Hello,
I was running my s9y powered blog at byethost, it all worked ok with 1.0.2 until they changed the database info and I wasn't able to reconfigure it -yes, I'm noob- so I tried reinstalling it, all but the DB. I deleted every file and uploaded it again, but after installation, I got a blank page.
I came to the FAQ and forums, but first I decided to try installing the last version, 1.0.4; I tried to upgrade old version, but couldn't make it. I deleted and uploaded all files again and it worked partially, not showing any images at all.
Then, I tried to install last beta, 1.1b6, and I managed to get it working, but I can't use it since it doesn't seem to support spanish so I can't write properly.
I've tried a couple of times to go back to 1.0.2 or 1.0.4 but now I can't even make it work, always showing blank pages after installation. I've read the FAQ -always deleted .htaccess- and searched the forum. I read a few posts about the same problem but I can't find a solution, so I decided to register and ask.
All I want is a fully working s9y, either 1.1b6 with spanish lang support or old 1.0.2/4.
Can you help me? Thanks.
1.0.2 & 1.0.4 blank, 1.1b6 not ok
Luis,
Sorry to hear you're having such trouble. We'll try to help you as much as we can. If you can, provide a URL so we can see the problem for ourselves: sometimes we can get a little extra information if we can visit your blog.
Blank pages are usually PHP errors. Use "view source" in your browser to verify that the pages are really blank. If they are, you'll find the reason in your PHP or Apache error logs -- but since each provider places them in a different location, you'll need to talk to your provider to find out how to view them.
The various other problems you've had (bad images, no Spanish) are probably artifacts of replacing the files without updating the database. It sounds like you're just getting started, so you probably don't have any entries yet. In that case, full removal and reinstallation should work like a charm. For this, you'll want to remove the database tables and the Serendipity blog directory.
Serendipity does not create a database itself, only the database contents. You'll have to create a database for Serendipity to store its information, and you'll have to tell Serendipity what the username and password for the database are. Again, each provider seems to do this in a different way, so you'll have to talk to them about it. (You probably already set up a database for your initial installation. If you still know the username and password, go clear out the database contents using phpMyAdmin so you can reuse the database itself.) Make sure the database uses the UTF-8 character encoding.
I recommend 1.0.4, as it's the latest stable version. Upload the files with FTP. Try the installation again. Let us know if you still have problems.
Sorry to hear you're having such trouble. We'll try to help you as much as we can. If you can, provide a URL so we can see the problem for ourselves: sometimes we can get a little extra information if we can visit your blog.
Blank pages are usually PHP errors. Use "view source" in your browser to verify that the pages are really blank. If they are, you'll find the reason in your PHP or Apache error logs -- but since each provider places them in a different location, you'll need to talk to your provider to find out how to view them.
The various other problems you've had (bad images, no Spanish) are probably artifacts of replacing the files without updating the database. It sounds like you're just getting started, so you probably don't have any entries yet. In that case, full removal and reinstallation should work like a charm. For this, you'll want to remove the database tables and the Serendipity blog directory.
Serendipity does not create a database itself, only the database contents. You'll have to create a database for Serendipity to store its information, and you'll have to tell Serendipity what the username and password for the database are. Again, each provider seems to do this in a different way, so you'll have to talk to them about it. (You probably already set up a database for your initial installation. If you still know the username and password, go clear out the database contents using phpMyAdmin so you can reuse the database itself.) Make sure the database uses the UTF-8 character encoding.
I recommend 1.0.4, as it's the latest stable version. Upload the files with FTP. Try the installation again. Let us know if you still have problems.
Thank you very much judebert.
I'm sorry I didn't post enough info, so I'll try to complete a bit more. My URL is http://lonelyplace.byethost2.com/ and at this moment, all files from s9y 1.0.4 are uploaded via FTP -i use FileZilla- and installation went good. As some other times I've done it, there were no errors during installation, DB info was correct and .htaccess was removed after install process. Before I removed it, I got 404, after deleting .htaccess, just blank.
I've been running s9y 1.0.2 perfectly during a few months: I had a couple of extra plug-ins installed and working, and about 22 entries with 37 comments.
