Thread

HI there - I’m experiencing the odd quirk in my client’s deployment of EE 2.1 (latest build) on their own internal server and I’m hoping tracking the latest symptom back to the source may also address some of the other issues I’m encountering.  Here’s my latest symptom:

When i go to edit one of my most recently saved templates, the edit window - the space where the template cod should be displaying to allow me to edit it - comes up blank - repeatedly (although inexplicably it does show up for me right now, I have experienced this with several template editing windows in the past few days, even after shutting down the browser and re-entering EECP).  But if i click on the “view rendered template” button, it renders correctly.  Below the template edit window, the row/tabs for preferences, access and template notes are missing, as are the update and update and finish buttons.

I’ve experienced a few errors in trying to install the CP Analytics add-on, as well as the freeform add-on, that seem to suggest there may be some issue with the database setup on the server, so again, i hope tracing the symptoms to the source will resolve the issues.  I have posted those symptoms to their respective add-on developers’ support forums, but this latest symptom is right in EE proper, so I’m hoping you’ll be able to help.

The client is running:
EE 2.1 build 20100810
PHP version: 5.3.2
MySQL version: 5.0.7
The setup is currently NOT to save templates as files
I have manually cleared the cache via FTP once already at the EE support team’s request (but before this latest symptom)

Thanks,
John

John,

First please try reproducing with extensions disabled. If it continues, try some other browsers to see if the behavior is the same. Finally, let us know what errors specifically you’re receiving when you try to install the CP Analytics add-on.

John,

First please try reproducing with extensions disabled. If it continues, try some other browsers to see if the behavior is the same. Finally, let us know what errors specifically you’re receiving when you try to install the CP Analytics add-on.

I do receive that same problem - there’s no error message, the template content simply doesn’t load into the edit window and the buttons as described do not show up.  But if i reload the page once or twice, it does, so at least on the surface it still works, but i thought i should let you know in case it’s a known solvable issue.

For the CP Analytics panel, I get the following error:

A Database Error Occurred
Error Number: 1366

Incorrect integer value: '' for column 'extension_id' at row 1

INSERT INTO `exp_extensions` (`extension_id`, `class`, `method`, `hook`, `settings`, `priority`, `version`, `enabled`) VALUES ('', 'Cp_analytics_ext', '', '', '', 10, '1.0.1', 'y')

This error occurs when I go to Add-ons > Extensions > CP Analytics Settings > Enable and try to complete the installation of the “Extension” Component (the “accessory” component is installed without any error message).

I also receive an error when trying to create any field in a fresh install of the latest build of Freeform:

A Database Error Occurred
Error Number: 1364

Field 'form_name' doesn't have a default value

INSERT INTO exp_freeform_fields (`field_id`, `name`, `label`, `field_type`, `field_order`, `field_length`) VALUES ('', 'test', 'test', 'textarea', '1', '150')

There’s someone else that posted the same error to the Solspace support forum about this that thought it had to do with Strict Mode on the database?  I’m not knowledgable on databases, so i wasn’t entirely sure whether that might have something to do with it on my end as well, but i thought I would at least mention it.

I also receive a PHP Warning when I go to the Deeploy Helper Add-on screen:

A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: Invalid argument supplied for foreach()
Filename: deeploy_helper/mcp.deeploy_helper.php
Line Number: 113

I’m hoping they’re all symptoms of the same thing and that by seeing all of these errors together you’ll be able to diagnose what the issue is and recommend a resolution.

Thanks,
John

Still really eager to get my deployment issue solved.  Please let me know as soon as you have some suggestions.  I could PM you access info as well.

Thanks,
John

qbmarketing,

Would you or the server admin be able to check if you are running your database in Strict mode please?
If it is then get them to turn it off and retest your site to see if issue persists

Hi John - here’s is the server administrator’s reply:

As per your call, I looked into what modes the database is in. It is indeed running in strict mode (specifically, STRICT_TRANS_TABLES). This means that it will fail statements that contain invalid data (such as null fields in non-null columns and invalid data types). If plugins are failing due to this, I would suggest that it is likely a problem with the plugin and the developer should be contacted. I believe Gerry mentioned that you have already done so in a few cases.

