GT Problems on new server

Regular Joined: Sep 14, 2003 Posts: 74

I've been testing out my website on a new VPS provider and stumbled across the weirdest problems with GT-Next Gen's google tap as it doesn't seem to want to work!

The difference between the older and newer provider is the Apache version which is v1.3 for the older and v2 for the newer.

My extensive testing shows that the mod-rewrite is loaded correctly, but there seems to be a problem with the rewrite rules - which I can't explain. I should note that the 'test' server's files are a direct copy from the older server which is working!

Does anyone have any ideas as to what the problem might be?

Also, I've noticed that the rewrite rules used here at raven's site are slightly different from mine (gt nextgen), for example, the links to the site's forum categories here are www.ravenphpscripts.com/forum1.html where my site is www.firewall.cx/forum-1.html - so I'm wondering, is raven's site using a different type of google tap ?

The 'test' site I mentioned above (on the new server), generates the forum categories using 'forum-1.html' as expected (because the older server does the same), but when I click on them, I get a 'Sorry, such file doesn't exist...'.
If however I manually type 'testsite.firewall.cx/forum1.html' (instead of the generated forum-1.html), the link will properly work, but that's as far as I get.

My conclusion is that the Nextgen google tap module seems to sort of work, but I'm suspecting that something in the mod-rewrite process is not being performed correctly - but I'm unable to explain what exactly.

Debugging of the mod rewrite proved very difficult as I couldn't make much out of it.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated. I can also provide the 'test' site url for you to see.

Thank you.

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:08 pm

I looked at your primary domain and don't see GT enabled.

As for mod_rewrite rules established in your .htaccess file, they must match the in/out definitions established in the GoogleTap folder (the GT file for each module).

If your .htaccess says to set it to be forum-1.html, your GT-forums.php file must have that same definition (and not for example, forum1.html)

If you have it working in one place, applying those same files and .htaccess rules elsewhere (ragardless of the apache version) should make no difference... It should work the same.

Some people have modified pointers (as I have) to use distinct or personal preference addresses. As time went on and I added new GT functions, this also meant that I ended up with pointers that are unique to my domain (versus what someone else may have).

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:56 pm

64bitguy,

Thank you for your reply.

I don't know how you checked my primary domain and found that the mod-rewrite is not enabled, but if you visit the forums, you'll discover that all it's links are .html (re-written).

Apart from that, as I've mentioned, its working on the first server (the live site) and I've copied it to the new VPS server and that's were it seems not to be working correctly.

Is there a simple script that I can try to confirm that the mod-rewrite is working on the new server to help rule out this possibility?

Thank you once again.

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 10:35 pm

Hi

I wasn't saying that mod_rewrite wasn't enabled; but rather simply noted that your domain seem to have all .php properties. When I used your menu system everything was taking me to all php pages including forums. This led me to believe at first glance that you hadn't implemented GT. Upon review, I note that you do have GT partially enabled. Once on the forum page, I noticed that your module menu system reverts to GT enabled links for forums.

A few things I would point out.
First, you might want to consider going ahead and enabling static GT properties for forums in your module (site navigation) menu so that .html links are always used for forums.

If you want your news indexed in the search engines, you might consider using GT on your homepage as well.

You might also want to consider GT enabling your forums block so that it also reflects html links instead of php links.

Regaring testing mod_rewrite, in fact yes, there is a test program.

Please download: http://gt.audioslaved.com/download-file-29.html

Hope this helps!
Steph

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:29 am

64bitguy,

Enabling GT in the site navigation is certainly something that will happen once I'm over these problems.

As far as the mod re-write tester, for some reason, it's never worked for me. Even on firewall.cx, whenever I uploaded it and tested the server, it would report that the module is either not enabled or incorrectly configured, but then again, the forums seem to work with GT Smile

Any ideas ?

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 9:48 am

Hi

If you are getting errors reported, than something is wrong with your server. The test program is 100% effective as far as I have ever seen.

It is a very simple test that works flawlessly in a properly configured environment.
The only results you should ever see in a properly configured environment are:

Worker Joined: Apr 14, 2004 Posts: 193

In assisting folks in GT-Nextgen installation, I usually find people complain about it not working when they have neglected to complete the installation. After a quick look at your site it was apparent that you need to convert your block modules to a GT version. Another point is that the urls are still long - go to your admin preferences and delete entirely the first entry under cookie domain.

Once you have done these two things, report back your results and I will try to help further.........

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 1:49 pm

Well I would simply comment that the test program is run BEFORE the installation of GT-Nextgen or any other form of GT. If the test program reports errors, there is something awry with your Apache mod_rewrite configuration.

I agree that the ideal solution is to run the GT modules block for the navigation, but that would come after succssfully having mod_rewrite working.