Everything was fine until the server changed its DB settings. I tried doing all I said in my first post (using the informatics first rule: "If it doesn't work, restart it" hehehe) but I never cleaned the DB since I want to keep all the entries and comments and I'm a bit afraid of not making a good backup -I've learned "all" I know about informatic by myselft-.
Maybe my last option is to make a DB backup, clear it, delete all files and start from the beginning; then importing entries. Do you think this would work?
When I was running 1.1b6, I tried to change something manually and it didn't work: I had 'Jap??n' and I wanted 'Japón' in categories. I edited it, wrote what I wanted and got 'Jap?n' again. So I can't use written accents and therefore, I can't run a spanish blog...
I'll try right now to make a DB backup and reinstall everything again with 1.0.4, then let you know.
Thank you very much again judebert.
I'm sorry I didn't post enough info, so I'll try to complete a bit more. My URL is http://lonelyplace.byethost2.com/ and at this moment, all files from s9y 1.0.4 are uploaded via FTP -i use FileZilla- and installation went good. As some other times I've done it, there were no errors during installation, DB info was correct and .htaccess was removed after install process. Before I removed it, I got 404, after deleting .htaccess, just blank.
I've been running s9y 1.0.2 perfectly during a few months: I had a couple of extra plug-ins installed and working, and about 22 entries with 37 comments.
Everything was fine until the server changed its DB settings. I tried doing all I said in my first post (using the informatics first rule: "If it doesn't work, restart it" hehehe) but I never cleaned the DB since I want to keep all the entries and comments and I'm a bit afraid of not making a good backup -I've learned "all" I know about informatic by myselft-.
Maybe my last option is to make a DB backup, clear it, delete all files and start from the beginning; then importing entries. Do you think this would work?
When I was running 1.1b6, I tried to change something manually and it didn't work: I had 'Jap??n' and I wanted 'Japón' in categories. I edited it, wrote what I wanted and got 'Jap?n' again. So I can't use written accents and therefore, I can't run a spanish blog...
I'll try right now to make a DB backup and reinstall everything again with 1.0.4, then let you know.
Thank you very much again judebert.
Oh, boy. I just visited your URL; looks like the Serendipity directory is mostly gone. The bundled_libs/ directory is the only thing left.
I see what you mean with the database. A backup is important, but modifying the database info will be the way to get this thing working. Unfortunately, you've got a second problem: your setup won't accept your language characters. I'd guess it's not UTF-8 encoded, but I'm really weak with the language features, so I'll try to get you running again, and let someone else -- like Garvin or stm9x9 -- work out the language problem.
Here's what I'd do:
1) Backup the database. The info at http://s9y.org/198.html will help with that. It's about moving to a new directory, but the first half is an illustrated guide to backing up the database with phpMyAdmin.
2) Reupload the 1.0.2 files, preferably from an earlier backup. You'll probably get a blank screen, because Serendipity can't access the database (what with the changed info and everything).
3) Modify the database information. Edit serendipity_config_local.inc.php, and change the dbHost, dbUser, and dbPass to match the new database info. If the database prefix has changed, edit the dbPrefix, too. When you're done, 1.0.2 should be displaying the blog again. If not, we'll be happy to visit the URL again and see what's going on.
4) Upload the 1.0.4 files. I think you could update to one of the 1.1 betas, but they'll be released in a week or two anyway. I'd wait and upgrade again then.
We can get this working again. We'll stick with you until it's done.
I see what you mean with the database. A backup is important, but modifying the database info will be the way to get this thing working. Unfortunately, you've got a second problem: your setup won't accept your language characters. I'd guess it's not UTF-8 encoded, but I'm really weak with the language features, so I'll try to get you running again, and let someone else -- like Garvin or stm9x9 -- work out the language problem.
Here's what I'd do:
1) Backup the database. The info at http://s9y.org/198.html will help with that. It's about moving to a new directory, but the first half is an illustrated guide to backing up the database with phpMyAdmin.