I would not recommend making things not strict, as that would potentially result in even more problems down the road (‘required’ fields with missing data, etc).

Do you have any recommendation on what I should do now?  Is there an alternative mode that would satisfy his concerns?  Or should i just ask him to change it temporarily to see if we can confirm that as the issue I’m facing?

Thanks,
John

Yes, my advice would be to have it temporarily disabled. If that solves the issue we know what to look for, at least.

Ok, strict mode was turned off temporarily and that did seem to resolved the issues we have been facing.  But as my client doesn’t want to leave the database in strict mode for the reasons he cited in his message to me (see earlier post in this same thread), what can i do to ensure that EE continues to work properly, along with the few plugins I have in place, while not leaving the database in non-strict mode?

For the moment no longer being in strict mode, Freeform and CP Analytics did start to work.  i created several fields in Freeform, but I did discover that I’m still experiencing an issue - when i went to create a field called “email” i got the following error:

A Database Error Occurred
Error Number: 1060

Duplicate column name 'email'

ALTER TABLE exp_freeform_entries ADD `email` varchar(150) NOT NULL

I’m also still seeing this error with deeploy helper:

A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: Invalid argument supplied for foreach()
Filename: deeploy_helper/mcp.deeploy_helper.php
Line Number: 113

Thoughts?

Thanks,
John

Actually, EE should run in strict mode, too. Some third party add-ons (extensions, modules, etc.) might not, however. Can you try this with just a stock install, as it were? Otherwise, yes, turning it off would be the recommended solution.

Freeform is one of those “must have” modules from my perspective, and they don’t appear to affirm that it shouldn’t run in strict mode, so I’m puzzled as to what the source of the problem would be.  They haven’t been terribly quick to respond to my inquiries about it (Freeform being a free module, i get it, but I plan to use the Tag module as well, which is commercial, but if I can’t get Freeform working, I’m certainly not going to pay for and try the tag module just yet).  The thing is, I’ve used Freeform on several sites so far with no serious issues - but this is a unique deployment on a client’s own internal server - every other site I’ve done has been on Engine Hosting, and no issues there.  I’m just looking for help determining the “why” behind the issues so I can get more focused on the actual build of the site.  The other add-ons I’ve installed - Playa, Matrix, Wygwam, TruncHTML, SEO Lite, MX Cloner and MX Title Control have all worked just fine.  But I’m a designer, not a server administrator, so I just don’t have the knowledge to actively participate in the diagnosis.  Frustrating.

qbmarketing,

Pure coincidence but I had to install EE on a local deployment on Vista running XAMPP last night and same issue that the DB was running in strict mode. Also to reconfirm EE seemed to run fine. It was a few third-party add-ons that threw errors for me.

With your Freeform add-on make sure you are updated to latest as Solspace will probably ask you that first.
With the Deeploy Helper error, have you contacted the author?

Yes, the problems seem to be limited to a couple of plugins - Freeform being the most concerning one since I find it to be a really simple way to go about building forms and capturing the data - I’ve not tried other methods really.

I did contact the developer of Deeploy but i have not received a response yet.

Does running a database without strict mode on cause any kind of security or data integrity issues?  Taking the system out of strict mode seems to have resolved some issues (Freeform works, but i still have the Deeploy error, and file uploading from within Wygwam isn’t working either, even though i have tried re-installing after strict mode was turned off).  My client is concerned about that and wants to return to strict mode.  But i don’t know enough about databases or servers to know whether this is a problem or not.

Thanks,
John

Yes, the problems seem to be limited to a couple of plugins - Freeform being the most concerning one since I find it to be a really simple way to go about building forms and capturing the data

Yes, I understand. I use it regularly, too.

Does running a database without strict mode on cause any kind of security or data integrity issues?

I see you have started a parallel thread? Perhaps we can discuss this there? Marking this one as “Resolved” for now.