In linux hosting situations, this hasn't been a real problem; however, my experience has been that in Microsoft based server configurations, part of the Apache installation/hooks installation is skipped resulting in errors in the test program itself (meaning, Apache and mod_rewrite functaions are not totally installed).

Just a heads up..
Steph

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 3:19 pm

Dean,

I should note once again that the forums are working (on the current VPS server) with the GT module, regardless if the block module are a GT version or not.

As 64bitguy correctly said, the GT modules solution will come after successfully having mod_rewrite report its working with the test tool provided.

At the moment, I'm trying to focus in getting the mod rewrite module to pass the test, so I can then proceed resolving the problems I am experiencing with the forums on the new VPS server, so for simplicity's sake, let's assume no GT modification or re-write is working on the new VPS server.

Now, coming back to the troubleshooting process, here is some more information that might prove helpful:

The new VPS server is a Fedora Core 2 running Plesk 7.5. This version of Plesk runs with Apache v2 and has a main httpd.conf file in /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf. Each domain/client has its own additional httpd.conf file found in the client's /home/httpd/vhosts/domainname(e.g firewall.cx)/conf/httpd.include.

It is in this file I have added the following to ensure the mod_rewrite module is setup correctly:

.......
<VirtualHost xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:80>
ServerName firewall.cx:80
ServerAlias www.firewall.cx
....
<Directory /home/httpd/vhosts/firewall.cx/httpdocs>
AllowOverride All
.....

Closing, my phpinfo.php file reports that the mod rewrite module is loaded.

Anything else that I can check at this point? If I'm correct, this is all that's required for the mod rewrite test to succeed;

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 10:51 pm

The mod rewrite tester is not foolproof - I mistakenly thought I needed to pass that test before completing installation when I put up my first GT installation. However, after contacting host and finding that mod rewrite was installed I went ahead with installation anyway and despite the failed results from the tester had a fully functioning GT installation that I repeated with a number of sites using the same host.

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:11 am

Admin...

I should mention that rewrite configurations are not inherited. Meaning that you need a "RewriteEngine on" directive for each virtual host.

I haven't had to configure the server side in a while since I'm primarily using shared hosting now, but I thought I would point you to: http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.0/mod/mod_rewrite.html

I know for many, it's been problematic as a module.... Many still run in CGI mode for a few reasons. I think Raven is running as a module maybe we can get some feedback from him.

A few things I am very curious about.... First... Why MySQL 3.23? I'd really recommend moving up to 4.0.23!

Next, where are your GD Libraries? I may be wrong, but I think this could be at the heart of your problem. You should make sure that you have GD installed! See: http://www.boutell.com/gd/

Hope this helps.

registered · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:46 pm

64bitguy wrote:

In linux hosting situations, this hasn't been a real problem; however, my experience has been that in Microsoft based server configurations, part of the Apache installation/hooks installation is skipped resulting in errors in the test program itself (meaning, Apache and mod_rewrite functaions are not totally installed).

Steph and Co.,

I have the directives set in httpd.conf for mod_rewrite, but I can't get this !@#$% thing to work on a Windows 2000 installation of Apache 1.33.x. I do the command apaphe -l and do not see any mod rewrite in the listing, however, when I restart apache, I do not get any errors. You mention that folks have had alot of issues on Windows, are you able to point me to a good resource for figuring this out? I have tried numerous Google Searches and looked through the Apache docs and I just can't for the life of me figure out why this is so difficult to get configured. Everything keeps pointing to this ONE directive in httpd.conf:

Code:




LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so

AAAArrrrggghhhhhhh.... My experience with Apache is about as good as "hey, it installed, it runs PHP, and nuke works!". Smile

I have never had to "play" with the inner workings so to speak.

montego

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:06 pm

http://www.petefreitag.com/item/286.cfm

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:27 pm

64bitguy wrote:

http://www.petefreitag.com/item/286.cfm

Steph, sorry, I may not have been clear? I am trying to get Apache to do mod_rewrite on a windows environment. I am not trying to get it to work on IIS. I have no desire to use IIS. I am trying to keep my development environment as similar as possible to my production hosted environment, with the only exception being that I have to run windows in DEV as I don't have time or skillsets to admin UNIX/Linux on my home computer.

Has anyone else got mod-rewrite working on a windows - Apache machine that wouldn't mind helping me out on getting mine working? It is strange that I cannot find much on the web about issues, but the Apache binary install was so simple and the httpd.conf file is so simple, that I just can't seem to figure out why its not working.

TIA,
montego

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:47 pm

Sorry, I don't do Microsoft when it comes to servers. I stopped playing russian roulette in that regard a couple of years ago (when I came to Nuke).

The only thing I can point you to is:
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/windows.html

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 6:08 am

Yup.... very much acquainted with the Apache docs... Bang Head

I'll have to keep digging. Anybody else out there gotten Apache's mod_rewrite on a windows machine? If so, would you please PM me or reply here. I must be missing something simple (I hope).

TIA,
montego