Image Handler 4 (for v1.5.x) Support Thread

[EdsGoodStuff]

Thanks for the quick response DivaVocals. Already took the safe route and just deleted most of the images in the folders but next time will delete the folders. That will save a lot of time.

Yes have about 2000 products currently and some of them have 5 images each. And a lot of Categories too.

The host is the one that begins with G and ends with Y- this is my first shop and am on a budget. I know some people here dislike them for various reasons but haven't had any problems up until now. The only reason I found out about this issue is because my Disc Space Usage stats started showing up as 0MB Used in their control panel last month, previously had been showing correct info. So had no idea how much space my files were taking up. I contacted support twice with no solutions, then had them escalate the ticket, and today was told the issue was being caused by the bmz_cache folders having more then 1024 files in them. The way they let me know was by sending a violation warning and telling me I would be suspended if I don't fix it, not the best way to handle it in my opinion. My stats still show 0 MB used but hopefully will be corrected soon.

The issue with hosting service is not the overall amount of files but the number of files in each folder. I have heard about this before- remember reading that if you put more than a certain amount of files in each folder this can slow things down. But also think I read somewhere in the Zen Cart forums that you can have as many images as you want in the Image folder and it won't slow things down on the server side.

Does anyone know which is correct? Is the 1024 file/folder limit a real or made up issue? Also any other suggestions on the best way to work around this would be appreciated.

[DivaVocals]

Thanks for the quick response DivaVocals. Already took the safe route and just deleted most of the images in the folders but next time will delete the folders. That will save a lot of time.

Yes have about 2000 products currently and some of them have 5 images each. And a lot of Categories too.

The host is the one that begins with G and ends with Y- this is my first shop and am on a budget. I know some people here dislike them for various reasons but haven't had any problems up until now. The only reason I found out about this issue is because my Disc Space Usage stats started showing up as 0MB Used in their control panel last month, previously had been showing correct info. So had no idea how much space my files were taking up. I contacted support twice with no solutions, then had them escalate the ticket, and today was told the issue was being caused by the bmz_cache folders having more then 1024 files in them. The way they let me know was by sending a violation warning and telling me I would be suspended if I don't fix it, not the best way to handle it in my opinion. My stats still show 0 MB used but hopefully will be corrected soon.

The issue with hosting service is not the overall amount of files but the number of files in each folder. I have heard about this before- remember reading that if you put more than a certain amount of files in each folder this can slow things down. But also think I read somewhere in the Zen Cart forums that you can have as many images as you want in the Image folder and it won't slow things down on the server side.

Does anyone know which is correct? Is the 1024 file/folder limit a real or made up issue? Also any other suggestions on the best way to work around this would be appreciated.

Clearly the 1024 file/folder limit is one GoDaddy imposed upon you, and it's not a made up issue as you can see as you are now dealing with the consequences of this limit..

I realize that you are on a budget, but if your BUSINESS is hosted on an inadequate web host, then you are putting that BUSINESS in jeopardy. There are PLENTY of budget friendly hosting providers out there which will provide you with better hosting services (Blue Host, HostGator among others). If you MUST stay with GoDaddy and you are using their low -end budget plan, then you need to upgrade it. Honestly, THAT is the RIGHT long term solution..

[EdsGoodStuff]

Thanks again for the reply. I only signed up for one year plan with them. From what I have read in the forums getting good web hosting for Zen Cart is a moving target, so a good host might go downhill quickly and I assume it's also possible to get a decent product from some of the hosts that aren't so popular here. This is the first issue I had with them and it's been sorted out reasonably quickly, at least I hope so.

I have heard of the other two hosts you mentioned and am going to look into them.

The interesting thing is I checked the Service Agreement they referenced and don't seem to see anything about the 1024 file/folder limit per folder. There is a lot of text so it's possible I could have missed it though.

[DivaVocals]

Thanks again for the reply. I only signed up for one year plan with them. From what I have read in the forums getting good web hosting for Zen Cart is a moving target, so a good host might go downhill quickly and I assume it's also possible to get a decent product from some of the hosts that aren't so popular here. This is the first issue I had with them and it's been sorted out reasonably quickly, at least I hope so.

I have heard of the other two hosts you mentioned and am going to look into them.

The interesting thing is I checked the Service Agreement they referenced and don't seem to see anything about the 1024 file/folder limit per folder. There is a lot of text so it's possible I could have missed it though.

I don't know what you "read in the forums" or what you mean by "getting good web hosting for Zen Cart is a moving target". This doesn't ring true to me especially since there are THOUSANDS of Zen Cart stores out there who do not have issues with the configurations of their web site hosting account which would preclude them from using IH4 and it's optimizing/caching features.. Speaking from my own experience, my clients have been in business for 5 years or more and none of them had to change hosts because "getting good web hosting for Zen Cart is a moving target". In fact with the exception of one client -- who only changed hosts because his old webhost was a former friend who forced him to change hosts for PERSONAL reasons-- all of my clients have been with the same webhost for the entire time they have been in business.. they aren't using GoDaddy and they don't have the file/folder limits GoDaddy put on your account.

