Uploading zencart to live server

[kpax]

Hi there,

I've just tried for several times now to upload my customized zencart (1.3.7) to a live server. Uploading worked fine but when I go to the specified folder under my root directory, I'm only seeing the original version of zencart and not my customized one (I've been using the override system). Oh, and the stylesheet doesn't seemed to be recognized either as I'm only getting text.

Everything had just looked great under localhost so I'm at a loss as why I'm getting this now..
I've checked both configure.php files, under includes and includes/admin and they both look just fine with the respective to my folder under 'root' in it.
Strangely enough, if I go to the admin section and log in on the live server I actually see the customization I've made there but not on the actual website itself?!?

What I've tried so far is:
- Uploading my customized version, created a database and configured the 2 config.php files manually.
- Uploading my customized version with the zc_install folder and run it as if a new installation (ending script before getting to configure the Store info).
- Uploading a complete new zencart version and run the normal install, then overriding the files, drop the old tables and import the new ones, configure the config.php files accordingly.
- Installed zencart through Fantastico to see if that worked.

For all above mentioned methods I'm getting the same result: I'm only seeing the original version of zencart without any styling??

Any help or hints as what's going on would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

kpax

[econcepts]

You have to go into the Admin and make sure you actually SELECTED the "custom" template from the list of available templates.

Have you done this on the live server yet?

Just uploading alone will not "activate" your custom template.

My suggestion would be to start over as such.

1) Upload all files to the live server (make sure you removed everything from it so you are staring from scratch.
2) Set the proper database path info in your config files (or let the zen install do it for you)
4) Run the install on the live server (I would use the web interface of the Zen install in this case).
5) Select your custom template from the "template selection" area of the admin.

That should be all you need to do to get it to work. It sounds like you are going to "extra lengths" to get it working, and that is not necessary at all.

[kpax]

Thanks a lot for your reply!!

I had indeed 'forgotten' to enable my customized template after uploading to a live server.

However, the problem still persist I'm afraid and eventhough I did the upload and reinstall yet again, I'm getting the same result..

The site is text only with the exception of 2 zencart banner images, which I'd replaced with my own images and the stylesheet doesn't seem to be found either..

I found that my hosting provider is using PHP 5.2.0 which apparently contains a bug but since I'm using ZC 1.3.7 a fix has already been included for this. I also checked the files to make sure the fix was really there and it is.

I'm sure there must be a simple solution to this as nobody else seem to suffer from it?!

Any further input would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

[kobra]

- Uploading a complete new zencart version and run the normal install, then overriding the files, drop the old tables and import the new ones, configure the config.php files accordingly.

Dropping what tables?? All of them or just ones that you think are what you want?

Try dropping the complete DB and importing a complete DB from your test install...You need the configuration table to capture the settings

[kpax]

I've dropped all tables first and just imported the new tables then.
When this didn't work (well, it worked but it still gave me the same problems as described above) I also delete the DB and created a new one and a new user.

I just don't understand why I can log onto the admin area and it gives me all the customization I've made for it while this doesn't work for the Cart itself??

My installation will go into a subfolder ('testarea3') of my root directory.

I've included the following path changes in admin/includes/configure.php:

define('DIR_WS_ADMIN', '/testarea3/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/testarea3/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN', '/testarea3/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/testarea3/');
define('DIR_FS_ADMIN', '/home/mydomain/public_html/testarea3/admin/');
define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', '/home/mydomain/public_html/testarea3/'); define('DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE', '/home/mydomain/public_html/testarea3/cache');

and includes/configure.php:

define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/testarea3/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/testarea3/');
define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', '/home/mydomain/public_html/testarea3/');
define('DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE', '/home/mydomain/public_html/testarea3/cache');

Is there anything else, apart from the obvious DB connection details, that would need to be amended?

[kobra]

So when trying to get to the storefront what do you actually get?
An error 404?
A blank Page
The store but?

What might be the basedir settings for the server?

Post a url

[econcepts]

A few things.

1) Have you started with a fresh install on the live server and THEN uploaded your customized template folders (which shouldn't affect core code if the overrides are in place).

2) Could there be a corrupt file dealing with the Admin? (This would likely result in a Blank screen and nothing more; same goes if there is a PHP error).

3) Are all permissions set on the server correctly?

4) Are sessions on the server being handled correctly?

5) Did your customized code come from the same version of Zen Cart, or was it created using a previous version? There were a number of code changes that woudl result in parts not working if you try to overlap versions.

As Kobra asked, is there a URL we can look at?

[kpax]

Thanks a lot for your patience with this, guys!!

You can see what it currently looks like under www.onthefly.ie/testarea

Whatever I've tried out (see my first post) I'm getting more or less the same screen.

1) I have started with a 'clean' uncustomized install first and then uploaded my customized version over it. I'm only using overrides and none of the core files has been tampered with.

2) I'm not getting a blank screen

3) I've made sure the permissions were all fine as much as I could tell. I'm still getting some permission issues with the bmz_cache folder and its subfolders though eventhough I've given them full permissions.
I also run the fix_cache_key.php fix tool which didn't change anything though.

4) How can I make sure sessions are handled correctly?

5) Both, the 'clean' and my own customized version are ZC 1.3.7.

thanks

[kobra]

Can you open the admin?

Check that a template is assigned admin > tools > template selection

I did not see in your view source that any template is being addressed

[kpax]

Yes, funnily enough, accessing the admin area works just fine!!
I can normally login and can see all the customization I've carried out. The problem is only with the website itself.

However, in the meantime I think I've narrowed down the cause of my problem to the css files that don't seem to be called. I haven't changed anything in 'html_header.php' and the code looks fine. Since the admin area is getting its styling information from the same files I don't think that file is causing the problem after all.

I then thought that it was perhaps a permission issue caused by an overly restrictive .htaccess file so I renamed my .htaccess under includes/*, - though, to no avail..

Unfortunately, I'm still stuck with that website that simply doesn't load any stylesheets, for whatever reason?!? In FF Web Developer tool under CSS you can see that no stylesheet seems to be attached.