Need help to do an upgrade from 1.5.0 to 1.5.5

mc12345678:

Perhaps an additional tab instead of info on one? What about "history" or reporting type information? Views, purchases, etc.?
:thumbsup:

CaroleAs:

This might just be my own wishlist but in the previous you showed, the description was only in text format. Is it going to be "formatted" with any editor? that would make it even more visual for users.
This will be automatically changed if you have an editor selected. Just like the default Zen Cart behavior.

lat9:

@CaroleAs, do you have a fixed IP address? If so, you could add a PHP file to your store's /includes/functions/extra_functions directory that redirects back to your main site if the access isn't made by you.

How is your test site set up? Is it a directory off of the main site, e.g. accessed as https://www.yoursite.com/testsite?
I'm assuming here that the fixed IP address is in relation to the individual accessing the site and not the site itself.

As a mobile and/or "desktop" user, keep in mind that any hard-coded IP address will be difficult to change on the fly. At the same time, keeping a large list of "mobile" IP addresses runs into a different issue as well, such as having to update the list if in a new location, or if someone else "happens" across the site from a previous/potential IP address. Just something to consider as you plan your development and how you want to show others or obtain input.

lat9:

@CaroleAs, do you have a fixed IP address? If so, you could add a PHP file to your store's /includes/functions/extra_functions directory that redirects back to your main site if the access isn't made by you.

How is your test site set up? Is it a directory off of the main site, e.g. accessed as https://www.yoursite.com/testsite?

I have a dynamic IP so that might not work.
My test site is installed on a domain that I had that was not in use. In the past, I have asked the "programmer" to help me so he set it somehow to redirect visitors to the live site. That worked and I never had any more purchase on that test site. The problem is that when I tried to use the test site back end for testing something, that too redirected me to the live site backend. In the end, I have never been able to use that test site again after (the "programmer" being unresponsive by that time).

mc12345678:

I'm assuming here that the fixed IP address is in relation to the individual accessing the site and not the site itself.

As a mobile and/or "desktop" user, keep in mind that any hard-coded IP address will be difficult to change on the fly. At the same time, keeping a large list of "mobile" IP addresses runs into a different issue as well, such as having to update the list if in a new location, or if someone else "happens" across the site from a previous/potential IP address. Just something to consider as you plan your development and how you want to show others or obtain input.
Good assumption; the fixed IP address is that used for the access of the website.

My next hurdle is to create a test account. On the page, at the bottom, for the Country field, it says "WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again." I have no clue why that is, or how to fix it.

So far, the only mod i installed was the French Language mod.
I was in the process of adding the One-Page Checkout but opted to create a test account before doing anything, just in case i couldn't. I guess that didn't help. (backend still looks and works as expected).

When you see the message WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again. Zen Cart is letting you know that there's a myDEBUG*.log file present in your store's /logs directory identifying more details about the error.

Just find that log file, but note that if the file's name is like myDEBUG**-adm**-*.log that the log was created as a result of some admin-level activity and your Zen Cart's admin directory name will be present in the data. You should xxx-out that directory name before posting.

When you do post the contents of a debug-log (or any code), be sure to use the "CODE" tags (the big # in the post-writing menu bar) so that the information doesn't take up as much screen space!

Thanks. I found the log (in fact, i found about a dozen seemingly identical, probably when i was trying to refresh).
Here is what it says (foreign language to me).

[23-Aug-2017 22:18:55 America/New_York] Request URI: /index.php?main_page=login, IP address: 142.167.45.240
#1  trigger_error() called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/classes/db/mysql/query_factory.php:167]
#2  queryFactory->show_error() called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/classes/db/mysql/query_factory.php:139]
#3  queryFactory->set_error() called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/classes/db/mysql/query_factory.php:266]
#4  queryFactory->Execute() called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/functions/functions_lookups.php:47]
#5  zen_get_countries() called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/functions/html_output.php:541]
#6  zen_get_country_list() called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_modules_create_account.php:116]
#7  require(/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_modules_create_account.php) called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_login_default.php:92]
#8  require(/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_login_default.php) called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/templates/template_default/common/tpl_main_page.php:133]
#9  require(/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/templates/template_default/common/tpl_main_page.php) called at [/home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/index.php:97]

[23-Aug-2017 22:18:55 America/New_York] PHP Fatal error:  1054:Unknown column 'status' in 'where clause' :: select countries_id, countries_name
                    from zen_countries  where status != 0  order by countries_name ==> (as called by) /home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/functions/functions_lookups.php on line 47 <== in /home/creat419/public_html/challengemehq.com/includes/classes/db/mysql/query_factory.php on line 167

Your zen_countries table (without prefix would be the countries table) is missing the field called status. This was introduced in the last couple of versions of ZC and should have been inserted when doing the zc_install database upgrade. If it did not get done, there should be some related install logs in the same directory that would identify that it had not been done and why (to an extent). The other factor here is what was installed in the cart that was upgraded? Software installed there may have modified the database just enough for the upgrader (assuming it was run) to skip that particular modification.

