is not set to primary but is still listed under that board, as you can have more than 1 pretty url set to each board)

and yes this is a pretty url issue as core smf code does not rewrite urls in this manor

if you like, you can pm me with a link to your forum and an admin log in and what it is exactly that you are wanting to do/to rename etc

also have you fixed the white screen issue? have you been able to run the pretty url maintenance without issue?

have you fixed the issue with settings not saving on first try and having to reset them a few times before they save?
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 01, 2021, 01:52:49 PM
What is happening is exactly what you said here
Quote from: shadav on November 01, 2021, 01:36:53 PMif you try to add 2 boards with the same name you will notice that pretty url will then automatically assign the second one with a number at the end

Even if I deleted the General Discussion board that comes with SMF, it is still somewhere in the code, so pretty URLs see the "second one" with the same name, and assign the second one with a number at the end. I think this is the proof that pretty URLS has nothing to do with this problem.   

It's everything fixed and working perfectly.

The only thing that still happens is when i want to change something, i need to let the page load completely, wait about 10 seconds, and, only then click to change. But even so sometimes I need to try a few times. I already tried with Firefox and Chrome to see if it is a browser thing, but, it happened with both.

My Host told me that they do not have any cache installed by default, so I don't know why this happens.

But on pretty URLS when I try to chance a board name, when it says "Add URL", if I insert a URL, I can change it after a couple attempts. If I insert only "general-discussion", I can try 30 times that the system doesn't accept.   

I will PM you now.

Thank you.
 
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: shadav on November 01, 2021, 02:25:27 PM
just to note for others offering help:

user still has the issue with cache not letting them change settings

in their admin under configuration > server settings > caching
set Caching Level to No caching

I was then able to change settings without any issues, I then turned caching back to level 1 and issues persisted

I was able to change the board to general-discussion without issue after turning off smf cache

for some reason having smf caching turned on causes problems and I'm still willing to bet it's because their server has some sort of caching in place or are using cloudflare or something like this that also has caching in place that is conflicting with smf caching
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 02, 2021, 02:44:20 PM
I contacted my host again, and they guaranteed that they don't have any cache by default in the server.

I also don't see anything. I have there Cloudfare and LSCache, but they are not installed.

I deleted the board you changed yesterday to General Discussion, and created a new one with the name in my language, and it has a number in the end. I still couldn't solve this problem.

I have no cache in the forum since yesterday you was there.

The last chance is to clean the cache of pretty urls to see if it solves the problem.

Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Steve on November 02, 2021, 02:57:43 PM
Let us know what happens.

Btw, love your sig :D
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 02, 2021, 04:22:34 PM
Ok. I don't have any cache in the server, also No Cache in the Admin panel, I just emptied the pretty_urls_cache table, and I still can't change the URL to show up without the number.

Once again I deleted the General Discussion board, and created another one, and again it has a number.

And now you still think it is a cache problem? If so, why can I create boards with any other name and I don't even need to run the Maintenance, and the urls are immediately rewritten?

I think all points for a core code problem, because the board is there somewhere in the code, so pretty urls Mod sees it, and as there is not possible to have two boards with the same name, it assigns a number to the "second" one.

After all this, it's the only explanation that makes sense, IMO.   

I am open to opinions.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 02, 2021, 04:28:06 PM
Quote from: Steve on November 02, 2021, 02:57:43 PMLet us know what happens.

Btw, love your sig :D

LOL, a friend of mine used it once in a forum, and I loved it so I use it too.

Please read the post above. I can't solve the problem. I can create as many boards I want with the names I want, and they immediately get a prety url, without any number in the end.

Only if I create a board with the name "General Discussion", or "Discussao Geral", that is General Discussion in Portuguese, language that I have also installed, they get a number in the end, and pretty urls do not let me change it.

Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Kindred on November 02, 2021, 11:37:34 PM
This really is related to pretty urls and needs to be addressed by the author of that mid, not smf support
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 03, 2021, 04:55:43 AM
Quote from: Kindred on November 02, 2021, 11:37:34 PMThis really is related to pretty urls and needs to be addressed by the author of that mid, not smf support

I already asked you why you think it is not related to the core code of smf but related to pretty urls mod, even if all the evidences and common sense point to a problem of the core code.

Shadav thought it was a cache problem. I have no cache at all in the forum now, and the problem still persists.

Yesterday I tried another trick, I tried to change the URL from "discussao-geral=21" to "discusao-geral", taking out an S from the word "discussao", writing it wrongly, and it was accepted.

I am not 100% sure it is a problem with the code, but as all points to that, you could help with your knowledge explaining why you think it is not a code problem but a pretty urls problem, because just kicking the issue to the other guy is not helping me in any way, or any other forum member reading this thread.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Illori on November 03, 2021, 04:58:57 AM
SMF does not have this feature by default, so it HAS to be a mod issue and the author should support you in fixing it. even if this uses core SMF code the author would know what the code is and how to fix it.

in this board we support issues in the default core SMF code, your issue cannot be duplicated or fixed in the default code without using this mod. so we are pointing you in the direction of the mod author so you can get this fixed.
Title: Re: url issue
Post by: Dr Web on November 03, 2021, 06:38:21 AM
Thanks for your response. This is how to respond a question. Clear and to the point, and giving a reason why it has to do with the Mod.