Settings Wont Save

[mitek]

No matter what, however I try, when I make a change to any section of the forum in the admin panel, it will never accept the change or the change will not stick. If I click save time after time after time, and then sometimes hold down the save button for about 45 seconds it eventually will save the changes I have made. I have had dozens of SMF installations on this server and never had any issue saving any changes until now.

All permissions are correct , 2.0.15 installed perfectly with no issues, mods install properly etc ... its simply the system will NOT save any changes I make unless I do this stupid click save button 100 times or hold down the save button for the longest time. Its stupid I know. If it didnt eventually save the changes at all I would suspect a permissions problem but thats not it otherwise it would never save the changes. It will save changes BUT sometimes it takes 5 to 10 minutes for me to get teh save button to actually commit the changes. A weird problem I know.

Any help would be deeply appreciated.

Mike/kcforums.com

[skb]

I've faced this problem too. Probably a cache thing.

[Kindred]

actually, now that skb points it out - yes --   this is probably related to host-side caching, like varnish.
Ask your host to disable that

[mitek]

Thank you for your replies. I will look into the host side cache issue, however I co-locate the server so I will start looking through any cache that may be stored elsewhere. Just a strange problem considering everything else works flawlessly.

[mitek]

Thanks for all of the cache suggestions but apparently that is NOT the issue at all.

I have checked all caching (I own the server so its all up to me how everything works) browser related and otherwise and that apparently is not the issue. If I try to save any changes it will take as long as a minute which leads me to believe its database related. Its CentOS with Plesk all latest versions , Xeon quad processors 128GB of memory, and a 1 gigabit connection..server is perfect with absolutely zero issues, security or otherwise.

It wasn't doing this and then just started out of the blue.

On my Linux/Plesk server all MySQL databases are stored in the same location. I had just installed SMF 2.0.15 on a new domain as to avoid some legal probable legal issues surrounding what our forum discusses (nothing bad just herbals and no not MJ)..so when I installed 2.0.15 on the new domain it was merely a point of me pointing to the original database, run the repair_settings tool and all was well. I have the same , actually even less, mods installed than ever and originally the saves worked as they should. Just click and save. Now I find myself clicking and saving NUMEROUS times, and I finally figured out that IF I hold the save button down for 45-60 seconds two or there times, the changes will eventually save... otherwise they simply wont. I have never encountered this problem in any other database driven program ever.

It does NOT happen in every section,, some mods I have installed, if I make changes in them and click save they work fine .. its just the original sections in admin that are having these save issues. Its like the forum on the new domain is lagging when it connects to the original database. Nothing in the forum is affected at all. It screams and runs great, but this darn save issue is absolutely driving me nuts. I was hoping someone would have a simple solution as to why the changes saving would behave in this way.

Mike

[drewactual]

are you using chrome?

i found the issue to be isolated to chrome... same thing you describe.  it was frustrating to the point i may need to join "hair club for men".  i too own my server, and have it tweaked just how i have found most advantageous.  i went through the cache's and at one point shut every one of them down (the ones i can control- we can't control some proxy cache's that people, including ourselves, pass through to get to our page; you gotta have a good cache busting solution to get that done... i have one if you need it.)

use the incognito mode and see if it happens.  i wager it doesn't.  guess what this means?  it likely IS cache related- but not server side.  chrome uses database files and cache's like a mutha- often not on your computer but in a cloud so you have access to oft visited pages on multiple devices... flushing that cache is a MAJOR PITA.  i bet this is your issue, too.

[mitek]

I have trieeed every suggestion. I have NOT rebooted teh server which is my next plan. I truly need a  developers help on this. I mean I can create a workaround by creating an index.html file where peopel can rregsiter and then email teh results to teh admin/gmod team and they can manualy register the acounts but that simply is a pain in teh ass.

I need to know specifically which file controls the register link on the login page so I can at least see if I can find teh issue myself.

I guess all of teh developes are just too busy to help us mere mortals. Been waiting on 2.1 forever yet its still in beta.