The only thing i have done is

• clean install of 1.5.5
• import the database from my live site (1.5.0)
• add the French language mod

That is all i had done. Or are you referring to modifications that would have happened to the live store database? (that one shows the country correctly)

there should be some related install logs in the same directory that would identify that it had not been done and why (to an extent)
Would you be so kind as to point out where that might be. Which directory? I either never had to touch that, or i already forgot after so many years of not touching it.

CaroleAs:

The only thing i have done is

• clean install of 1.5.5
• import the database from my live site (1.5.0)
• add the French language mod

That is all i had done. Or are you referring to modifications that would have happened to the live store database? (that one shows the country correctly)

Would you be so kind as to point out where that might be. Which directory? I either never had to touch that, or i already forgot after so many years of not touching it.

Referring to the live store database that has become this test store's database and as discussed earlier should have been upgraded by reloading the zc_install folder from a vanilla copy of the matching ZC 1.5.5 version installed and then accessing the zc_install directory from your browser.

The directory is the same as where the mydebug files were found (/logs). When (if) the zc_install was performed install-xxx logs would have been generated.

Btw, stated early on that ZC 1.5.5 is installed, but which of the sub-versions is it if any? Ie. 1.5.5 or one of the 1.5.5a through e?
Also (related to the posting tips) was it an autoinstaller say as provided by your host, or was it downloaded from the ZC site?

Referring to the live store database that has become this test store's database and as discussed earlier should have been upgraded by reloading the zc_install folder from a vanilla copy of the matching ZC 1.5.5 version installed and then accessing the zc_install directory from your browser.
Can I still do it at this point?

Also (related to the posting tips) was it an autoinstaller say as provided by your host, or was it downloaded from the ZC site?
I took the "easy" route and used my host autoinstaller. However, the db import had to be done by the host (manually) because there is a limit of 50MB for file size and the export from the live site was 112MB.

CaroleAs:

Can I still do it at this point?

I took the "easy" route and used my host autoinstaller. However, the db import had to be done by the host (manually) because there is a limit of 50MB for file size and the export from the live site was 112MB.

To the question of can you do now? Yup.

But there are possibly a couple issues with the existing new fileset. The fileset that is installed may not be up-to-date with the latest version which there also may not be a zc_install folder "from them" to support the database upgrade (which also may not have the applicably revised upgrade scripts). Don't get me wrong, can be quite helpful to let that auto system do an initial install, but then to be followed up with an approved install/fileset...

Well, i did it (ran the zc_install to "upgrade"), yet, i am still getting the same warning for the Country field when i access the login/register page. And the log file is still identical.

http://challengemehq.com

Now wondering if it would be more productive to scratch it all and start from zero with a manual install. I would still have to import the db though, right? (which would take time to wait for my host).

Before doing such drastic things as scrapping what you have, is to understand what you have.

From your admin if you select the option version in the upper right, the top part of the screen should identify the upgrade history as well as the current version.

As to what has been done, can you be more specific about the source of the upgrade script (zc_install)? A lot can be (mis)interpreted by leaving out detail. Example of that is the previous statement that the database was imported. When one is discussing an upgrade and indicating that following provided instruction, it could be considered that one or another action has been completed. Unfortunately, only the actual action had been performed not all of the other parts that go with that...

As to whether a copy of the live database would be needed to be installed depends on the status/condition of the existing backup of the database. If it is indicated that it has already been updated and a ZC version of the files were used, then review of the install logs would be pertinent to identify why the status field was not included as part of the upgrade, otherwise may end up doing a bunch of work for nothing.

Now, certainly would be a good idea to create another database in which your host could get started with another import (don't know if have tried using a zip version of the data or from within phpmyadmin had it do the copy/transfer of your live site to a new database etc...) that way you have another backup available and at your disposal to again practice this portion of the upgrade...

