Error database appears to need patching to a higher level; how do I rerun db upgrade?

Linux, php 5.2, MySQL Version: 5.5.32 No addons/customizations yet. 151real151.gingerbreadtearoom.com

I'm getting the admin error "database appears to need patching to a higher level" after upgrading from 1.3.9 to 1.5.1 using the zc_install "upgrade" instructions. Edited the config files as instructed then started the upgrade. Came to the database page and THOUGHT I had performed this correctly. Seems like from other posts that I maybe need to run the database portion of the upgrade again, but I'm not sure exactly how to do that without messing anything up and having to start from scratch.

First, does this sound like the correct action? Second, if I rerun that portion of the zc_install upgrade instructions, do I have to do anything first with the database, like maybe make a new copy? Do I need to change any of the files prior to reruning the database upgrades? Or do I just go directly to the "upgrade" page for the database and just run it again?

This is a pick from the admin tool and I think is shows the database patch level is 151?? Frustrated! The other issue is the web page (not admin) is blank/white, however I haven't even looked at that issue yet until I get the db install/questions/upgrade done correctly. Thanks for any assistance as I'm not sure how to proceed.
p.s. I wasn't sure to add to a previous similar thread or if it was appropriate to start a new thread....

StitchJunkie:

Linux, php 5.2, MySQL Version: 5.5.32 No addons/customizations yet. 151real151.gingerbreadtearoom.com

I'm getting the admin error "database appears to need patching to a higher level" after upgrading from 1.3.9 to 1.5.1 using the zc_install "upgrade" instructions. Edited the config files as instructed then started the upgrade. Came to the database page and THOUGHT I had performed this correctly. Seems like from other posts that I maybe need to run the database portion of the upgrade again, but I'm not sure exactly how to do that without messing anything up and having to start from scratch.

First, does this sound like the correct action? Second, if I rerun that portion of the zc_install upgrade instructions, do I have to do anything first with the database, like maybe make a new copy? Do I need to change any of the files prior to reruning the database upgrades? Or do I just go directly to the "upgrade" page for the database and just run it again?

This is a pick from the admin tool and I think is shows the database patch level is 151?? Frustrated! The other issue is the web page (not admin) is blank/white, however I haven't even looked at that issue yet until I get the db install/questions/upgrade done correctly. Thanks for any assistance as I'm not sure how to proceed.
p.s. I wasn't sure to add to a previous similar thread or if it was appropriate to start a new thread....

My thought is that the two are related: admin upgrade problem and the blank page(s). How was this upgrade done again? Rebuild the site from scratch, or update in place or some other method? The upgrade instructions include doing a database upgrade. For information, about the most that needs to be done when doing a database upgrade only is yes: suggest having a backup of the database is always suggested. There's no real files that need to be modified to perform the upgrade other than having the install folder in place to be able to perform the install. Important though to only select the db upgrade if it is only a db upgrade to be done.

As for starting a new thread versus using an existing, well if you had found one that directly related to the topic, doesn't hurt to carry on with the same discussion. Others that find it may benefit from the previously existing discussion or the new discussion. Important though that once started try to keep the discussion of that topic in the one thread.

Appreciate your info!
I have copied 1.5.1 into a new folder (this isn't my live store), made a new db for this TEST 1.5.1 store and used a copy of my 1.3.9 database (Edited the new db info in 2 config files.) I used /zc_install and selected upgrade, not install. I tried the db patch again, same results.
Should I first have done a new intall of 1.5.1, then upgraded the db after that maybe instead of selecting 'upgrade'?

So, really the only thing that is existing from the old store is the database, correct? Otherwise all things in this new database area are new 1.5.1?

It seems that at some point the standard install was performed otherwise where did all of the support files come from? Also, when "loading" the new database/modifying the configure.php files, that doesn't exactly make sense. If you created a new database, should have been able to load the contents of the old database into the new database (may require dropping the tables of the new database before uploading the old database.)

It does seem a little different that after running the upgrade a second time that an additional upgrade entry is shown, almost as if the previous was not successful.