2) Reupload the 1.0.2 files, preferably from an earlier backup. You'll probably get a blank screen, because Serendipity can't access the database (what with the changed info and everything).
3) Modify the database information. Edit serendipity_config_local.inc.php, and change the dbHost, dbUser, and dbPass to match the new database info. If the database prefix has changed, edit the dbPrefix, too. When you're done, 1.0.2 should be displaying the blog again. If not, we'll be happy to visit the URL again and see what's going on.
4) Upload the 1.0.4 files. I think you could update to one of the 1.1 betas, but they'll be released in a week or two anyway. I'd wait and upgrade again then.
We can get this working again. We'll stick with you until it's done.
Sorry not to tell you judebert.
I made a backup of the DB and then emptied it all, so I was able to start from the begginig and when I had the blog running, I would figure out how to get the entries back.
Then uploaded 1.0.4 and started installation. Completed it, everything went smooth, but then I deleted .htaccess and got a blank page again.
I tried not to desperate and kill everyone, and then deleted every file and cleaned the DB again.
With the server clean as the day it was born, I started to upload 1.1b6, wich seems to be, for some reason, the only one that works with my server. But I had to leave during the upload process, stopping it, and that's why you saw only bundled_libs.
Right now, I finished uploading 1.1b6 and after completing the installation, it says that it can't connect to de DB. I checked the server cpanel and seems to be doing something and it's unavailable, so I'll try later.
Once again, thank you very much for your time and efforts, judebert.
I made a backup of the DB and then emptied it all, so I was able to start from the begginig and when I had the blog running, I would figure out how to get the entries back.
Then uploaded 1.0.4 and started installation. Completed it, everything went smooth, but then I deleted .htaccess and got a blank page again.
I tried not to desperate and kill everyone, and then deleted every file and cleaned the DB again.
With the server clean as the day it was born, I started to upload 1.1b6, wich seems to be, for some reason, the only one that works with my server. But I had to leave during the upload process, stopping it, and that's why you saw only bundled_libs.
Right now, I finished uploading 1.1b6 and after completing the installation, it says that it can't connect to de DB. I checked the server cpanel and seems to be doing something and it's unavailable, so I'll try later.
Once again, thank you very much for your time and efforts, judebert.
I'm just glad to have the time to help out.
I didn't realize you had cleaned up each time. That makes the 1.0.4 blank screen especially confusing. I wonder if there's something in the .htaccess that sets an include path or something?
Upgrading Serendipity databases in place is a simple thing: Serendipity does it by itself. Importing other-version Serendipity databases can be a pain, since you'll need to make those changes yourself. The files in the sql directory will help.
The other option is to restore the database and 1.0.2, perhaps in a separate directory. (You could use a different database table prefix for your regular install to allow them to cohabit the same database.) Then upgrade it to 1.1b6, which will update the database. Then import the upgraded database. (If you used a different database table prefix, either change it in your serendipity_local_config.inc.php or edit your backup.)
I didn't realize you had cleaned up each time. That makes the 1.0.4 blank screen especially confusing. I wonder if there's something in the .htaccess that sets an include path or something?
Upgrading Serendipity databases in place is a simple thing: Serendipity does it by itself. Importing other-version Serendipity databases can be a pain, since you'll need to make those changes yourself. The files in the sql directory will help.
The other option is to restore the database and 1.0.2, perhaps in a separate directory. (You could use a different database table prefix for your regular install to allow them to cohabit the same database.) Then upgrade it to 1.1b6, which will update the database. Then import the upgraded database. (If you used a different database table prefix, either change it in your serendipity_local_config.inc.php or edit your backup.)
Hi there
I finally got the blog running, but 1.1b6. I have the language problem again, showing '??' instead of the characters I write.
I realized that in some parts, there are correct words, with written accents, but when I introduce the words, they don't show correctly. I checked it and when the words and phrases are in the lang_es file -i.e. in the administrator panel translation- they're ok, but they get wrong when I use the on-screen input.
I mean, when the words are already translated in a file, they are correct, but when I write them, they show '??' instead of written accents.
Now, the DB is like new and it's running a fresh installation, do you know how can I solve this language problem?
