As some of you may know, our upgrade to php 8.3 was a miserable failure. I'm seeking advice on how to upgrade to php 8.3 so that the forum will still work. I had our hosting company upgrade php, and they missed some things. They forgot to upgrade all the extensions that begin with php74-php- to php83-php-.
The result was that you could not post on the forum. Once we resolved that issue, I immediately got this error;
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Fatal Error: UBB.threads requires MySQLi.
But, according to php, mysqli was instaelled and active.
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# php -m | grep mysqli mysqli
You'll also notice that json is missing in 8.3. Does anyone know if 8.3 will work with the 7.4 json extension? Or is json now part of the core of php? Or not needed? Is there a list somewhere of all the php extensions that are required for ubbthreads 8.0?
Then the forum pages went blank. Nothing rendered at all. So, we reverted to php74, but then we got an error that max_input_vars was too small.
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WARNING: Your PHP max_input_vars setting is set to a low value. Your current setting is 1000; the default setting is 1000. Based on your current number of forums, a minimum setting of 2048 is recommended. Your forum may have issues such as a blank configuration file, missing settings, or unexpected script behavior if you continue. Please see the "Issues with the PHP 'max_input_vars' Setting" entry on the UBB.Wiki for more information.
That's when I realized that the php.ini file had been replaced with a default one during the upgrade. So, I copied a backup to the file, and the error went away (after rebooting the server.)
So, is there a guide somewhere online that advises how to upgrade to php 8.3 so that the forum will still work?
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
That is well out of the scope of Forum Support; UBB.threads is a simple PHP script with a MySQL backend, we assume that you have a production ready web server available and that other generic PHP scripts can execute.
The only testing mechanism we have in place is the UBB.threads System Requirements Test which tests several available functions within your PHP build that outputs the version of UBB.threads most capable of running on your system.
I know it's well outside the scope. I was hoping someone who has struggled with the ugprade might be able to provide some tips. I don't have a development server, and I'm not looking forward to another eight hour session trying to get it working.
BTW, I downloaded the system requirements page and got this:
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System Requirements Not Met The following system requirements were not met. Please contact your host for help. The required PHP extension gd_info could not be found. Please ask your host to install this extension. Please see UBBDev Wiki: gd_info
Apparently there is no gd_info module offered in the REMI repository. (We're on AlmaLinux.) We're using ImageMagick, nto gd. Do I really need this extension?
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
A missing GD install could cause problems with other scripts, but if you have Imagemagick binaries available they produce a clearer image than what GD would.
Note that generally each PHP version available will have its own config, so I have different php.ini files under an /etc/php7.4, /etc/php8.2, /etc/php8.3 folders which all contain different settings.
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
I upgraded our server to php 8.3 tonight. I get a blank page. I donwgraded to php 7.4, but I still got a blank page. I have upgraded again to php 8.3, and I'm trying to figure out what's wrong, but I'm not seeing anything useful in the logs. Any help would be appreciated.
I tried to run the installer again, and got this error when I clicked on Update My Language Files:
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Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: in_array(): Argument #2 ($haystack) must be of type array, null given in /var/www/html/ubbthreads/install/upgrade.php:886 Stack trace: #0 /var/www/html/ubbthreads/install/upgrade.php(886): in_array() #1 /var/www/html/ubbthreads/install/upgrade.php(224): step6() #2 {main} thrown in /var/www/html/ubbthreads/install/upgrade.php on line 886
UPDATE THe forum now displays but the admin control panel is a blank page and Google Chrome displays this: This page isn’t workingwww.stovebolt.com is currently unable to handle this request. HTTP ERROR 500
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
I finally gave up at 4:30 and went to bed. The Forum is closed. Here's the sequence of events. 1) After the upgrade, I got an error message (generated by UBBThreads):
3) My next problem was that the forum pages were blank and, in Google Chrome, I was getting a 500 server error. Again, on a hunch, I began installing the php83-php- version of all the already installed modules. First I got the forum back, but the admin panel was throwing 500 errors. Then, after more installs of the php83-php- versions of already supposedly installed modules, I got the admin panel back as well.
3) So, I thought, Yay, I'm back up. So, I try to post a message relating my results, and, when I click on Submit, I get a blank page and nothing gets posted. That's when I went to bed.
I think it's clear, based on previous behavior, that the cause of the blank page when trying to submit a post or reply is a missing php module. But which one?
If no one can answer this, I'm just going to install every single php moduel that remi has available until the forum starts working properly again.
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
You could try having Brooks do it through the Support Center.
Personally however, I will refuse to work on your forum as I am not interested in dealing with server variables to get it running; we assume a fully functioning web server in place to run this incredibly basic web script. If it was a standard straight forward install it wouldn't be a problem.
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
That is well out of the scope of Forum Support; UBB.threads is a simple PHP script with a MySQL backend, we assume that you have a production ready web server available and that other generic PHP scripts can execute.
Gizmo, you made this statement several times. Yet, the problem with my forum was the UBBThreads config file, not the web server. I don't know what was wrong with it, but replacing it fixed the problem. (Of course, then I had to change all the settings back to what we had before.)
Once I got the forum up and running, I discovered that I couldn't make global announcements or make posts sticky. That TOO turned out to be a problem with your code. (Rueben pointed out the fix to me, which I implemented and which fixed the problem.)
Now, I've discovered another problem with the text editors. (See my post about the WYSIWYG editors throwing errors.