It gets frustrating..maybe phpbb or vb or even xenforo is teh better choice...who knows.

Mike

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Registration code is in Register.template.php and Register.php.  You appear to be having other problems that indicate you may have a bad server setup.  That being the case, you'll be chasing your ass in circles with whatever forumware you install.

[mitek]

WEll I suppose  I Could simply run a rewrite, replace the Themes and Sources folder and work my way from there but am I ever dreading that. Just have no reason as to what was running absolutely beautifully one minute and them totally different the next with no sign of any add on being added. Its just crazy.

Oh well what has to be done has to be done...its just how it is.

Mike

[mitek]

Ok one more question and ill remove myself form everyone hair.

Suppose I wanted to reload the forum just as it sits. How would I do that without screwing up 3000+ members, what exactly would I need to change, and what exactly would I need to overwrite or swap out if anything. What version should is useth 2.0.15 full install or teh 2.0.15 upgrade? UI need information on how to reinstall my addons that we must have.

It seems to me right now to be the only option considering teh database does not seem to be affected at all/

I would need detailed instructions on how to proceed so I would stand the best possible change to get my forum back to a perfectly running mode without jeopardizing any other potions of teh forum.

I wish for posts to remain up to the minute, for attachment to remain, for pretty much everything to remain.

At that point I would simply need to reinstall all of the add ons on ect because they should be stored anyway.

I am just trying to find the simplest way to do what I need to do without hosing the entire forum.

Thanks in advance.

I wish there was another way BUT I see no other way out..any helps is direly needed and even more direly apprciated.

Thanks
Mike

Mike

[Illori]

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_to_upload_a_fresh_set_of_files

[drewactual]

so you're willing to risk the stability of your forum because you have to punch a button multiple times? that's strange thought process. 

mine did it for months until i determined it was a BROWSER (client) cache issue to no ill effects other than i punched the setting, saved, refreshed and sometimes several times.  it is either a browser/client cache or it is a cache on a server somewhere in between you and your hosting server that is trying to provide a 'faster' service by caching well worn webpages. 

frustrating? yup.. worth risking your forum?  that's up to you, but i'd march smartly away from that idea. 

you also jumped from 'won't save' to an issue with registration? 

i'd like to see a list of your mod's, and a look at your phpinfo?

[mitek]

so you're willing to risk the stability of your forum because you have to punch a button multiple times? that's strange thought process. 

mine did it for months until i determined it was a BROWSER (client) cache issue to no ill effects other than i punched the setting, saved, refreshed and sometimes several times.  it is either a browser/client cache or it is a cache on a server somewhere in between you and your hosting server that is trying to provide a 'faster' service by caching well worn webpages. 

frustrating? yup.. worth risking your forum?  that's up to you, but i'd march smartly away from that idea. 

you also jumped from 'won't save' to an issue with registration? 

i'd like to see a list of your mod's, and a look at your phpinfo?

I am willing if that's all there is left too do, and you are right I can live with the clicking save button portion butI would rather prefer not to that,  however its something I can live with undoubtedly. What's not possible is having the inability to register new members, and like I have said from the beginning I run very few add ons and they are listed below including the ones I have uninstalled trying to solve the issue

So I am asking for help however clearing all cache isnt working, uninstalling mods, even ones I have to edit pages to uninstall (and yes I am recoding them perfectlY) and still no effect at all.

Other problems are cropping up like the advanced html editor will not install at all (purchased from smfpacks and they are no help) and then I noticed last night smilies will now not appear even though the path is correct and the smiley is in its folder and they were showing up earlier in the day.. however just blank smileys show up in the post and yes they do point to the correct folder and smiley..and permissions are fine...

so IF you or anyone has a suggestion that doesn't involve reloading the forum in some manner Im all ears. I mean I dont want to do it but what else is there. I have cleaned and optimized the database, I have ran repair settings and repair_packages. I have done pretty much everything there is to do that I am aware of.  its just so far no one seems to have an answer, that includes me, and usually I always have my own answers. I have used SMF, PHP, VB since they have been around  (late 90s early 2000's for some) and I am familiar with all of them, however I have never ran into this particular problem or set of problems at all on SMF. There are no trojans or viruses (CentOS/Plesk. I choose SMF over all the others because of its lack of problems that cannot be solved quickly. I guess I was wrong this time around.