Thank you.
I finally got the blog running, but 1.1b6. I have the language problem again, showing '??' instead of the characters I write.
I realized that in some parts, there are correct words, with written accents, but when I introduce the words, they don't show correctly. I checked it and when the words and phrases are in the lang_es file -i.e. in the administrator panel translation- they're ok, but they get wrong when I use the on-screen input.
I mean, when the words are already translated in a file, they are correct, but when I write them, they show '??' instead of written accents.
Now, the DB is like new and it's running a fresh installation, do you know how can I solve this language problem?
Thank you.
-
garvinhicking
- Core Developer
- Posts: 30022
- Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:45 pm
- Location: Cologne, Germany
- Contact:
Hi Luis!
Do you use a WYSIWYG editor? Do the characters also show up wrong if you disable the WYSIWYG editor?
In the s9y configuration of your blog, do you have the charset set to "Native" or "UTF-8"?
Which MySQL version are you running now? If you look at the serendipity_entries table, does the 'body' field have a MySQL collation? (latin-1 or utf-8 or something like that)?
What's the URL of your blog? http://lonelyplace.byethost2.com/ looks more like a different page?!
Best regards,
Garvin
Do you use a WYSIWYG editor? Do the characters also show up wrong if you disable the WYSIWYG editor?
In the s9y configuration of your blog, do you have the charset set to "Native" or "UTF-8"?
Which MySQL version are you running now? If you look at the serendipity_entries table, does the 'body' field have a MySQL collation? (latin-1 or utf-8 or something like that)?
What's the URL of your blog? http://lonelyplace.byethost2.com/ looks more like a different page?!
Best regards,
Garvin
# Garvin Hicking (s9y Developer)
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/
Hello Garvin
It happens everytime with 1.1b6 -not with 1.0.2/4- in entries and everywhere.
Thank you very much Garvin.
Characters always show wrong unless they are part of a phrase tralslated in the lang_es file. When it's a word I input, it shows wrong. As example, in the blog subtitle in the main page, it shold say "Lugar Solitario" (It's right) and below "Un blog más", instead of this, it says 'm??s'.garvinhicking wrote:Hi Luis!
Do you use a WYSIWYG editor? Do the characters also show up wrong if you disable the WYSIWYG editor?
It happens everytime with 1.1b6 -not with 1.0.2/4- in entries and everywhere.
Yes, it's set to UTF-8. Should I put Native?garvinhicking wrote:In the s9y configuration of your blog, do you have the charset set to "Native" or "UTF-8"?
Right now, entries is empty, but looking at the DB backup, I can only find "`body` text,", nothing else. Could it be the error?garvinhicking wrote:Which MySQL version are you running now? If you look at the serendipity_entries table, does the 'body' field have a MySQL collation? (latin-1 or utf-8 or something like that)?
Yes, that's the URL with fresh and clean 1.1b6 installation and characters problem.garvinhicking wrote:What's the URL of your blog? http://lonelyplace.byethost2.com/ looks more like a different page?!
Best regards,
Garvin
Thank you very much Garvin.
-
garvinhicking
- Core Developer
- Posts: 30022
- Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:45 pm
- Location: Cologne, Germany
- Contact:
Hi!
Could you post a new entry on your blog to see how characters look in such an entry?
Also, if you enter a different description after you have installed s9y (by using the configuration), do the characters show up properly?
Regards,
Garvin
Could you post a new entry on your blog to see how characters look in such an entry?
Also, if you enter a different description after you have installed s9y (by using the configuration), do the characters show up properly?
Regards,
Garvin
# Garvin Hicking (s9y Developer)
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/
Ok -slap me-, now it seems to work ok... I don't know why it didn't before, but murphy's law came to ridiculize me lol. I swear it dind't work before.
Right, so I've checked the DB now and it shows "latin1_swedish_ci " in all MySQL Collation fields. I don't know why...
I've done a SQL query to insert and old entry from my DB backup, so you can see the result and the wrong characters.
I imagine there's no way to repair it, but if I'm wrong, please let me know and you'll make me happy, since I won't have to correct them manually.
Also, entries dates are showing in english instead of spanish, still don't know why, will have a look.
Thank you very much and sorry for my clumsiness.
Right, so I've checked the DB now and it shows "latin1_swedish_ci " in all MySQL Collation fields. I don't know why...
I've done a SQL query to insert and old entry from my DB backup, so you can see the result and the wrong characters.
I imagine there's no way to repair it, but if I'm wrong, please let me know and you'll make me happy, since I won't have to correct them manually.
Also, entries dates are showing in english instead of spanish, still don't know why, will have a look.
Thank you very much and sorry for my clumsiness.
-
garvinhicking
- Core Developer
- Posts: 30022
- Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:45 pm
- Location: Cologne, Germany
- Contact:
Hi!
Okay, I believe because of your DB import you imported an older DB structure as latin1. This made phpMyAdmin (or whatever you used) import the special characters in latin1, and NOT UTF-8 as they were before.
Now if you make new entries, s9y makes sure that UTF-8 content is saved to your DB. If you use the SQL import again, the characters will break.
The only way to make this right is to encode your SQL dump in UTF-8 format and make sure that UTF-8 characters, not latin1 are inserted. You might be able to make that work if you switch the DB collation to utf8 as well; but this might also have an effect to entries that you entered via s9y now.
Sadly, handling charsets is the most problematic thing when dealing with web applications and different MySQL versions/SQL dumps.
HTH,
Garvin
Okay, I believe because of your DB import you imported an older DB structure as latin1. This made phpMyAdmin (or whatever you used) import the special characters in latin1, and NOT UTF-8 as they were before.
Now if you make new entries, s9y makes sure that UTF-8 content is saved to your DB. If you use the SQL import again, the characters will break.
The only way to make this right is to encode your SQL dump in UTF-8 format and make sure that UTF-8 characters, not latin1 are inserted. You might be able to make that work if you switch the DB collation to utf8 as well; but this might also have an effect to entries that you entered via s9y now.
Sadly, handling charsets is the most problematic thing when dealing with web applications and different MySQL versions/SQL dumps.
For dates, s9y uses the "Locale" setup of the webserver. The webserver must have a locale like 'es_ES' installed to display spanish, so you might need to get in touch with your provider.Also, entries dates are showing in english instead of spanish, still don't know why, will have a look.
HTH,
Garvin
# Garvin Hicking (s9y Developer)
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/
I've been trying some different configurations for the DB and definitely, UTF-8 makes characters wrong, either UTF8_general or UTF8_spanish.
When I use UCS_Spanish (I put it by mistake) or latin1, characters show correctly.
Even more, when I am using utf8 with wrong characters and change DB setting to latin1, wrong characters show right, so there's a light of faith: if I manage to convert old .txt DB backup in UTF8 to latin1, I might recover old entries, might I? Is there any way to do that?
Now I'm going to reconfigure it to latin1, since I'm not able to change tables settings, only default DB char settings, so tables keep utf8 coding and blog subtitle shows wrong.
When I use UCS_Spanish (I put it by mistake) or latin1, characters show correctly.
Even more, when I am using utf8 with wrong characters and change DB setting to latin1, wrong characters show right, so there's a light of faith: if I manage to convert old .txt DB backup in UTF8 to latin1, I might recover old entries, might I? Is there any way to do that?
Now I'm going to reconfigure it to latin1, since I'm not able to change tables settings, only default DB char settings, so tables keep utf8 coding and blog subtitle shows wrong.
-
garvinhicking
- Core Developer
- Posts: 30022
- Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:45 pm
- Location: Cologne, Germany
- Contact:
Hi!
IF you plan to use latin1, then you need to set the s9y charset to "Native"! That should help in your case!
Regards,
Garvin
IF you plan to use latin1, then you need to set the s9y charset to "Native"! That should help in your case!
Regards,
Garvin
# Garvin Hicking (s9y Developer)
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/
# Did I help you? Consider making me happy: http://wishes.garv.in/
# or use my PayPal account "paypal {at} supergarv (dot) de"
# My "other" hobby: http://flickr.garv.in/