Well tried this... I did an install using /zc_install (which wiped out the database if I understand correctly - I had made a backup) Went ahead an did the full fresh install without replacing any files on the server. After I saw the page for successful install, then I went back and did an upgrade, did the patches first from 1.3.9 to 1.5.0, then repeated the process for 1.5.0 to 1.5.1. Getting the same issue now as before. I thought maybe I was trying to upgrade a store that hadn't had the initial install completed. Another thing different is that when I go into the admin area is says the store is in maintenance (this isn't anything I've run into before.)
I'm not sure what to try next ...

StitchJunkie:

Well tried this... I did an install using /zc_install (which wiped out the database if I understand correctly - I had made a backup) Went ahead an did the full fresh install without replacing any files on the server. After I saw the page for successful install, then I went back and did an upgrade, did the patches first from 1.3.9 to 1.5.0, then repeated the process for 1.5.0 to 1.5.1. Getting the same issue now as before. I thought maybe I was trying to upgrade a store that hadn't had the initial install completed. Another thing different is that when I go into the admin area is says the store is in maintenance (this isn't anything I've run into before.)
I'm not sure what to try next ...

What is the origin of the information at the top of your version screen? Patch1, patch2 etc.???

As for the maintenance mode issue, that is from the installation process. Can be turned off in the admin panel, configuration, maintenance mode, then turn it off.

I seem to recallthough that there were actually some patch files for the earlier versions of ZC, buti thought they were made obsolete by the newer version(s) of ZC. What's going on with the other error(s) that you described? (White page(s) on the catalog side?

Also, the database in question is not your live database correct? This has all been test store things right?

StitchJunkie:

I'm not sure what to try next ...

This looks more like a file issue rather than a database issue.

What are the contents of

/yourstore/includes/v e r s i o n .php ?

I'm thinking that this file either doesn't exist or has been corrupted somehow. A bad upload perhaps?

Cheers
RodG

Ya, seems as though your server is missing some files.

OK, started from scratch. Used new download of 151 in case I had corrupted the old one. Did fresh install.
Then did the upgrade database which appears to work. I can see my 'old store' products/orders/customers in admin and in the catalog.
(fyi....I did not do this other step as I didn't see anywhere in instructions that told me to.)

When I first opened the url for the store it displays like my old theme cherry-zen I was using for 1.3.9 (this changed to this AFTER the db upgrade).
I went into admin and selected theme default green however it appeared some config files probably were also still cherry-zen settings.
Since I assumed I needed to return all settings to original zen...
I used an untouched/edited 151 demo store as a reference to manually change configuration settings back to original zen.

QUESTION: Does that matter if I'm going to use a different template anyway, or do I need to return all settings to the original zen ones?
IF SO, Is there an easier way to do that? OR do I go ahead an install the new template and that takes care of all the settings?
I'm going to use the RESPONSIVE ALL BUSINESS.

PROBLEM: When I try to edit manually, the fields don't sometimes retain the edits. Here is a pic where I changed the "categories to list by row" to "3"....
once I click on the next list to edit, the "3" disappears. Seems like the edits don't stick. When I reopen the edit, the '3' has disappeared again, I retype, update, it looks like it took the edit, then I click on another row and it disappears.
I had this problem earlier in this process on the installs that started this string. I think I have gremlins

OK, now maybe I'm overthinking.... maybe the upgrade cfg files was what I needed to do.
I just did that and it didn't appear to make any config edits that I can immediately see. Still having the edit issues.

StitchJunkie:

OK, started from scratch. Used new download of 151 in case I had corrupted the old one. Did fresh install.
Then did the upgrade database which appears to work. I can see my 'old store' products/orders/customers in admin and in the catalog.
(fyi....I did not do this other step as I didn't see anywhere in instructions that told me to.)

When I first opened the url for the store it displays like my old theme cherry-zen I was using for 1.3.9 (this changed to this AFTER the db upgrade).
I went into admin and selected theme default green however it appeared some config files probably were also still cherry-zen settings.
Since I assumed I needed to return all settings to original zen...
I used an untouched/edited 151 demo store as a reference to manually change configuration settings back to original zen.

