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fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

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30 Oct 2008, 19:15
#1
zcnb avatar

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fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

fix_cache_key.php used to work for me time after time. A few minutes ago I tried it again and... it simply displays a blank page. Which spells t-r-o-u-b-l-e ...

Trying to figure out why this weird, unexpected behavior, I tried running it from the command line:
/usr/bin/php -f  fix_cache_key.php

Sure enough, in response I receive something that I don't think I should be receiving:
Failed loading /usr/local/IonCube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.2_ts.so: /usr/local/IonCube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.2_ts.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
<html><head>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
h1 {
color: #B56224;
}
h2 {
color: #D67732;
}
h3 {
color: #D67630;
}
.red {
color: #FF0000;
font-weight: bolder;
}
.green {color: #009900;
font-weight: bolder;
}
-->
</style>
</head><body>


I suspect that this is a problem with some change done at my web host, not fix_cache_key.php, because it is the same exact fix_cache_key.php that used to work for me for weeks.

However, before contacting my web host tech support I think that I need to confirm with the guru(s) familiar with this PHP script the nature of this problem.

Note: Zen Cart continues to work as usual.

Another piece of information that may be relevant: 5 months ago, my web host account used PHP ver. 5.2.5. It is now ver. 5.2.6.

Are you familiar with this error message?
30 Oct 2008, 19:30
#2
misty avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Why not just call file from normal url
i.e
http://yourzencart/fix_cache_key.php
30 Oct 2008, 19:39
#3
zcnb avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

misty:

Why not just call file from normal url?

That's exactly what I have been doing - and did this time, too.

But this time it failed (blank page), so I tried calling the file from the command line to get more diagnostic information (which I did - see the post that started this thread).

Interestingly enough, in my search for clues I found the following thread:

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52853&highlight=IonCube

While Zen Cart itself does not require IonCube, perhaps fix_cache_key.php does? :unsure:
30 Oct 2008, 21:25
#4
yellow1912 avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

No, Zen is opensource, it does not need that.
30 Oct 2008, 23:55
#5
zcnb avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Yes, I know that Zen Cart itself does not require IonCube, but I was asking about the script that is not officially part of Zen Cart: fix_cache_key.php.

If it doesn't need IonCube, why do I get this error message?
31 Oct 2008, 00:34
#6
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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Probably a configuration change recently made to your server by your hosting company? Perhaps they recently changed something to make it trigger ioncube stuff? Maybe they're making every PHP script run thru ioncube for some reason? Doesn't make sense, but sometimes server admins do strange things, sometimes unbeknownst even to themselves.

The fix_cache_key.php utility script is a very simple PHP script, and does not require or utilize anything specific to ioncube or any encoding library.
31 Oct 2008, 03:37
#7
zcnb avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Thanks for your insights, DrByte. I know that you are the one who wrote fix_cache_key.php, so I was eager to hear what you have to say about this. :smile:

In the meanwhile, my web host tech support managed to fix the problem. That was after I had to re-state the fact that this script has not changed since May 2006 and so the sudden break must have been due to a recent change in the system (they did some impressive upgrades in the last few days).

I still don't know how they fixed it. If and when I get this information from them I will post it here. I somehow suspect that this had something to do with the global php.ini (in /usr/local/lib).
31 Oct 2008, 03:56
#8
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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Failed loading /usr/local/IonCube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.2_ts.so: /usr/local/IonCube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.2_ts.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

That type error msg. is specific to Server software. In doing some upgrades the IonCube was missed being included which produced the error. No doubt you will get a similar type msg. from your Hoster but as a Hosting Client, who cannot do anything to correct the situation, one only needs to know the problem was solved. :smile:
31 Oct 2008, 04:05
#9
zcnb avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Website Rob:

That type error msg. is specific to Server software. In doing some upgrades the IonCube was missed being included which produced the error. No doubt you will get a similar type msg. from your Hoster but as a Hosting Client, who cannot do anything to correct the situation, one only needs to know the problem was solved. :smile:

What you say is correct, but the last sentence seems to contradict the following solution to the same type of problem:

http://www.bluehostforums.com/showthread.php?p=55567

If you read the solution at the end of the thread, you'll notice that all what was needed is change a setting in php.ini.

If I place my own php.ini under my home directory, then in essence I do have control over this. To make such decision, however, I need to know first whether my host's solution was in php.ini or something in the installation of that .so library.

