Admin Page Won't Load

[CJDarling]

I just noticed this extra line toward the bottom of the error page:

Additional *IMPORTANT* Details: includes/configure.php file contents invalid. ie: DIR_FS_CATALOG not valid or not set

What should the proper code be? When I change it back to

define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', '/home2/boruma/public_html/rainforest-pets.com/');

which is what it was originally, the extra error message goes away, but it still says:

This is not your first time using Zen Cart® and you have previously completed the normal installation procedures.
If this is the case for you, then...
Your /includes/configure.php and/or /admin/includes/configure.php files contain invalid path information and/or invalid database-connection information.
If you recently edited your configure.php files for any reason, or perhaps moved your site to a different folder or different server, then you will need to review and update all your settings to the correct values for your server.
Additionally, if the permissions have been changed on your configure.php files, then perhaps they are too low for the files to be read.
Or the configure.php files could be missing altogether.
Or your web hosting provider has recently changed the server's PHP configuration (or upgraded its version) then they may have broken things as well.
See the Online Documentation area on the Zen Cart® website for assistance.

So I must be missing something else.

[lat9]

Remember that the storefront /includes/configure.php gets marked as read-only, so changes you thought you'd applied to that file ... might not have been.

[CJDarling]

So I have to change the permissions on the files I uploaded? You know, that's always seemed to be an obviously unnecessary step. If they need to be read/write, they should be made read/write from the beginning. I honestly don't understand why they're not, and we have to go in and manually change them. If anyone would like to take a moment to explain the logic of this, I'd really like to know, because it seems totally illogical to me.

[lat9]

So I have to change the permissions on the files I uploaded? You know, that's always seemed to be an obviously unnecessary step. If they need to be read/write, they should be made read/write from the beginning. I honestly don't understand why they're not, and we have to go in and manually change them. If anyone would like to take a moment to explain the logic of this, I'd really like to know, because it seems totally illogical to me.

Not all files, just the storefront /includes/configure.php. FWIW, it's been like that as long as I've been involved with Zen Cart and I'm not sure what the motivation is. I'm guessing that it's an ancient security measure that could probably be done away with.

[CJDarling]

Yes, I agree. I've been using Zencart for at least 10 years, and it's always been an annoyance.

Well, I changed the permissions on both configure.php files, but nothing has changed. I'm still seeing the same error page.

[dbltoe]

Yes, I agree. I've been using Zencart for at least 10 years, and it's always been an annoyance.

Well, I changed the permissions on both configure.php files, but nothing has changed. I'm still seeing the same error page.

But did yuo also remove the mistake where your entered your URL when the prompt said .../store/?

It should stop with public_html/ unless your actual store is in some other directory.

[CJDarling]

Yes, I did. And I made sure the file permissions didn't change. Still no change.

[swguy]

Put a small php file called "showdir.php" at the root of your site (same level as "includes" and "images"):

<?php
echo getcwd();


then in your browser go to

https://YOUR-STORE.com/showdir.php

and post what it says.