Issue accessing admin panel

[w0lfman]

When i click the link to access the Admin tab i'm receiving "Cannot access offset of type string on string" with all other tabs working without issue. Current version SMF 2.0.19 and no recent updates or packages over the past several months.  Appears to have begun throwing the error about 4 days ago.   

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Php version?

[Kindred]

Php version?

Edit... ninja'd

[w0lfman]

myPHPAdmin indicates PHP version: 8.1.27

[Sir Osis of Liver]

2.0.19 supports up to php 8.0.  It will run in 8.1, but not happily.  Try downgrading to 8.0.

[w0lfman]

great info.  is there a how to located here on the steps to complete a downgrade? 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You would have to do that in your host control panel.  Should be an option to select php version.

[Steve]

Look for MultiPHP Manager or similar.

[Doug Heffernan]

If you don't have a cPanel or your cPanel doesn't have the option to allow for php upgrade, you should contact your host about it.

Regarding the below, were you already using php 8.1. before 4 days ago?

Appears to have begun throwing the error about 4 days ago.

[w0lfman]

If you don't have a cPanel or your cPanel doesn't have the option to allow for php upgrade, you should contact your host about it.

Regarding the below, were you already using php 8.1. before 4 days ago?

Appears to have begun throwing the error about 4 days ago.

yes, and unless web host did a php upgrade without my knowledge not sure how the upgrade happened. I haven't made any changes for several months. Just began out of the blue.

[Steve]

Then contact your host and see what version of PHP they have you on.

[w0lfman]

looking at my cPanel>phpMyAdmin this is what version web server 8.1.27 and phpMyAdmin 5.2.1.  I attached a screenshot from cPanel as well as the consistent error.  It seem the only tab that is affected is the Admin tab.  Everything else seems to function properly.  I have had reports where users cant access their profile to change avatars, but other than that things seem ok

[w0lfman]

these are my version options with cpanel...

[Kindred]

Yeah, that's a problem.

2.0.19 definitely does not support 8.2.

Switch down to 8.0. Or upgrade smf

[w0lfman]

upgrade is in my future, but for now downgrading to 8.0 looks to be best option.  And for clarification i can simply make this change on the fly at this point?  just click the option for 8.0 and let it do what it needs to do?  any reason i should put forum in maintenance mode before doing it?

[w0lfman]

downgraded to 8.0, but i appear to have the same issue. no change trying to access admin tab

[Deaks]

can you actually access the admin panel
so in your address bar add

index.php?action=admin;area=featuresettings

after your url to your forum for example

www.website.com/forum/index.php?action=admin;area=featuresettings

[w0lfman]

Receive the same message

https://www.herdfans.com/12thman/index.php?action=admin;area=featuresettings

[Kindred]

Check with your host. It looks like your forum location is not accepting your setting to use php 8.0

[Doug Heffernan]

What was the latest change done to the forum prior to this happening?