Mike.

1.     Add IP2Location to Track IP   1.31    [Uninstall ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ]
2.   Anti-spam by CleanTalk   2.20              [ Install Mod ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ] <<Not running/uninstalled
3.   One Account One Ip   1.0                        [ Uninstall ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ]
4.   Ad Managment   3.3a                       [ Uninstall ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ]
5.   Better Messages Menu   1.5             [ Install Mod ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ]  <<No running/uninstalled
6.   Admin Notepad   2.0.2                       [ Uninstall ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ]
7.   SimplePortal   2.3.6                       [ Uninstall ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ]
8.   Tapatalk SMF 2.0 Plugin   4.4.1       [ Uninstall ] [ List Files ] [ Delete ]

[GigaWatt]

Why not try this. Make a backup of the script and the database, delete everything, install SMF from scratch, upload attachments, upload the backup of the database, link SMF to the database (repair_settings.php), log in, try changing something in the admin panel and hit the Save button.

If it works, great, try putting everything back together, note each change you make and see if it starts happening again after each change (mod, manual code edit, etc.).

If it doesn't... well, I guess it wasn't the forum then. Load everything from the backup and keep searching.

[Illori]

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_to_upload_a_fresh_set_of_files

why not just follow the directions we have on how to upload fresh files instead? we know this way works and will not cause issues with your forum.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Do what Illori suggested, upload the 2.0.15 upgrade package, see if the problems clear.  It has no effect on your database, there's no need to run upgrade.php.  If the problems continue with a clean install, then you're looking at bad server config.  If not, it's most likely a mod conflict.  The only mod you're running that I recognize as a problem is Tapatalk, it was removed from the mod site here because it does not conform with SMF coding guidelines, and has screwed up some forums.

[dcmouser]

Just a link to a similar thread where Admin settings were not being saved, along with an explanation of what was going wrong and a fix:
https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=573033.0

[drewactual]

Just a link to a similar thread where Admin settings were not being saved, along with an explanation of what was going wrong and a fix:
https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=573033.0

I'd like to amplify this x100.

To the topic:  I had conceded this as a glitch of cache or proxy.  I noticed if I saved, left the page and THEN returned it was saved 100% of the time.  At the time of this issue I had bigger fish to fry.. so I worked on those instead.

My server was configured pre-fork and with fast-cgi and php-fpm.. after changing to php7.1 and using mpm-worker also with pho-fpm but dumping mod_proxy, the issue completely disappeared. Completely.  There were issues with file permissions as a result of the move specifically of user/anonymous flavor, but....... they were worked out.

Also at the same time I addressed cache ttl in httpd.conf, carefully combing through them.  There was a header (not a ttl for the file type function but the card/etag declaration) that was allowing servers to feed same contents for up to a minute before checking back in... "it" could just as easily been that as the issue.  I've since determined etags are tricky bastardos and best left alone. They've been turned off in my httpd as a result.

So was the proxy storing a dated file result and shoving it at the browser or was an etag causing dated data to be handled?  Did some fast cgi pre fork slight of hand trickery for the sake of speed cause it?  It wasn't opcache for certain...

There is one more alteration I made at the same time that could just as easily been the culprit especially complicated by either etags or proxy: I was writing to flat files for sessions. I shifted to memcache(d) and set a generous memory set aside for it.. the thought, again cache, is the writing wasn't fast enough to show the changes by just "save", but a refresh or leaving and returning was?

Point I'm making is "it went away as I made server configuration changes and began fine tuning my server"... and hasn't returned. Other than the confusion I likely demonstrate in this post, I'd like to offer this as a culprit, and the reason some have this issue when others don't.  My bet is on etags.  My weight is on worker mpm and fpm being the superior configuration for the purpose of SMF.