File permissions?

[BobDylanRH]

Getting this error trying to install packages:

"You cannot download or install new packages because the Packages directory or one of the files in it are not writable!"

All files are set to 777. Using the file permissions utility in the forum doesn't seem to alter any of the file permissions - everything has to be set through the ftp.

[gbsothere]

Did you create a directory inside the packages directory named:  temp   and set the permissions for it to 777 and try it that way?

[BobDylanRH]

Not exactly sure what that did, but it worked. Thanks. 

[gbsothere]

You can mark it solved at the bottom of the thread, if you like.   

[BobDylanRH]

Well, maybe that didn't solve the problem.

None of the packages I install appear to work. (I've tried several.)

[gbsothere]

Well, maybe that didn't solve the problem.

None of the packages I install appear to work. (I've tried several.)

Ah.....   you've been bitten by the same bug that bit me.  It's a pain, but pull one of the regular smf files from your ftp that the mod was supposed to edit and compare it to the edits on the mod's parse page.  Do you see the edits? 

What was happening to me was that the package installer wasn't placing the edits on the files, it was only disbursing its own included files and/or images.  I had to go back and manually edit the smf files and re-upload them.    If tables were supposed to be added to your database, you might want to fire up your CP and check. 

Something that may help as well is to find out if your server has PHP SafeMode turned on and ask them to turn it off. 

I hope these suggestions work for you.

[BobDylanRH]

Checking some of the files, the package installer is not placing the edits.

I've sent a support ticket to my host to check if php safe mode is on. I run cPanel, but don't know how to check.

[gbsothere]

Checking some of the files, the package installer is not placing the edits.

I've sent a support ticket to my host to check if php safe mode is on. I run cPanel, but don't know how to check.

I had to turn mine off and, finally, I got things squared away.   While you're waiting to hear back from your server, it's still possible to have the mod show up if you want to do those manual edits and upload.   You can go to Admin----> Packages---->Browse Packages and next to the name of the mod look for either Uninstall or Apply Mod.  If it says "Apply" then it didn't actually install, in which case, you may want to wait for your server to see if this fixes things.  If it says Uninstall, then it actually went through that part of the process and manual edits are going to be in order.

[BobDylanRH]

Thanks. Hopefully the server quirk is the fix.

I the meantime, manually editing the files isn't so bad. 

[gbsothere]

Thanks. Hopefully the server quirk is the fix.

I the meantime, manually editing the files isn't so bad. 

It's good for the mind.  "Smart" sneaks up on us.   

Hope things go well for you. 

[BobDylanRH]

Well, I heard back from the server guys. Unfortunately safe mode is not turned on. So we can cross that off the list.

[gbsothere]

Well, I heard back from the server guys. Unfortunately safe mode is not turned on. So we can cross that off the list.

*sigh*

I was really hoping that would fix it for you.  There are a ton of issues across this forum about the package manager in RC1.2 creating a lot of headaches, most of them permission issues, but also not editing files.  Some complaints have been acknowledged as known bugs that have been fixed for 2.0, which will be a stable version (hopefully released soon). 

Out of curiosity... have you tried to install a mod by using the "Download a package by url" feature, rather than browsing to it on your computer?  (Of course, you may get a "this package has been uploaded but its files are empty" message.) 

Were you able to get your other mods to appear by manually editing the files?



EDIT:   What sort of errors are you getting in your forum logs, Bob?

[BobDylanRH]

I just tried to download by URL. It "installed," but again, no files were edited.

The mods work fine when I manually input them.

Curiously, I got the permissions error again (when trying to download and install by URL) and I noticed the temp directory went missing it. Is this normal? Putting it back in there got rid of the permissions issue.

As far as logs, with the last one I tried to install... I'm getting things like this:

Only show the error messages of this URL  hxxp:www.mlbleagueootpx.info/.../index.php?action=admin;area=packages;sa=install;package=Dynamic_Memberlist_RC1.2;pid=0 [nonactive]

2: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource

File: /home/.../Sources/Subs-Package.php
Line: 2424

--

512: package_flush_cache(): some files are still not writable

File: /home/..../Sources/Subs-Package.php
Line: 2421

There are a whopping 5,000+ errors. (I imagine most of them are from trying out some random solutions.)

[gbsothere]

My goodness, Bob.   

This is where I hold up this sign and pray that one of the veterans come by with a ready solution. 




SMF Package Manager will delete the temp folder because it's only meant to be temporary and it's a bit of a pain to have to keep creating.  I hate to spring yet another mod on you but this one will keep it from being deleted:

http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=724

As to your edits not being done, I would imagine your errors somehow indicate the reason behind this, but for smarter people than I.   Turning off my SafeMode did correct it for me, but yours is off.  I can't imagine anything else connected with your php settings that would be causing this but perhaps someone else will know.

I'm stumped, Bob.  I have much to learn about interpreting forum errors. But perhaps making that particular file Subs-Package.php writable might help?




These are the lines of code from that file that are being referenced:

Code Select Expand

trigger_error('package_flush_cache(): some files are still not writable', E_USER_WARNING);
return;
}
fclose($fp);





ETA:  (I'm famous for editing my own posts over and over).   

I just remembered that, while dealing with my own frustrations over this same issue, I did make one edit to my Subs-Package.php that seemed to break me out of the white page loop but it was in conjunction with my turning off SafeMode, so I can't say how it would have fared on its own. 

I found:

Code Select Expand

if ($current['checksum'] != $checksum)
         return $return;


And replaced it with:

Code Select Expand

if ($current['checksum'] != $checksum)
            break;

It certainly didn't hurt anything. 

[BobDylanRH]

Installed the package that will keep the temp folder from disappearing. That works.

Tried the edit you put in, and unfortunately it doesn't work. 

I appreciate all your help.

[gbsothere]

Installed the package that will keep the temp folder from disappearing. That works.

Tried the edit you put in, and unfortunately it doesn't work. 

I appreciate all your help.

Basically, what you have now, Bob, is that the package installer is uploading the zip from your computer okay and "pretending to install", in that it claims it has and places its own files, etc., on your server, but doesn't edit the SMF files?  I can't help wondering if there's some other PHP setting on your server that might need changing. 

I also wonder, if you know in advance, which SMF files a mod will be editing, if you go to those files in your ftp, before applying the mod, and go ahead and make those permissions 777, as well (I know you've already done that to directories) if that would make a difference in whether or not the files were edited?

(Any SMF veteran reading, feel free to jump in.)   

[BobDylanRH]

I've about given up. Pre-setting the files to 777 doesn't work either.

If the earlier builds of smf installed packages fine, wouldn't that suggest that my server settings are fine? (Actually, now that I think about it, I had this problem when I upgraded from 1.9 to 1.10. Everything worked fine with 1.9. Since I was having issues with 1.10, I decided to upgrade again.)

[gbsothere]

I'm going back over the ticket I started on this issue and I just can't see any suggestions that we haven't tried.  *sigh*

I've been told that this issue "has been fixed" for 2.0 but, until then, it seems as if it's a duct-tape job. 

I'll keep reading through the ticket and see if there's something I missed. 

[gbsothere]

Bob, I'd forgotten that I had to do this and I had to do a search to find this thread (where another poster mentioned it).  I don't know it if will work for you but it couldn't hurt.

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=333961.msg2237935#msg2237935

[Arantor]

Did that tip work for you, Bob?