1.3.8 version not allowing me the upgrade option!

Hello,

I am very new to Zen and I have 1.3.7. I tried to upgrade tonight to 1.3.8 but I am not getting the option to upgrade. The install screen wants to create a new database.

Why is Zen not seeing my current database?

Did you change the database? You need to create a new database, in cpanel (or whatever you are using) restore your old database to the new database. To do this in cpanel, you need to rename the backup file so that it corresponds with the new database name. Example: backed up database zc = zc.zip new database = zcnew ... So you would rename zc.zip to zcnew.zip. Then restore it.

Then, you have to tell Zen Cart that there is a new database. Edit the configure.php in admin/includes and includes. You will find your database in there.

Oh yeah, don't forget to assign your user to the new database in cpanel.

Hopefully, that will do the trick and you can upgrade your database.

I have not made any changes to the database or the database name. I use Hostmonster for my web provider and did the original install in November from an install icon in my cpanel provided by Hostmonster. My database name was automatically created at that time.

the tech guy had me remove the entire new database and import my saved database. Now, however, I cannot even sign in. Still waiting on help for that one :(

Yea, I did my install from Fantastico in cPanel as well. Unfortunately, there is no way to upgrade that is quite that simple! :)

There is no simple way to do this. It took me about four hours to do the whole upgrade. But, I had a ton of changes that I had to merge. It should take less time with a standard zen cart install.

See my instructions above, and it should fix your problems. You must create a new database to update.

UPDATE: Something just occurred to me. Are you trying to update your live site? This is not recommended. If so, it should work without creating a new database. But, you can really bork everything that way. It is much smarter to create a new site for your upgrade , test it, and then switch over.

Ok, I am still having problems. I upgraded the database and in my admin panel it shows that database is version 1.3.8 but my shop version is still 1.3.7.

The setup files recognize my database. If I try to upgrade it again, I see that message that I have the current version of database and don't need to upgrade. The configuration files, however, are not being upgraded.

I did copy includes/configure.php and the counter part configure.php files over to the demo folder where my zen upgrade files are before running install. I also did some checking with winmerge, but since my install was last month, I had very few core files that had been changed.

Can I copy/replace all the files over now that I have upgrades the database?

Which file contains the password to the admin control pane?

what should I do?:dontgetit

The admin login info is in the database. Does the database you're using for 1.3.8 have data in it?

afo:

The admin login info is in the database. Does the database you're using for 1.3.8 have data in it?

Yes, but not a lot.

Is it safe to copy the rest of the system files and overwrite the rest?

Need help!

Something has gone wrong. I can't login to the admin panel. When I try I get the message "ERROR_SECURITY_ERROR "

I restored my site from the back up I made before upgrading and it still makes no difference. I still cannot login to the security panel.

What is causing this error?

Well, I have my site restored back to 1.3.7. The version check says:

Zen Cart 1.3.7.1
Database Patch Level: 1.3.8

I'll stay with 1.3.7.1 for a while until I can figure out how to upgrade. The upgrade wouldn't configure the files or replace them. It would only touch the database.

ScootaMan:

The upgrade wouldn't configure the files or replace them. It would only touch the database.

That is correct. The zc_install tool only upgrades the database.
Upgrading all your PHP files is your responsibility.

The "how to" is documented not only in your site's /docs/ folder, but also in the FAQs section, along with zillions of helpful how-to posts scattered all over the forum.

ScootaMan:

Zen Cart 1.3.7.1
Database Patch Level: 1.3.8If you use Paypal, you'll have some serious problems if you run mismatched code vs database.

DrByte:

If you use Paypal, you'll have some serious problems if you run mismatched code vs database.

what does this error mean?

Warning: require(DIR_FS_CATALOG_LANGUAGESenglish/meta_tags.php) [function.require]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/sftscoot/public_html/admin/includes/languages/english.php on line 50

Fatal error: require() [function.require]: Failed opening required 'DIR_FS_CATALOG_LANGUAGESenglish/meta_tags.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/sftscoot/public_html/admin/includes/languages/english.php on line 50

My website is online and appears to be working. The error message is what I get when I try to access the admin panel

What file or directory am I missing?

Warning: require(DIR_FS_CATALOG_LANGUAGESenglish/meta_tags.php) [function.require]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/sftscoot/public_html/admin/includes/languages/english.php on line 50

Fatal error: require() [function.require]: Failed opening required 'DIR_FS_CATALOG_LANGUAGESenglish/meta_tags.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/sftscoot/public_html/admin/includes/languages/english.php on line 50

It means you've fudged your /admin/includes/configure.php file such that the defines contained in the file aren't being set properly ... probably due to a syntax error you've created by editing the file, or from an incomplete upload.

This will be my first upgrade on Zen Cart and I'm just going to relay a comment about what I'm seeing.

I work with a number of other open source / CMS programs that also require regular security patches and upgrades.

After reading this post and the "readme_how_to_upgrade" (in the docs folder of 1.3.8)... I have to tell you... this is the most cumbersome upgrade/patch I've seen to-date. This looks like a fresh installation, not a patch.

In other open source apps, a patch is normally issued separately; containing only the affected files. With these apps, I never have to wipe out a database and reinstall it, or install a third party app to sift through, compare, and transfer over file modifications.

Upgrades are absolute necessities for security and for keeping up with browsers/changing technology. I've personally seen groups of hackers who specialize in open source apps and hit large numbers of websites in one sweep that missed the latest patch. Its easy to find these sites using a Google query.

Just my view, but what I've seen in this 1.3.8 update concerns me. It is just too cumbersome for the typical open source user (like my clients). Users become obliviously dependent on the simplicity of open source and, frankly, open source is usually packaged for these common persons...not the rest of us who work with files and code.

Thanks to all who made Zen Cart and the mods possible. Thanks, too, to Dr. Byte who has always been most helpful. Just please consider issuing upgrades as patches in the future. I think its better for the integrity of the Zen Cart in the bigger picture. Thanks

websitebob

I finally got my site back up. My problems appeared to be from a corruption in the database. I had to do an install and overwrite the database in order to get 1.3.8 installed correctly and PayPal Express working right.

websitebob -

Yes it seems difficult- BUT If your use the overrides correctly and not make any changes to the core files, then upgrading is as simple as uploading all the files, upgrading the database with one click and then comparing your customized files to any of them that have changed in the new version.

Kim:

websitebob -

Yes it seems difficult- BUT If your use the overrides correctly and not make any changes to the core files, then upgrading is as simple as uploading all the files, upgrading the database with one click and then comparing your customized files to any of them that have changed in the new version.

Could you give a link to a thread on how we should do overrides... and customization the approved of way?

shrimp-gumbo-mmmhhh:

Could you give a link to a thread on how we should do overrides... and customization the approved of way?

This may seem like a trite answer ... but ... there is a lot of info consolidated in the FAQ area: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php