No Categories

Hi there

This is my 1st post, so please be patient if I'm doing something stupid!

I've successfully installed my ZC (version 1.3.0.2). I've managed to start customising the appearance of my site without any problems but I've hit problems when I try to add new categories & products.

When I select Categories/Products from the Admin 'Catalog' drop-down menu & then click the 'new category' button I get the correct new category page. However, the 'category name' field is very small (approx 15 px wide) and will not accept my typed entry. The result is that I'm not able to add new categories.

Am I doing something silly, or is this a configuration problem?

Phil

I'm not sure what's causing this, although it may be that something has got corrupted in your admin stylesheet.

However, as you are at a very early stage of your creation, I would be inclined to carry out the upgrade to 1.3.5 before going any further. In addition to being bang up-to-date, it would hopefully cure your problem as well.

Thanks Ryk

Glad to know it's not me being daft but I was hoping for a simpler solution than upgrading to the newest version.

Regards, Phil

Upgrading from 1.3.0.2 to 1.3.5 is quite simple - just follow the instructions. And I can assure you, it is far better to upgrade to each release as it comes out (ok, give it a few days to let any bugs be ironed out :wink2: ) than to wait until the next big step.

And as you're at such an early stage, getting the confidence now will stand you in good stead. As always, be sure to have a backup before you start...files and database.

Thanks Ryk

I'm sure that this is good advice. It is just that I only finished the installation last week and the prospect of upgrading the whole lot is not particularly appealing.
I've downloaded the newest version already (v.1.3.5 09042006 full set) but it is only a few days old so I fear that I may just be importing further problems rather than solving my existing one.
Can I not just overwrite the potentially corrupted php files from my original version?

Regards

Phil

Well, for now... you can probably re-upload and overwrite your current admin folders/files to see if that corrects what is happening.

For starters, it's best to do a Zen Cart desktop folder to online folder comparison to verify that ALL files have been uploaded. Sometimes, file transfer programs drop files spontaneously and cause quite the headache. I'm likely to guess that's probably what happened in your case. The easiest is to do file count comparisons in the admin folder itself and then within each subfolder.

Thanks, Sketchy

I've just looked at my own file set in the Admin folder and the set on the server and cannot locate any missing ones dropped in the installation.
I've tried overwriting the php files in the folder (but not any files in the sub-folders) but I'm still getting the same problem. Should I try overwriting the files in the sub-folders (in particular, those in the 'includes' subfolder), or am I better off just following Ryk's advice and upgrading to 1.3.5.

Regards,

Phil

Well, seeing how your store is fresh... that's probably the easier and better method.
You'd have to upgrade anyways, sooner or later. We don't know what's really causing that glitch in your Category title input field anyways. Still, you could try rewriting all the admin files and sub folders to see if that cures the problem.

Are to planning to use the Upgrade procedure or simply a clean install? I'm not too sure how populated your store is or any custom stuff has been done already. If there's not much, I'd just recommend going as a clean slate install. Dump the database tables and delete your current Zen Cart folder to begin with a fresh install of v1.3.5 . But, you could always give the Upgrade option a go... I'm sure it would work out all the same.

Thanks for the help.

Can't make up my mind whether to try the upgrade procedure, do a clean install or make for Beachy Head!

Has anyone else had this problem?

Regards

Phil

Finally decided to bite the bullet and do a clean install.

Result: Still get the same problem when I use the Admin/Categories&Products tab. I am unable to type into the categories name box.

I deleted all files/folders from my previous installation before adding the new one (v1.3.5) and I have not amended ANYTHING. Simply logged into the new Admin and tried to add a new category. I'm completely stumped. Has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks, Phil

That is totally strange...

Did you start with another or fresh database?
Does this happen with different computers?
Does this happen in both browsers? Probably wouldn't make a difference...
What kind of server do you have and what O/S do you use?

Hello again!

Yes, the same thing happens on my pc and on my laptop. Both are running WindowsXP Home.
I'm not sure about the full server config. but it is a LAMP server operating with a Plesk control panel. Incidentally, I have another website with a different server which operates fine with an earlier version of ZC (1.2) using a Cpanel.
I don't therefore think this can be a problem with my computer/s or with the o/s.

Thanks,

Phil

Forgot to add that I deleted the earlier MySQL d/b and created another new one with a different name.

Hi Phil. I have no clue what the problem could be. Maybe, somehow, the fileset got corrupted during downloading. I'm guessing you used the exact fileset for the second install. The chances of file corruption are next to nil, but I'm just guessing at any possible reason. I use Windows O/S and a Linux server myself, I don't have that problem though. I don't think it's a bug, because I haven't noticed any other posts about this issue. I'm sorry that I can't be of more help. :(

Thanks Sketchy

Thanks for giving my problem sone thought.

No, its not corruption of the download either. I'm experiencing this problem with a completely different downloaded fileset.

Thanks, Phil

Could this problem de to do with server settings rather than with the ZC?
When I re-installed the most recent release I upload all the files, set the permissions as per the literature and ran the zc-installer as requested. This logged an error saying "you need your hosting company to set "SAFE_MODE=OFF" in your php.ini flie" but didn't prevent me from installing the ZC and linking it properly to the MySQL database.
I've sent this to the person running the server who says that safe mode is definately OFF, but that he can't do it as above because "it can't be done by changing the php.ini because that's a global change. It has to be done on a per account basis using a special configuration file."
I can't pretend to understand this, but it does look to me as if this is a server problem.

Any fresh ideas?

Thanks, Phil

I don't think so. I do know that with my host, for the PHP Core configuration, the safe_mode is off and everything still works well. At least I think that's the same thing. I actually had a few warnings during the install process, but all went well and currently still is.

I hope if someone else has run into this issue, they can enlighten you. :yes:

Thanks Sketchy

I'm mystified! I've pestered my host to reconfigure the server so that safe mode is OFF. When I re-run the installer it now agrees that safe mode is OFF and gives me 'green' for everything except an 'orange' for 'The session.use_trans_sid setting in your server's PHP.INI file is set to ON' (which means nothing to me, I'm afraid).
The Zen Cart installs just fine, but when I try to add a category or a product I am still unable to use the category or product name box. Are any of the well informed zenners able to help me here?
I am really at a loss as to what to try next.

Regards,
Phil

I'm having the same problem. There is no button to add a category in my install of 1.3.5, did anyone ever find a solution?

After finding this post:

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2636

I manually added a category and now I have a "new category" button. I'm wondering (i.e., too lazy to check) if there is some logic that hides this button if the categories table is empty, or if there is a product in the top level category? During install is a top level category supposed to be created?