That said, this line of discussion is off-topic for this support thread, so let me wrap up with this thought. Hosting with a hosting company who has imposed limits which are in opposition to the configuration of your site should be an incentive for you to either upgrade your hosting plan (especially if you are using GoDaddy's "Economy" plan -- which I suspect you are based on your previous posts) or move to a host which will not place restrictions that negatively impact your business.

[uswebworx]

All I will say is the big name web host companies are all the same and this isn't a shameless plug for mine. If they are on the 1st page of Google they probably suck

[schoolboy]

All I will say is the big name web host companies are all the same and this isn't a shameless plug for mine. If they are on the 1st page of Google they probably suck

I tend to agree... A LOT of people just do not seem to appreciate that when you run a business online, your hosting and technical partners are a CRITICAL element in the success of your business.

Every single second of down-time, or slow performance, or technical glitches, means you are either LOSING money, or not making it in the first place. And think of all the time you can spend trying to get your head around the barriers these cheap hosts put in your pathway.

These "cheap" hosts turn out to be extremely expensive, and can in fact cost you your business.

The biggest boost you can give to your business is to get the site off GoDaddy as soon as possible (right now is a good time), and host with a company who KNOWS eCommerce and who KNOWS how to maximise server performance for these complex and sophisticated CMS platforms. Sadly, the cheap and "popular" hosts are just not up to this task.

[uswebworx]

As stated this isn't spam or a plug for me. But it's the reason I opened my own. I got tired of being jerked around by the "big boys" so to speak.
I will help anyone I can.

Tech support with the bigger guys is null and void usually as well as they are so "big" your question isn't important since they are so cheap. You find very few web hosts that know web design as well. (I am an exception as many here are). No body can give you unlimited bandwidth or unlimited space, read the terms of service closely. Someone has to pay for it.

I am running a store right now for a client that is using 25-45GB of bandwidth a month and had 0 downtime. (That's my plug for the end of the year).

Happy New Year Zen!!!

[DivaVocals]

Not that the current line of discussion isn't important or relevant, but as I stated previously, a discussion about web hosting is off-topic for this support thread. As such if the OP and anyone else wants to continue this particular discussion, I'd like to respectfully ask that it be moved to a new post as this topic is no longer about support for IH4..

[nigelt74]

@ You Go Daddy users


Ok this is an unsupported mod here, which may help you Go-Daddy fans

This hasn't been heavily tested so use at your own risK

from line 71 in your
/includes/functions/extra_functions/functions_bmz_io.php

function getCacheName($data, $ext='') {
  global $bmzConf;

  $md5  = md5($data);
  $file = $bmzConf['cachedir'] . '/' . $md5{0} . '/' . $md5.$ext;
  io_makeFileDir($file);
  return $file;
} 

try replacing it with this

function getCacheName($data, $ext='') {
  global $bmzConf;

  $md5  = md5($data);
//  $file = $bmzConf['cachedir'] . '/' . $md5{0} . '/' . $md5.$ext;
  $file = $bmzConf['cachedir'] . '/' . substr($md5,0,2) . '/' . $md5.$ext;
  io_makeFileDir($file);
  return $file;
} 

Currently Image Handler uses the first character of the optimised image for the sub directory name in your bmz_cache folder, so you will have 16 sub folders 0-f (hexidecimal), The change above instead take the first 2 characters of the optimised image name giving you 256 subfolders in the bmz_cache, so this should mean less images in each folder.

And just a note, there is no point trying to take the first 3 chars as that will give you 4096 folders which might kill the hamster that runs Go-Daddy

[DivaVocals]

@ You Go Daddy users


Ok this is an unsupported mod here, which may help you Go-Daddy fans

This hasn't been heavily tested so use at your own risK

from line 71 in your
/includes/functions/extra_functions/functions_bmz_io.php

function getCacheName($data, $ext='') {
  global $bmzConf;

  $md5  = md5($data);
  $file = $bmzConf['cachedir'] . '/' . $md5{0} . '/' . $md5.$ext;
  io_makeFileDir($file);
  return $file;
} 

try replacing it with this

function getCacheName($data, $ext='') {
  global $bmzConf;

  $md5  = md5($data);
//  $file = $bmzConf['cachedir'] . '/' . $md5{0} . '/' . $md5.$ext;
  $file = $bmzConf['cachedir'] . '/' . substr($md5,0,2) . '/' . $md5.$ext;
  io_makeFileDir($file);
  return $file;
} 

Currently Image Handler uses the first character of the optimised image for the sub directory name in your bmz_cache folder, so you will have 16 sub folders 0-f (hexidecimal), The change above instead take the first 2 characters of the optimised image name giving you 256 subfolders in the bmz_cache, so this should mean less images in each folder.

And just a note, there is no point trying to take the first 3 chars as that will give you 4096 folders which might kill the hamster that runs Go-Daddy

Wanted to add this.. since this is indeed an unsupported mod, I would ask that anyone who uses it and has issues take the discussion of those issues to a new thread..