QUESTION: Does that matter if I'm going to use a different template anyway, or do I need to return all settings to the original zen ones?
IF SO, Is there an easier way to do that? OR do I go ahead an install the new template and that takes care of all the settings?
I'm going to use the RESPONSIVE ALL BUSINESS.

PROBLEM: When I try to edit manually, the fields don't sometimes retain the edits. Here is a pic where I changed the "categories to list by row" to "3"....
once I click on the next list to edit, the "3" disappears. Seems like the edits don't stick. When I reopen the edit, the '3' has disappeared again, I retype, update, it looks like it took the edit, then I click on another row and it disappears.
I had this problem earlier in this process on the installs that started this string. I think I have gremlins

StitchJunkie:

OK, now maybe I'm overthinking.... maybe the upgrade cfg files was what I needed to do.
I just did that and it didn't appear to make any config edits that I can immediately see. Still having the edit issues.

Still overthinking things.

Regarding the upgrade to 1.5.1, associated "settings" and the config upgrade. The upgrade does not return settings such as the number of pixels in width and height of images, it ensures that options available in the admin are the same as those for a fresh install or another way to think of it is that the database is in a format that is considered satisfactory to allow cart operation. The "need" to return all settings back to an original install is not one necessary to be performed. If I am not mistaken the option in the zc_install process merely upgrades the configure.php files so that they are more like a fresh install (ie, the admin's version doesn't require the admin directory to be identified, it is "self-loaded" which is a change from the older version(s) of the same file.

Now regarding the settings that don't seemto stick, well it appears that if one is to assume that the upgrade process was followed to a t, then the installed teplate has an internal test/check to continuously keep some settings the way they currently are. One would hope that if a different template were active/installed then those internal settings would not be forced, but that is entirely dependent on the package that was developed and how it was installed. Hopefully the olde override files were not justblindly copied over to the new store without them also being updated to reflect the new 1.5.1 files. The other part of the wholething is, if in this install it was not desired to keep the current template, or if there is a desire to change templates, then possibly the uninstall of the old template needs to be done or the old template not installed to begin with. (In an upgrade situation I would go with the uninstall to ensure that the database is cleared of information associated with the old template and is more inline with the guidance of either upgrade the cart or make changes to the cart, not both at the same time.)

So if you are looking to change to a different template now that you have upgraded your database, I would suggest looking at what the existing/older template package has to say about it not being the active template if there is anything. It may be that one or more files need to be removed, or some other action taken to free the system from that template. Also remember that any/most other store modifications may be template related and may need reinstallation to support a new template. There are ways to figure out these things on ones own, but... I personally haven't used the template that is from your older system, but the newer template described I think uses some of the same settings that are being attempted to turn off/alter.

Hope that helps a little. There may be mmore questions to you though as I am going on the assumption that the upgrade process was performed as described including reinstallation/upgrade of things such as the template.

Thanks, I DID find some files that were missing that apprarently were the culprits and giving me the patch to higher levels message.

Hmmm, So this now is a new 1.5.1 build using only the 1.5.1 files, not an upgrade from an earlier version.
I did use a restored copy of the same db I'm using in my live store and upgraded that from 1.3.9 to 1.5.1 (just the db) in zc_install.
Also processed the upgrade the cfg files in the zc_install.
After looking at the homepage, it appeared different than default green, so I went into admin and discovered the store was autodefaulted in admin to the cherry zen template (even though I didn't ever install that on 1.5.1.

The only thing I can think is there must have been something within the db that selected the template as I didn't install it on 1.5.1.
There wasn't a way to uninstall cherry-zen, but I just selected the default green and then the cherry-zen template option disappeared and the storefront appearance returned to what the default green template normally looks like.

The info about how templates can prevent changes that aren't compatible is great! That probably is why I can't change settings.

I decided to go proceed with the RESPONSIVE ALL BUSINESS template to see if that would work, however I'm still having issues that I'm not sure aren't related to these initial install issues. Please let me know if any of you see anything else I may have missed as I'm having issues installing the responsive template now (and I've installed it before without all errors I'm hitting)
http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?209889-Responsive-All-Business-Template/page13&highlight=product+listing

Thanks for responding everyone!

