can't move download dir. out of the web root.

I can't seem to move the download directory above the web root. Moving the download directory and changing the config.php files to match (using the full path) works when it's in the web space. For example these all work:

/var/www/vhosts/host.com/httpdocs/someplace/store/download/
/var/www/vhosts/host.com/httpdocs/someplace/download/
/var/www/vhosts/host.com/httpdocs/download/

But this doesn't:
/var/www/vhosts/host.com/download/

I just get a warning in the store:
Warning: The downloadable products directory does not exist:

I'm setting the config.php like this:
define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', '/var/www/vhosts/host.com/download/');
I've even tried changing the 'host.com' directory's owner/group/permissions to match the 'httpdocs' web root directory, but no luck.

I've even tried changing the 'host.com' directory's owner/group/permissions to match the 'httpdocs' web root directory, but no luck.
You should never do that. You can cause problems for your entire Hosting account. Change permissions back to what they were; ask your Hoster if not sure.

The problem you are having is the the host.com directory is not Publicly available. It is for "your" use only. For files you want to the Public to see, they must be within the httpdocs directory or a subdirectory.

I assume you've been following one or both of these FAQs:
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=121
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=280

I just get a warning in the store:
Warning: The downloadable products directory does not exist:
Two things:

1. that message should only occur when PHP attempts to run is_dir() against the folder you entered.
   I'm sure you've created the folder (and not a file) in the right place, but it's worth double-checking.

2. The message should be longer ... ie: > 'Warning: The downloadable products directory does not exist: /home/path/foldername/etc/. Downloadable products will not work until this directory is valid.'

3. What version of Zen Cart are you using?

Yes, those are the two articles I followed... It's odd, since everything is happy no matter where I move it, until I put it out of the web root.

That's why I assumed it must be a permissions issue for the directory. Since I've got a VPS running basically only this site, I figured there wasn't much harm in at least trying to set the owner/group/perm for it. But even that didn't work.

...There must be something stupid on the server side that's not letting the download directory be found. Perhaps something I could fix with an .htaccess file?

BTW, thank you all for your replies!

It's the current release. v1.3.7
the warning is longer, I just chopped it for brevity:

Warning: The downloadable products directory does not exist: /var/www/vhosts/host.com/download/. Downloadable products will not work until this directory is valid.

Perhaps your server administrator can help you with determining whether there are restrictions with your PHP accessing files outside the webroot.

Got it!:laugh:
Stupid me didn't check the log files... it's an **open_basedir **restriction issue.

Hope this helps someone else, if they run into it:

To fix (for Plesk users), SSH to your account. Then:

cd /var/www/vhosts/your_domain.com/conf/

*replace your_domain.com with whatever your domain is everywhere in these instructions.

Create a vhost.conf file (I use the vi editor, you can use whatever you like).

Add these lines to the file:

<Directory "/var/www/vhosts/domain.com/httpdocs">
php_admin_value open_basedir "/var/www/vhosts/your_domain.com/httpdocs/:/var/www/vhosts/your_domain.com/download/"
</Directory>

Tell webserver to use the local conf. file:

/usr/local/psa/admin/sbin/websrvmng --reconfigure-vhost --vhost-name=your_domain.com

Stop and start apache:
/etc/init.d/httpd stop
/etc/init.d/httpd start

I cribbed/modded these instructions from MT.

Thanks again for everyone's input...

I'm having a problem moving my Download directory also. I'm getting the long error msg:

"Warning: The downloadable products directory does not exist: /home/gxjenkin/public_html/zencart//home/gxjenkin/download/. Downloadable products will not work until this directory is valid."

In the error msg it's showing the old, and new path to Download directory. I've edited both Config.php files, but it's still see the old path somewhere.

Once I change the Config files I'll get this error even if the Download directory is in both places.
Any ideas?
Thanks.

What version of Zen Cart?
What addons/contributions are installed?

I'm using Zen Cart 1.3.7

with:
Easy Populate Advance
User Tracking
Google Feeder
Google Checkout
Google Analytics
Book Product Type
Auction Product Type
UPC/IBSN
Links Manager
FAQ Manager
Return Authorization
Report lower price
Crafty Syntax live help
Jrox Affiliate Manager
News box manager

and there may be one or two I can't remember.

How exactly did you alter that download line in your configure.php files?

Take a look again at the FAQ ... you need to replace all of the stuff on the right-hand side of the define with your new path, not merely change the word 'download' to your path. The DIR_FS_CATALOG part needs removing if you're wanting to reference stuff outside of it.

I only changed the define for Download.
From this: define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');
To this:
define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . '/home/gxjenkin/download/');
I see the part about DIR_FS_CATALOG, but it doesn't say how to change it, or that it needs to be.
This is what it looks like now:define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', '/home/gxjenkin/public_html/zencart/');
How would I change this?
Thanks.

define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');

becomes this:

define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', '/home/gxjenkin/download/');

ref: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=280

I must have looked at those two lines a thousand times, but never noticed the "DIR_FS_CATALOG" was missing in the changed line.
Thanks much.

I'm bumping this because I am having the same problem. I have followed all the instructions and I still keep getting this error:

Warning: The downloadable products directory does not exist: /home/myweb/public_html/scriptsandsites/download/. Downloadable products will not work until this directory is valid.

I'm thinking this might have to do with the domain zencart is on is a subdomain of myweb.

I'm doing the following:

3. Edit your two configure.php files to show the new path to your download folder:
   • /includes/configure.php
   • /admin/includes/configure.php

You'll need to edit the line that says this:

define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');

to look something like this:

define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', '/home/myweb/download_sns/');

Any suggestions?

trishah:

Warning: The downloadable products directory does not exist: /home/myweb/public_html/scriptsandsites/download/. Downloadable products will not work until this directory is valid.
That message is telling you that your store is still configured to use the public_html/scriptsandsites/download/ folder.

So, either you didn't edit the configure.php files properly, OR you didn't make the files writable before trying to upload your changes to them, and thus the FTP upload failed, and your edits were discarded.

Why didn't I think of that!

I temporarily changed the chmod from 644 to 777 and re-uploaded both files then chmoded them back to 644 and it worked! No error message now.

Thanks for your help it is greatly appreciated! :bigups: