SOLVED and still having problems with the package manager!
Been busy last week with "
modification parse error", had even to say to my wife , no sorry have a headache honey
but have partly solved it , with the help of my host servage:
1. It has nothing to do with smf version "whatever",
besides perhaps ...package.php
2. it has nothing to do with mods, not suitable mods give errormsg themselves.
3. it has nothing to do with what phpversion you have
Errors besides "modification parse error" are unpacking (if any) zips/gz with filelength 0 bytes, and not modifying files, files or links not showing up and no functionality whatsoever.
I have setup several 1.1.2 and 1.1.4 clean install on different domains, and worked my way thru.
Safe mode (GD) both off before (mod)install, register globals on off
(takes 3 hours to take effect).
lean install works fine but encountered time after time the same "modification parse error".
Checked forumerror log SMF:
admin Today at 11:43:15 AM
82.176.116.58 9532d96eaa5ac8fd62af10f0561e0b73
http://www.degratiskrantvannederland.nl/smf/index.php?action=packages;sa=install;package=feed.zip 8: fwrite() [<a href='function.fwrite'>function.fwrite</a>]: send of 91 bytes failed with errno=32 Broken pipe
File: /mounted-storage/home20b/sub003/sc20581-HXVG/degratiskrantvannederland.nl/smf/Sources/Subs-Package.php
Line: 2902
function.copy and function.fwrite don't work.
And unpacking (if any) zips/gz with filelength 0 bytes has to do with zlib of Apache.
That broken pipe points to server (over)load !!
But there's more:
My host points out that besides chmod there's also CHOWN.
I'm not a techie so I use normal language now:CH is change OWN owner.
When you have Filezilla you see owner in your screen and there you see the
name-holder of the account, for smfsoftware to modify the files you have to change that ownership recursivly (througout the entire smf folders) TO
WEBSERVER recursivly (I use the names as shown to me..perhaps with others that's called otherwise) so the webserver can act standalone as temporay owner
and change files.
However you have to have superuser-status to change the CHOWN.
For chmod a simple ftp prog will do.
If you have in your account a online filemanager, that can point to that status.
Possibly there you can change CHOWN.
(For techies, type chown in google or se)
Note: If your /smf folder has WEBSERVER recursivly as owner, you can download by ftp, but you can't upload anymore ! So plan your work.
One thing at a time. (Or use packagemanager for manuel upload)
After the modification has be done (when doing that I've uploaded and installed/modified 8 mods without errors) you have to CHange the OWNership
back to YOU recursivly, for safety reasons.
You can/should also return to PHP safe mode (GD).
HOWEVER, and this is why it partly works sofar, that broke pipe and server (over)load hampers flawless working.
For instance, I live in the netherlands, europe and around 16.30 USA wakes up
and get online, then I get the same "modification parse error" again !!
Server (over)load..
Cheap servers get server (over)load, expensive once less..I assume..
Or run your own.
For me the late mornings seem to be the best time to install mods, when the USA
is still asleep.
For the developers of SMF : Is perhaps the solution that files to be modified are downloaded on the user computer, modified there and uploaded again,
by a standalone packagemangerprog, I dont know if db querys present a problem, but sofar the php functions open, write give the largest problems.
Or divide the modify.xml's in modify files.xml and modify db.xml's ?
Hope this is clear...
Forgot to mention: chmod recurisvly (all folders/files to 777 and now no problems when usa is awake...(up till now then )
After modinstall change chown and chmod RECURivly back, except folders/files that still need 777...
, please make the following files 777 (writable, 755 on some hosts):
attachments
avatars
Packages
Packages/installed.list
Smileys
Themes
agreement.txt
Settings.php
Settings_bak.php