StitchJunkie:

I went into admin and discovered the store was autodefaulted in admin to the cherry zen template (even though I didn't ever install that on 1.5.1.

The only thing I can think is there must have been something within the db that selected the template as I didn't install it on 1.5.1.
There wasn't a way to uninstall cherry-zen, but I just selected the default green and then the cherry-zen template option disappeared and the storefront appearance returned to what the default green template normally looks like.
Yes. That's because when you choose a template in the admin, that template's name is stored in the database. And, when you imported your old site's data, that setting was brought forward too.
That's a good thing.

Next, when you install your new template you can simply select it in the admin, and that will take over from that point onward.

StitchJunkie:

Thanks, I DID find some files that were missing that apprarently were the culprits and giving me the patch to higher levels message.

Hmmm, So this now is a new 1.5.1 build using only the 1.5.1 files, not an upgrade from an earlier version.
I did use a restored copy of the same db I'm using in my live store and upgraded that from 1.3.9 to 1.5.1 (just the db) in zc_install.
Also processed the upgrade the cfg files in the zc_install.
After looking at the homepage, it appeared different than default green, so I went into admin and discovered the store was autodefaulted in admin to the cherry zen template (even though I didn't ever install that on 1.5.1.

The only thing I can think is there must have been something within the db that selected the template as I didn't install it on 1.5.1.
There wasn't a way to uninstall cherry-zen, but I just selected the default green and then the cherry-zen template option disappeared and the storefront appearance returned to what the default green template normally looks like.

The info about how templates can prevent changes that aren't compatible is great! That probably is why I can't change settings.

I decided to go proceed with the RESPONSIVE ALL BUSINESS template to see if that would work, however I'm still having issues that I'm not sure aren't related to these initial install issues. Please let me know if any of you see anything else I may have missed as I'm having issues installing the responsive template now (and I've installed it before without all errors I'm hitting)
http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?209889-Responsive-All-Business-Template/page13&highlight=product+listing

Thanks for responding everyone!

Alas, and this somewhat goes with Dr.Byte's above post, if you have previously installed a responsive template similar to the one being attempted to the database that is nowbeing used (upgraded from 1.3.9) then there are some specific things to do/not do because otherwise errors will be encountered.

See, a blank/fresh/empty database can have actions taken against it with no problem, but (and depending on the design) if those same commands are run again on the database, then errors will occur. In the upgrade of the database, again, realize there really isn't anything removed unless there was a specific design change in ZC that necessitated removing something, but ideally all other database info remained unchanged. So any action to install a responsive template has basically already been done against the database. Again, there may need to be some sort of uninstall performed or just continue with the install understanding that some actions would be omitted moving forward as being previously performed, etc...

Assuming I understood the above correctly, this is why it is so helpful to identify the history of the cart both in it's software and in it's database. If this database had been previously touched to incorporate a responsive template as I understood from above, then that's why errrors are occurring now if other actions were not taken.

DrByte:

Yes. That's because when you choose a template in the admin, that template's name is stored in the database. And, when you imported your old site's data, that setting was brought forward too.
That's a good thing.

Next, when you install your new template you can simply select it in the admin, and that will take over from that point onward.

I'm encouraged I have the old site's data, however I'm concerned about remnant db changes from Cherry-zen that may be causing difficulty installing the new responsive template. Is there another way I need to do a fresh 1.5.1 install and still be able to retain the customer/sales/products info in my 1.3.9 store?

i.e. Is it possible to do only a select db restore that wouldn't include the settings from the previous 1.3.9 template? (I'm not concerned about extra cherry zen files because I never performed the install on the 1.5.1 store.) I'm not sure if old-template-related, but one issue I'm having is there are some items missing from the Admin/Product Listing tab that prevent me from making settings for the new template.

After reading other posts by the experts, appears a partial database upload probably isn't an option. I still have the issue of not being able to config in admin. Any ideas on how I can put those two options back into the admin area? I've gone through the folders and checked the files and nothing is missing from the 1.5.1 files that I can see. Thanks!

