Attributes Manager not showing up - just an error page

Hi! I searched the other threads but I don't see my exact problem. I recently used odesk to hire someone to upgrade my zencart and it was an unmitigated disaster. Never again. But anyway, I am constantly finding little glitches (and big ones) and today is the biggest so far. I just uploaded a new product for the first time since my upgrade, and when I go to attach the zip file name (my product is a download) by going over to the actions icons clicking on the little "a" for the Attributes Options, I get this message:

WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again.

I get the same message for Option Name Manager and Option Value Manager, when I click from the Catalog dropdown.

If I click on the little "a" for an existing product, the Attributes Manager does not come up - rather, it takes me to the Attributes Options, where there is a link for the Attributes Controller. If I click it, I get the same empty page with that error message.

I did a search in developer tools (under all files-catalog/admin), like one of the threads suggested, and this is what came up:

/home/somethin/public_html/shoppe/SbSadm1n!/includes/languages/english/attributes_controller.php

Line #6 : * @version $Id: attributes_controller.php 15883 2010-04-11 16:41:26Z wilt $

I have to apologize in advance because I know absolutely zero about what any of this means. I am a total novice, or whatever is worse than that.

If it makes a difference, my PHPnewsletter and my ImageHandler3 also disappeared with the upgrade. They are nowhere to be found.

I hope I have given enough information - if something else is needed, please could you tell me where I can find it for you? Thank you in advance!

RE the ImageHandler- I just read up on that, and realize I need to install v.4. Never mind about that - I realize now it has nothing to do with my question! :)

loveyzoe:

I recently used odesk to hire someone to upgrade my zencart and it was an unmitigated disaster. Never again.

Just why the "powers that be" decided (some years ago) to switch off the Professional Help Area, and turn over everything to odesk is still one of life's great mysteries.

You might as well contract out to the Ape House in London Zoo... :D

Anyway...

Tell us a LOT more about the upgrade. What version WAS the site on? What version was it upgraded TO? What plugins did you have on the old site?

What TEMPLATE are you using (is it from TemplateMonster, perhaps)?

What modifications / additions were done to ADMIN? (Did you add superorders, easypopulate, xmlsitemaps, URL-rewriters) ???

What else is not working.

Thank you, schoolboy! I am glad you can confirm my opinion of odesk. I could seriously cry at how much money I paid this guy. Lesson learned.

Unfortunately, I can not answer so many of your questions. I believe my site was something like 1.3, and now it is v.1.5.1 (the newest?) The old one was from 2010 I believe.

For plugins, I had imagehandler3, PHPlist (if that's the newsletter - if memory serves), whatever shipping module I needed from usps (if that's relevant), and I think that's it! Nothing fancy.

As for the template, this is what I could find:

Template Author : Kathy Moore and Zen Cart Team (c) 2003

Template Version : Version 1.0

Template Description
This template set is designed to be easily modified using only the style sheet to change colors, fonts, and the store logo. Three images are required; logo.jpg, header_bg.jpg, and tile_back.jpg.

Templates Installed
Custom Template for Something Blue Studios
Apple Zen
Classic Contemporary Green

None of the things you listed were done to the admin, as far as I know. This guy didn't do anything unless I asked for it, yet he spent soooo many hours looking at my site to make sure he "understood how it was all set up" so he could keep my structure intact.

As far as what else is not working, just little things like, the category header images are not there anymore - they show up as broken links, like you'll see here:
http://somethingbluestudios.com/shoppe/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=32

While I have you - the ImageHandler4 install, which I will do at some point, is asking for my YOUR_ADMIN/includes for example, where I would change the YOUR_ADMIN to mine. Is mine the SbSadm1n! as seen in this string? /home/somethin/public_html/shoppe/SbSadm1n!/includes/languages/english/attributes_controller.php

Sorry if that's off topic.

Thank you so much for your reply. I'm sorry I don't know any more than this. It's a miracle I found the template info.

Very difficult to work out why the attribute controller is not functioning without delving into the current structure, other than the possibility that files are either missing - or are corrupted - or are incorrectly loaded / upgraded.

You do not seem to have MAJOR addons/plugins that require specialist attention, other than IH3 / IH4.

When I upgrade from 1.3.x to 1.5.x and a site has IH3, I generally REMOVE IH3 completely - including removing the database references, and I do this in phpMyAdmin, which I would not recommend you do unless you are very familiar with "editing" the database directly. Errors made while editing are not forgiven in phpMyAdmin, and you can actually do a load of damage if edits are not made very carefully.

The best solution is probably to create a CLONE of your current site in a sub-directory on your server (this involves copying the FILE STRUCTURE and the DATABASE), and when the "clone" is working, do all the remedial work on the clone.

Another solution (especially if there are badly customised files) is to "start again" with a fresh template, and then point the new file system to an upgraded database. This is certainly much cheaper - and while the site may lose some of its current "cosmetics", it has the advantage of providing functional reliability - which is far more important for business. Over time, the cosmetics can be adjusted accordingly.

Also, installing a more modern template can have a positive impact on visitors and sales. Picaflor Azul has created some excellent templates that use modern navigational features.

SEE:
http://www.picaflor-azul.com/free-demos/index.php?main_page=index&template_switch_id=abbington_mega

I am using it on several sites. Here's one currently under development:

I could help you with the clone if you wish, as it does not take long to do (an hour or so), and look for obvious errors while making the copy.

Send me a private message where we can discuss this off-line. I have some spare time this week. I can put an hour or two into this for you pro-bono .