I agree. I need to be more clear. So here is what i have done so far (and you tell me where i might have faulted or where i might still be unclear).

• i had an unused domain, challengemehq.com

• in the cPanel of my host, they have Softaculous app installer; it installed 1.5.5e, released of 02-03-2017

• following DrByte's instructions, i exported the db from my live site

• i went to import the db to this new install; the file was too big so i had to submit a ticket to my host to import it for me

• when they said it was imported, nothing had changed in the "blank" store so i contacted them again about it. This is what they replied:

  "One slight inconsistency we were able to locate was in regard to the database's prefix setting. From the database configuration files in the site we were seeing that it was set to use the prefix "zenng_" which does exist within the database, but there is additionally a prefix "zen_" in this database as well. I've updated the site configuration to match this second prefix to test if this is where the site information is located, but am not able to access the dashboard once the database prefix was updated. Could you please check the site at this time to confirm if you are still experiencing issues with missing information within the site? "

and sure enough, i was not able to log in anymore, but they resolved the issue by creating a new admin login, that is now working.

• i tried to undertand the instructions to install the All-in-One mod that i had purchased (not from here) and since it was not clear to me, i had posted in here where DrByte suggested i drop that mod for now to concentrate on others that i had, which i did (i had not uploaded any file of that mod yet).
• i installed the French Language mod.
• i started the process for the One-Page Checkout mod, but wanted to create a test user first (not realizing that i had some from the db import.. duh!) and that is when i noticed the Warning for Country.

So this morning, i downloaded the zencart 1.5.5e from this site, copied the zc_install folder, ran it in my browser, chose Upgrade, removed the folder, and now i am here with the same error.

As for the version history, here is what i have:
Zen Cart 1.5.5e
Database Patch Level: 1.5.5
v1.5.5e [2017-08-24 10:13:06] (Version Update 1.5.4->1.5.5e)
v1.5.4 [2017-08-24 10:13:05] (Version Update 1.5.3->1.5.4)
v1.5.0 [2012-02-23 07:42:30] (Version Update 1.3.9->1.5.0)
v1.3.9h [2011-01-27 15:29:47] (Version Update 1.3.8->1.3.9h)
v1.3.8 [2009-02-13 04:51:56] (Fresh Installation)
v1.3.8 [2009-02-13 04:51:56] (Fresh Installation)

Sorry to be a bit dense. I am trying really hard and i know that i can make it with all your help. I just need a bit of hand holding to get started on the right foot.

One thing with the autoinstaller is that it loaded the original release of 1.5.5e. There have been a few changes since that release.

There's probably no need to wipe the slate and start over but you may need to read posts 10 and 11 at https://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?219730-Zen-Cart-v1-5-5e-released!&p=1326914#post1326914.

It just might be that one of those changes (since it involves database function) might fix your problem.

If you decide to do the start-over route, top priority is to get the 1.5.5e release dated 03/08/2017. Second is finding out if you have cpanel or access to phpMyAdmin in some way. Either could be used to "get around" the file limit. Transferring "on site" generally defaults to 128M on most standard Apache installs.

The community is helpful to those that help themselves and when able others. You're doing a fine job and thank you for answering that question with the detail provided.

Two things I see right now and it is something you will need to come to understand to successfully update your live store when the time comes.

1. Where did the third database prefix come from? (ie. Expect that one set of tables came from the auto-installer, one definitely came from your live site, but there is a third. Does the database in you site have 2 sets of tables (2 prefixed groups) or just one?)

If two, again back to drbyte's previous comment: look at the includes/configure.php file of your live site for DB_PREFIX. That value is what should be in your upgrade site in the same file. (don't change it without further discussion is a recommendation at this point)

The other issue is that the three other upgrade steps did not get performed. Namely 1.5.0 to 1.5.1, 1.5.1 to 1.5.2 and 1.5.2 to 1.5.3.

So question is when doing the database upgrade today, we're those three checkboxes marked (automatically) or were they manually unchecked, etc... ie. why were they omitted in the process. Part of the answer to that may lie in a question previously asked about what plugins had been installed in the "old" database.

Minor "background". The installer spot checks some database characteristics to identify the "need" of each upgrade step. If the sought data is found then none of the other changes are made. Therefore a plugin may have updated something in the database to cause the installer to skip an upgrade step.