PhP Version 8 Problems

[Francois]

I am currently running Zen Cart version 1.5.5e. My hosting provider is forcing an upgrade from pHp 7.4 to 8.0 (or 8.1) as from next week Monday. My developer has been working many hours in order to try and solve the VERY LARGE AMOUNT of compatibility issues. However, a lot of 'error 500' problems and 'too many redirects' errors still persist.

I am worried that we are running out of time...

Is there anyone that can confirm that upgrading to the latest version of Zen cart might help?

I believe support for pHp 7.4 ends 28 Nov 2022.

[earp]

Looks like an upgrade is in your future:

https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/first...s/#php-version

[swguy]

Yep, you really need the latest Zen Cart if you want to use PHP8.

Upgrade instructions:
https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/upgrading/

[Francois]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys!

UPDATE:
It IS possible to get v155 running on php8 by fixing all fatal errors (and quite a few not fatal ones too).
This is, however, a VERY temporary solution as error logs of 500mB per day is no joke! (We have a busy website with many customisations).
It might prove almost impossible to sort out them all..

Updating to v157 from v155 is however not a simple matter. (My previous update from v139 to v155 went down with very few headaches).
As mentioned, the website has many plugins and customisations (e.g. a quotation option on checkout) and using a very customised Responsive Sheffield Blue template.
(See www.experilab.co.za)

Unfortunately quite a few plugins have not been updated and will cause many errors (some fatal). Although it is very understandable why they have not been updated, one should take caution not to be too reliant on them.

BIGGEST problem is that the Responsive Sheffield Blue template does not work with v157 which means a LOT of effort to get an included template or one of the few other plugin templates available for v157 to look anything like I want it to...

I hope this message will help some guys to make more informed decisions.
Meanwhile, working after hours with a little part time help of a programmer, I am still fighting the good battle to upgrade...

[dbltoe]

We've all been down the path you're traveling.

I have been discovering of late that, old mods often become unnecessary due to advanced ZC updates incorportating or performing the same process in a different way.

Since the 1.5.#, it's been our process to not consider an upgrade but do a new install then incorporate the old template files, images, and database from the old site.

We create a _test folder above the root and load the new version there. It keeps the "old" site going while the new is tweaked.

In doing so every time the version number changed (that third digit), we have really sped up the transition from old to new. All while continuing to get sales from the old site.

A helpful tool in this case would be the Mod List addon in version 1.1. That version works with your 1.5.5.@ and will give you a better idea of what mods are currently in place. It won't be all inclusive but, it WILL help.

[Francois]

dbltoe, thanks for the suggestion about Mod List, will give it a try.

Yes, we have installed a test version on the server. It makes things a bit easier to work on a 'live' version while the old version is generating income...