I'm very happy with the new version and with the compatibility with PHP 8.3, but frankly, your "help" was no help at all. Not once did you (or even your support team) suggest enabling debugging, which would have saved me hours and hours of scratching my head because there were no errors in the logs. I had to discover that on my own.
I realize that you guys work hard and you have many thousands of lines of code to oversee, but the least you can do is be patient and understanding when a longtime user of your product is having issues. (We've been customers since March 19, 2005 - almost 20 years.) And for God's sake, the FIRST thing you should suggest is to enable debugging. If the forum is not working at all, you can simply edit the line in the config file to display the errors. That would have saved me two days of hair-pulling.
Again, I want to thank you for the update. I'm very pleased with it.
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
UBB.threads doe not have a WYSIWYG editor outside of the Admin control panel for sending mail mailings.
Standard / Classic refer to the interface for the Post Editor to use
Standard - Editor with forum styled toolbar buttons uses FontAwesome to style the toolbar buttons based on CSS. They can easily be colored, sized, and updated in UBBT's style editor. They also work really well with multiple different styles, especially when the forum style is light or dark.
Classic - Editor with image toolbar buttons which requires custom GIF button images to be available that match your forum style, and do not generally work well when switching between styles because they were made for a single style, from early 2000s, decades ago.
You mentioned in another post of yours that you were manually editing and moving config files around between old version and new version forum configurations. it is possible that you created a typo or error within the config file you are now using.
1/ attempt to repair your configuration files by clearing and rebuilding your forum cache Control Panel > Cache Manager > Update Cache
2/ go to Control Panel > General and confirm that you have selected one of the Text Editor Interface To Use within the Post Editor Settings group. Then submit the page (even if you have not made changes to it) using the button at the "Update General Settings" button at the bottom. This should rebuild that section.
Your config file is rebuilt during the forum software upgrade process. if there are any new items between versions, those are added at that time. There are also fallbacks in place to take catch missing items (the process, such as described here). if you are manually editing your config file, be very careful which items you add or remove items from it as you work
I created a test instance, which worked fine. So, I created a backup of the live forum config file and then copied the test instance config file over to the live forum version. I then manually edited the live version file to correct the db username and password. I have not removed or changed anything else in the config file.
I followed your instructions (Cache and Editor) and switched the editor to TInyMCE. Then I attempted to start a post and got the following error message:
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Fatal error: Uncaught --> Smarty: Unable to load template 'file:standard_text_editor_tinymce.tpl' <-- thrown in /var/www/html/ubbthreads/libs/smarty/sysplugins/smarty_internal_template.php on line 196
The tandard_text_editor_tinymce.tpl does not exist on the server. Nor does it exist in the downloaded copies of the zip files that I have. I have three separate copies of 8.0 on my laptop plus 7.5. and 7.4 and NONE of them have this file. Laptop:
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Your config file is rebuilt during the forum software upgrade process. if there are any new items between versions, those are added at that time. There are also fallbacks in place to take catch missing items (the process, such as described here). if you are manually editing your config file, be very careful which items you add or remove items from it as you work
Apparently, my config file was corrupted during the upgrade process.
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
I followed your instructions (Cache and Editor) and switched the editor to TInyMCE. Then I attempted to start a post and got the following error message:
There are no "TinyMCE" option avail to be selected unless youve edited the templates and removed the admin HIDDEN flags from them. TinyMCE and SCEditor are hidden for a reason. they are not complete and none of their required dependancies are included in the release package.
The errors you are getting by eneabling incomplete and unsupported features are why those two options are hidden and disabled from use.
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
2 Edit the mailer.php language file to add the do not reply text.
WNT_CONTENT %%USERNAME%% has just created a new thread in a forum you are following at %%BOARD_TITLE%%. <p style="font-color: red; font-size: 18pt; font-weight:900;">DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. USE THE FORUM TO RESPOND!!</p> WNP_CONTENT %%USERNAME%% has just replied to a thread you are following in the %%FORUM%% forum of %%BOARD_TITLE%%. <p style="font-color: red; font-size: 18pt; font-weight:900;">DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. USE THE FORUM TO RESPOND!!</p>
PMN_CONTENT1_TEXT <br><br>You can reply to this message at:<br><br>%%PM_URL%%<br><br><br><br>You can reply to this message at:<br><br>%%PM_URL%%<br><br> <p style="font-color: red; font-size: 18pt; font-weight:900;">DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. USE THE PRIVATE MESSAGE INTERFACE TO RESPOND!!</p>
3) Remove Post icons comment out {iconselect} from the following templates newpost, editpost, newreply
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
Server Information UBB.threads Version 8.0.0 Release 20240826 Server OS Linux Server Load 0.11 Web Server Apache/2.4.37 PHP Version 8.3.11 MYSQL Version 8.0.39 Database Size 1.82 GB
I'm getting a little tired of the constant assumptions that I have done something wrong.
Apparently, Safari doesn't understand hidden. I can't help it if you guys don't test all platforms. (See. Now I'M making assumptions.)
we do test on all platforms that we have available to us. but when a company is constantly moving away from even the most basic of standards, and being hostile about it - see apple's take on USB-C, iMessage, not displaying digital seconds (time) on mobile devices "because people don't care about seconds", not including a calculator on the iPad "because it looks bad", and constant intentional incompatibility with other software - there really is nothing that any amount of testing across platforms can to do keep up with them, and their anti-competitive practices.
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