Can't install packages

[青山 素子]

New, related problem...

The package you are trying to download or install is either corrupt or not compatible with this version of SMF.

It tells me that when I try to download a package from "Simple Machines Third-party Mod Site"... I'm on SMF 1.1.4, but aren't old mods supposed to work in it? I was testing to see if I could install a mod now, but I can't even download it. (Tried both youtube mods and I tried a post prefix mod)

That would be because those mods probably say 1.1.3 specifically in their install instructions and they haven't been updated yet. You can emulate 1.1.3 by using the "version_emulate" feature. Do a search on that and you'll find how to use it.

[GrayFox]

Thanks! I think 777 is the right CHMOD number for my server though... so there's still that problem.   

777 worked fine on vbulletin (former software), so that's why I'm pretty sure it must be the right number.

[GrayFox]

  Anyone have some more ideas?

[greyknight17]

If you want to confirm that all the folder directories are correct, use repair_settings.php to do that.

Regarding the packages, ask your webhost to see if they can do anything to help on their end. It looks like you tried everything that could be possible culprits but it still didn't resolve the issue.

[GrayFox]

I may have found the magic number. It's possible that it's 644.

BUT... I can't get the version emulation to work! I get:

A number of small bugs and a security issue have been identified in SMF 1.1 Final. You can install this patch (click here to install) to update your version of SMF to 1.1.1.

If you have any problems applying it, you can use the version posted on the downloads page - although, any modifications you have installed will need to be uninstalled. Please post on the forum if you need more help.

But when I click "Download packages," the version emulation seems to cancel out... and it uses the actual version. WTF?

[greyknight17]

Upload your mod first. Then go to Browse Packages and type in the emulate code and hit ENTER. For example:

http://www.yoursite.com/smf/index.php?action=packages;sa=browse;version_emulate=1.1.1

Change 1.1.1 to whatever older version you want to emulate.

[GrayFox]

Thanks! I think this is all cleared up for now. Will I be able to update to future SMF versions this way too?

[青山 素子]

You will be able to update any SMF version that is in the same main series. For instance, you can update 1.1.3 to 1.1.4 by package. You will not be able to do this for 1.1.X to 2.0.

[GrayFox]

Okay, thanks! So does that mean everyone will need to reinstall all of their mods when they upgrade to 2.0?

[青山 素子]

Correct. Mods made for 1.1 won't work for 2.0 as the system has changed significantly.

[SlammedDime]

Not only does the packages folder need to be 777, but any files that it will edit also need to have proper permissions, in some cases 777 as well.  If the user that apache runs under (and thus SMF as a php script) is different from the owner of the files them selves (ie: Apache runs as user 'nobody', but when you log into your account via ftp and upload files, you are running as user 'joeschmoe', and thus if permissions aren't set for global write, SMF cannot modify the files you uploaded unless they are at 777.  This would include index.php, The sources directory, and the themes directory (and all subfiles/folders).

[GrayFox]

I still don't understand why 644 was the correct number, but it worked. Another weird thing is that it said it was applying 777 permissions to everything, but I clearly remember typing in the number 644. Typing 777 itself  just didn't work.

[greyknight17]

Some hosts restrict the 777 permission due to security concerns. In the case of SMF, you don't need to worry about changing it to 777 though. If your host restricted you to this, you can probably only CHMOD to 755 or 644 in your case.