blank welcome page

In the same installer_params.php file which you edited earlier, you'll find lines 13-14 as follows:// $session_save_path = (@ini_get('session.save_path') && is_writable(ini_get('session.save_path')) ) ? ini_get('session.save_path') : realpath('../cache'); $session_save_path = (is_writable(realpath('../cache')) ) ? realpath('../cache') : ini_get('session.save_path');Note that line 13 starts with // and line 14 doesn't. Move the **// **from line 13 to line 14, so that it looks like this:```
$session_save_path = (@ini_get('session.save_path') && is_writable(ini_get('session.save_path')) ) ? ini_get('session.save_path') : realpath('../cache');
// $session_save_path = (is_writable(realpath('../cache')) ) ? realpath('../cache') : ini_get('session.save_path');

If there's an error, please post the error message again, even if it's similar to before.

Hi Drbyte,

ok, I did that and get the same error, as shown below

Fatal error: session_start() [<a href='function.session-start'>function.session-start</a>]: Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: /tmp) in /clientdata/clients/p/r/priority1design.com.au/www/shop138/zc_install/includes/functions/sessions.php on line 92

PS.

When I created a captcha contacts page running a php file a while ago, I ran into session creation problems with my host. They made me put in a session path line as follows

session_save_path ("/clientdata/clients/p/r/priority1design.com.au/www/session");

I don't know if thats relevant but I thought I'd better mention it.

p1drobert:

When I created a captcha contacts page running a php file a while ago, I ran into session creation problems with my host. They made me put in a session path line as follows...
I don't know if thats relevant but I thought I'd better mention it.
This is the list one should read when making a post but I believe this only shows up when starting a new thread and not when replying to anothers thread with their issue
Emphasis mine

NOTE: When making a new post, be sure to include relevant information such as:

* What version of Zen Cart are you using?
* Has your site been upgraded? When? From what version(s)?
* What addons have you installed? When?
* In what ways is your site customized or different from a brand new uncustomized install?
* If you're encountering display/layout problems, post your site URL* so it can be seen in action.
* If you're encountering problems that could be related to your server or hosting company, include the name of your hosting company (not their URL).
* HAVE YOU LOOKED IN THE FAQ AREA for answers to your question? (ie: a search for your error message or what you want to edit/change, etc)
* Have you searched the FORUM for your error message or for answers to the question you're asking?
* WHEN did the problem "start"? How does that compare with other events of your hosting company, changes you've made to your site files/addons, or your admin settings, etc?
* If this is your first store, have you tested all aspects of transactions before going live?

Hi Cobra,

Sorry. I don't recall reading that but I may have at some point. I had done a search through the posts regarding the blank page issue first and tacked on a reply to a post made by jenpen who seemed to have the same issue.
I believe I added most of the information that I thought was relevant at the time.

p1drobert:

PS.

When I created a captcha contacts page running a php file a while ago, I ran into session creation problems with my host. They made me put in a session path line as follows

session_save_path ("/clientdata/clients/p/r/priority1design.com.au/www/session");

I don't know if thats relevant but I thought I'd better mention it.

Well, the error message you're reporting is clearly indicating that your server has problems creating sessions properly in its default configuration.

You might find relief by adding the line you mentioned above to the installer_params.php file I mentioned earlier. Put it above the lines I had you change comments on ... and leave the comments in their "changed" state as I last suggested.

Your host should really do something to make their session handling work universally, rather than having to fudge things in order to function. Sounds extremely sloppy and unprofessional to me ... I'd be concerned that other things on the server may be similarly unreliable. I wouldn't want to place my store where the foundation is not dependable.

Hi Drbyte,

No, adding that line made no difference. I'll contact my host and ask them to look into it. They do advertise that zencart should run on their servers so they should be willing to look at it.
I'll get back to you when I get an answer, probably in a day or two.

If I were to edit the configure.php files in includes, and admin , and manually enter all the file locations would that bypass the installer and get things going?

Hi,

Ok, fixed it.

I received a response from my host regarding sessions and they report the following:

Dear Client,

Hostess runs on a clustered server environment rather than a single server environment you will need to change the way your sessions are stored.

Hostess supports two methods of PHP session handling, these are either file based or databased.
File Based Session Handling
The default PHP /tmp/ directory used for saving sessions is disabled on our servers due to a combination of operating on a large clustered server environment and the security issues associated with a excessively large number of sites using the same directory for sessions.

For File Based session handling, you will be required to change the session save path from /tmp to your home directory. Your home directory is the absolute server path to your hosting space on our servers. You must create a /tmp directory on your home folder via FTP.

Please also note, that by default, session.save_handler is set to "user", this needs to be changed to "files".Make sure you also change this on your code.
For further information, view: http://au.php.net/manual/en/function.ini-set.php
If the session.save_handler is set to "user", you will see an error on the screen, which will look something like this:
Fatal error: session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: /clientdata/clients/e/x/example.com/www) in /clientdata/clients/e/x/example.com/www/file.php on line XX
This is because you are trying to use "user" mode, rather than "files".
The below code should be added to your file before the session_start () function:
ini_set("session.save_handler", "files");
session_save_path ($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/tmp/");

Anyway when I added ```
ini_set("session.save_handler", "files");
session_save_path ("/clientdata/clients/p/r/mydomain/www/session");

to the installer_params.php file the installer started up.
 
Is this something zencart can incorporate into future releases. I'm sure I'm not the only one to encounter this same problem.
 
Thanks to DrByte and Jenpen for their inputs, and assistance.

Thanks for posting the update. We'll investigate options to support clustered hosting more, including the unique config your host has selected.

In the meantime, you have a couple options:

1. During Zen Cart install, make sure you choose "Database" as the session-storage option.
   And, it would be wise to specify the same path you mentioned as your "cache" folder on the Database Details screen while running zc_install.

2. If you choose "Files" instead of "Database" for session storage, I suspect you will that you'll need to add those same 2 lines to a new special file for your server. Create a new file:
   /includes/extra_configures/clustered_session_settings.php
   And put the following into it:```