I am still baffled by the fact that while this script couldn't run by PHP, the entire Zen Cart functioned perfectly. How is this possible? Either PHP is broken or not. :dontgetit
31 Oct 2008, 04:19
#10
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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Ok, let me clarify by stating that each Hoster has their own way of setting up their Servers. :smile:

As a Hoster as well, I do not see the logic in doing things the way BlueHost does with regard to this situation but, their Company, their Servers, their Rules. If you host with them and their solutions work for you then all is good.

IMHO, a Hosting Client should not have to worry about back-end Server stuff and/or settings for them; such as: IonCube, Zend, cURL, whatever.
31 Oct 2008, 04:44
#11
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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

OMG - I just discovered that I might have mistakenly blamed this incident on the web host. :blush:

After the "problem" has been "fixed" by the "web host", I decided to give the store duplication process another run, to verify that everything works smoothly and that I can perform that within less than 5 minutes.

I repeat the process and... the same problem occurs: fix_cache_key.php yields a blank page.

At this point I begin to understand that there may be something specific in my procedure that triggers this strange behavior... So I:
  1. Login to the admin console of the DUPLICATE store
  2. Take that DUPLICATE store out of DOWN_FOR_MAINTENANCE mode remember, the database was duplicated while the original store was in DOWN_FOR_MAINTENANCE, otherwise duplication could have unpredictable results).
  3. Run fix_cache_key.php


All works fine!

Conclusion: fix_cache_key.php should be run while logged in as admin and store is not DOWN_FOR_MAINTENANCE.

DrByte, is my observation/conclusion correct?
31 Oct 2008, 05:10
#12
yellow1912 avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Maybe in your case. I always run it without turning store down, always work for me.
Again, having the ioncube problem is really weird, gotta be something with the way your host is configured.

(Why dont you check the fix_cache_key yourself, and you will see that this file contain all simple php with no need for ioncube which is mostly used to decode encrypted code?)
31 Oct 2008, 08:11
#13
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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

zcnb:


Conclusion: fix_cache_key.php should be run while logged in as admin and store is not DOWN_FOR_MAINTENANCE.

DrByte, is my observation/conclusion correct?

Don't know what DrByte will say but I say that is the wrong conclusion.

fix_cache_key should only be run if...

you cannot login to your Admin and change this setting:

Configuration > Sessions > Session Directory

That's basically all the 'fix_cache_key.php' does anyway.

If you cannot login to your Admin and change the above setting, only then I would run it / use it.
31 Oct 2008, 08:59
#14
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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

zcnb:


Conclusion: fix_cache_key.php should be run while logged in as admin and store is not DOWN_FOR_MAINTENANCE.

DrByte, is my observation/conclusion correct?


No. There should be no direct correlation.

The problem you reported initially regarding ioncube is (if you think your host is not to blame) more likely related to something else you've got on your site.

ie: do you have some sort of addon installed that runs encoded scripts which would thus require ioncube? Mag icSE O is one such. There are others (and all of them violate GPL by the way).
31 Oct 2008, 11:55
#15
zcnb avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

Than you all for your feedback. The insights I received from you help me better plan for using fix_cache_key.php properly.

I just got the reply from from my web host's tech and he says that this problem has nothing to do with the php.ini file. The techs (several of them in succession) "fixed some of the php scripts and the mySQL databases" to get this back working.

At least it's good to know that I wasn't too quick to put the web host tech support to work. :smile:

As for your question, DrByte, I don't know of such add-ons. If I discover anything new I will post it here.
31 Oct 2008, 16:05
#16
zcnb avatar

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Re: fix_cache_key.php suddenly broken?

zcnb:


  1. Login to the admin console of the DUPLICATE store
  2. Take that DUPLICATE store out of DOWN_FOR_MAINTENANCE mode (remember, the database was duplicated while the original store was in DOWN_FOR_MAINTENANCE, otherwise duplication could have unpredictable results).
  3. Run fix_cache_key.php

OK - I have just confirmed (for the Nth time) that the above sequence is mandatory for my store.

I accept what DrByte said about this not being a requirement but apparently there is some uniqueness to my environment or duplication procedure.

Perhaps this has to do with the fact that I don't create a new dbuser for the newly duplicated database but rather re-assign the existing dbuser to the newly duplicated database?

At the moment I have no definite explanations.