StitchJunkie:

After reading other posts by the experts, appears a partial database upload probably isn't an option. I still have the issue of not being able to config in admin. Any ideas on how I can put those two options back into the admin area? I've gone through the folders and checked the files and nothing is missing from the 1.5.1 files that I can see. Thanks!

I haven't downloaded the same template that you are trying to install; however, one from the same author. It looks like the clg_install.sql has not been run against your new database which includes at least those two commands to install the two options that you have identified as missing. There are two other commands in the file I have that may also be needed.

The first two that are related are:

INSERT INTO configuration (configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, 
       configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, 
       last_modified, date_added, use_function, set_function) 
       VALUES ('Product Listing - Layout Style', 'PRODUCT_LISTING_LAYOUT_STYLE', 'rows', 
               'Select the layout style:<br />Each product can be listed in its own row (rows option)
                or products can be listed in multiple columns per row (columns option)<br />
                If customer control is enabled this sets the default style.', '8', '41', NULL, 
                now(), NULL, 'zen_cfg_select_option(array(\'rows\', \'columns\'),');

INSERT INTO configuration (configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, 
       configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, 
       last_modified, date_added, use_function, set_function) 
       VALUES ('Product Listing - Columns Per Row', 'PRODUCT_LISTING_COLUMNS_PER_ROW', '3', 
               'Select the number of columns of products to show in each row in the product listing.  
               The default setting is 3.', '8', '42', NULL, now(), NULL, NULL);

I can't see how an old non-responsive template would cause problems for a new one. Unless it actually removed any original configuration settings from the database ... in which case it was poorly written.

Chances are something's missing from your new template's installation, as suggested above.

DrByte:

I can't see how an old non-responsive template would cause problems for a new one. Unless it actually removed any original configuration settings from the database ... in which case it was poorly written.

Chances are something's missing from your new template's installation, as suggested above.

Dr. and stitchnkitty may have to correct me, but the "story" I have come to understand is that one template was being used while at some point a responsive template was attempted (successfully or not) to be installed to the 1.3.9 cart before the upgrade to 1.5.1. Per the typical instructions of the responsive template installation(s) certain sql files are not to be run multiple times (ie during installation of an alternate responsive templaate). This I believe is generally provided to prevent the errors that occur by attempting to insert the same database record that already exists.

In this situation and without further clarification, it appears that some of the responsive template installation commands have already been performmed, but to what extent is not readily apparent. So now when attempting to install a responsive template against the upgraded database, errors are being seen with the sql commands and the individual errors are not being addressed/adjusted for except through piecing together what is missing.

"one template was being used while at some point a responsive template was attempted (successfully or not) to be installed to the 1.3.9 cart before the upgrade to 1.5.1."

Ans: This was a NEW install of 1.5.1 with a new database, not an upgrade of my old 1.3.9b.
After the install, I performed a restore to that new database (mysql) using a copy of my live store db, then re-ran the zc_install portion needed upgrade the db from 1.3.9b to 1.5.1.

Since the db was a copy of the db from my live store, the admin area defaulted to the "Cherry Zen" template (which I guess is considered responsive) only because that info was included in the db as I'm understanding. I manually changed the store to the default green template. I could see my products, customers, history of orders, etc as hoped, and just needed to install the template I was wanting to use for the new store.

Then I uploaded the files and ran all of the SQLs included in the package for RESPONSIVE ALL BUSINESS.
I discovered the absence of the "Product listing - layout file" and "Product Listing - Columns per Row" when I was making the adjustments outlined in the template package. So, I'm not sure if the missing config lines were missing prior to the template install or previous to that.

I'm going to do another NEW install of 1.5.1 again and see if I have the same results. Again, I'm trying to do a completely new 1.5.1 install, but use a copy of the db I'm currently using in the 1.3.9b version so I don't lose my products/sales/customer etc data. If the way I'm updating the database using zc_install is incorrect, please let me know. I appreciate all I'm learning! I'll let you know if I get the same results.