Install step #1 reports session.save_path is ""

[drew]

Hello,

We just setup a hosting account with BlueHost.com and everything went smoothly until it was time for the CMSMS install config via browser. The Step #1 page shows session.save_path as YELLOW. It also reports:

  Your session.save_path is ""

I have verified that my php.ini has a valid save_path and that perms are ok.

I have also tried a simple script to test 'writable' status of the path setting:

Code: Select all

<?php echo 'session_save_path: "'.session_save_path().'" '; ?>
<br>
<?php
if (is_writable(session_save_path()))
  echo '"'.session_save_path().'" is writable';
else
  echo '"'.session_save_path().'" is NOT writable';
?>

Result is as expected:

Code: Select all

session_save_path: "/home/<snip>/tmp/php-sessions"
"/home/<snip>/tmp/php-sessions" is writable

Is it possible that a SLOW server might cause the CMSMS install script to timeout and fail the session_save_path() call?

I did not see anything obvious in the CMSInstallerPage1.class.php install script.

If this is more of a server/PHP issues, please disregard.  However, all suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

[Pierre M.]

Hello,

I don't know this hosting provider and you don't provide enough information to diagnose if it is a performance issue.

Please tell us what link you have downloaded and which CMSms version you are trying to install.
Have a look at your http logS to see if there is more information there.
May be you can try a phpinfo() to know more about the PHP sessions.
It may help us to tell if al other lights are green or if some (which ones ?) are yellow too.

Pierre M.

[drew]

Hello Pierre, thanks for your reply.

I don't know this hosting provider and you don't provide enough information to diagnose if it is a performance issue.

Bluehost.com seems to be well regarded and their site admin services are full featured allowing easy up/download, file management and perm mods. I was able to skip step #1 yellows and finished the install at: http://saintjohnchelmsford.org

What type of site performance information should I be looking for?

Please tell us what link you have downloaded and which CMSms version you are trying to install.

I'm installing cmsms 1.2.3 on a LInux host running PHP 5.2.5  I'm usure what you mean by "what link you have downloaded".

Have a look at your http logS to see if there is more information there.

I will try to find them.

May be you can try a phpinfo() to know more about the PHP sessions.

Here is the phpinfo dump. Everything seems ok including loaded php.ini :

Code: Select all

PHP Version: 5.2.5
System: Linux box376.bluehost.com 2.6.22-9_1.BHsmp #1 SMP Fri Sep 28 23:36:16 MDT 2007 x86_64
Build Date: Dec 17 2007 13:05:35
Configure Command: './configure' '--enable-bcmath' '--enable-calendar' '--enable-exif' '--enable-fastcgi' '--enable-ftp' '--enable-gd-native-ttf' '--enable-libxml' '--enable-magic-quotes' '--enable-mbstring' '--enable-pdo=shared' '--enable-soap' '--enable-sockets' '--enable-zip' '--prefix=/usr' '--with-bz2' '--with-curl=/opt/curlssl/' '--with-freetype-dir=/usr' '--with-gd' '--with-gettext' '--with-imap=/opt/php_with_imap_client/' '--with-imap-ssl=/opt/openssl' '--with-jpeg-dir=/usr' '--with-kerberos' '--with-libdir=lib64' '--with-libexpat-dir=/usr' '--with-libxml-dir=/opt/xml2/' '--with-mcrypt=/opt/libmcrypt/' '--with-mhash=/opt/mhash/' '--with-mime-magic' '--with-mysql=/usr' '--with-mysql-sock=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock' '--with-mysqli=/usr/bin/mysql_config' '--with-openssl=/opt/openssl' '--with-openssl-dir=/opt/openssl' '--with-pdo-mysql=shared' '--with-pdo-sqlite=shared' '--with-pgsql=/usr' '--with-pic' '--with-png-dir=/usr' '--with-pspell' '--with-sqlite=shared' '--with-tidy=/opt/tidy/' '--with-ttf' '--with-xmlrpc' '--with-xpm-dir=/usr/X11R6' '--with-xsl=/opt/xslt/' '--with-zlib' '--with-zlib-dir=/usr'
Server API: CGI/FastCGI      ...I have FastCGI disabled
Virtual Directory Support: disabled
Configuration File (php.ini) Path: /usr/lib
Loaded Configuration File: /home/<snip>/public_html/php.ini
PHP API: 20041225
PHP Extension: 20060613
Zend Extension: 220060519
Debug Build: no
Thread Safety: disabled
Zend Memory Manager: enabled
IPv6 Support: IPv6 Support 
Registered PHP Streams: zip, php, file, data, http, ftp, compress.bzip2, compress.zlib, https, ftps
Registered Stream Socket Transports: tcp, udp, unix, udg, ssl, sslv3, sslv2, tls
Registered Stream Filters: string.rot13, string.toupper, string.tolower, string.strip_tags, convert.*, consumed, convert.iconv.*, bzip2.*, zlib.*

It may help us to tell if al other lights are green or if some (which ones ?) are yellow too.

Yes, all light are green except for session.save_path

[drew]

I have noticed that Server API: CGI/FastCGI indicates that my hoster is running Apache with 'suexec'.

This is one major difference from my working installation at home.

- Bluehost.com is running: phpSUEXEC

- My VM LAMP is running: Apache 2.0 Handler

[drew]

A bit more debugging shows that session variables are lost after the call to redirect() within the top level install script .../public_html/index.php

Before the call, the 'save_path' has a valid path and is writable. After the call, save_path has no value.

There are several discussions at other forums regarding lost session variables due to redirect(). Apparently related to suexec. Will keep digging to solve this.

[Pierre M.]

May be you can try another PHP software requiring PHP sessions to work to see if your issue is CMSms or hosting related ?

Pierre M.

[drew]

Good point.

If I can't find a suitable application, maybe a small program can be devised.
Might also be an opportunity to learn a bit more about PHP programming

Thanks Pierre.

[drew]

continuing in a new thread:

http://forum.cmsmadesimple.org/index.ph ... 059.0.html