Help with Step2 FTP SERVER SETUP.

[fhoude]

Hi,
I’m new with PHP but I would like to run the EEngine to make a nice Image Gallery.
Unfortunately, I’m stopped at step 2 of EEsetup (FTP Server Setup)
I try to read all the post that could help me but that did not solve. So now I’m asking

When trying to connect on FTP (Both “test now” Fail) I got 2 kinds of error:
1/ With PHP FTP Module I got: Fatal error: Call to undefined function: ftp_connect() in /var/www/free.fr/2/c/fhoude34/.../fetchsettings.php on line 2053
If I understand well it’s because my provider does not support PHP FTP Module and it seem to be true as they said it’s not installed…

2/ With EE internal FTP: EE want to change the web page but I got an “Impossible to display this page” HTTP 500 / Internal Server Error. (Translation from FRENCH)
Adress is : http://fhoude34.free.fr/.../EDITOR_ftp_servers.php?test=1&testid=6&s=bc0025a20 9912f6b7418
I did not understand why. I disable Firewall to be sure but It fail again.
I assume the internal FTP is the only way to work but how?

Do you have any idea how to solve this ?

My EEngine is right here: [edited off]

Regards
FRED

[Pekka]

I edited you site info off the message: please be aware that letting people in to your editor will reveal ftp pass if it is not crypted.

It seems your problem is perhaps in folder permission problem. There are few folder (see install info) which needs to be 777 permission. I ftp'd to your server and it refused to accept permission commands, so you should contact server support and ask for them to change the permissions. Without correct folder permissions PHP can not write files or read folder contents.

These folders must have 777 permissions for EE to work correctly (GALLERY is path to your EE main folder):

GALLERY/temp
GALLERY/export
GALLERY/input/temp
GALLERY/input/UPLOAD
GALLERY/input/UPLOAD/test
GALLERY/input/UPLOAD/ee_temp_upload
GALLERY/input/backup/ee_backup_files

In same support query you might want to increase maximum execution time in php from 15 (seconds, you setting now) to something like 300 (5 minutes).

[fhoude]

I edited you site info off the message: please be aware that letting people in to your editor will reveal ftp pass if it is not crypted.

Thanks, I send you a PM for that...


It seems your problem is perhaps in folder permission problem. There are few folder (see install info) which needs to be 777 permission. I ftp'd to your server and it refused to accept permission commands, so you should contact server support and ask for them to change the permissions. Without correct folder permissions PHP can not write files or read folder contents.

Yes, you are right, I'm not allowed to change my folder property status
I will try to ask my provider directly but on a support forum, someone told me that Free does not allow that and says it's not usefull to change from 755 to 777. He suggest me to change the PHP script :(

Well, I'll wait to see if I have other solution...

Edited -------------------
I just have an other information to give...
I was told that the error is perhaps often due to .htaccess PB. I don't know how they detect that but as this file is meant for file authorisation perhaps it's a way to solve my pb. (I'm not used with this file capability)
Edited -------------------


FRED

[fhoude]

Hi Pekka & the others,

I've got the answer from my provider :(

"CHMOD has been deactivate for security reason, PHP script don't have to use that function to work"

Which mean that perhaps there is other method to code the script?
And which mean that I'm now able to use your script for the moment...

Pekka is there any other way to change that 777 folder property technics?

If I understand well 775 enable only write access for me the manager and 777 enable write access for "group" and "public"
I don't understand why the script could not use my login/password (stored in Add/Connect.php) to act as manager all the time... So 775 should be enough.
Sorry if my reflection is wrong :)

Another solution, I think, is to work on my local machine. Manage my web page localy and then transfert the whole site on the internet. I Hope that the 777 issue is only need for managing my web page not when browsing on the web PHP page...

What do you think ?
FRED

[Pekka]

Hi Pekka & the others,

I've got the answer from my provider :(

"CHMOD has been deactivate for security reason, PHP script don't have to use that function to work"

It's nice when server providers do such uneducated comments to cover their lack of knowledge.

Many PHP commands like fwrite, exec, passthu, unlink etc. will require CHMOD 777 or 757 in UNIX, meaning that PHP acts as "public" when handling files. I handle all file transfers with ftp in EE and then normal permissions are sufficient, but there has to be some folders for temporary files (e.g. when Imagemagick writes files to disk before they are transferred by ftp to new location) and there 777/757 is required.

Now that I checked it more, your server error is maybe not about folder permissions (because incremental filetest was not ticked on) but something else - perhaps restricted functionality in PHP or UID problems. You'd need to access server logs to know more - if I can't get a clear PHP error message all I can do is guesswork.

Which mean that perhaps there is other method to code the script?
And which mean that I'm now able to use your script for the moment...

Pekka is there any other way to change that 777 folder property technics?

One possiblity is to change to Windows server. Windows do not have such strict permission system as UNIX. Other possibility is to change provider.

Another solution, I think, is to work on my local machine. Manage my web page localy and then transfert the whole site on the internet. I Hope that the 777 issue is only need for managing my web page not when browsing on the web PHP page...

You can set up EE on your home machine with Imagemagick, MySQL and Apache and then set it up to ftp the photos to internet server. After you add or edit photos you'll need to do EE Backup dump and restore that dump on internet server. I develop EE this way, on Windows XP machine.

If you can find a cheap good server provider but it lacks space: as EE can use any number of machines for image storage it could be possible to find other free servers which deliver the images. This way you can save bandwidth and gain faster speed, too.

[fhoude]

Thanks for your valuable feedback Pekka, I know your a busy man.

I asked for an error log informatation but I'm a little affraid of the answer :(

If I did not find any solution, I think I'll work offline and then transfer the data on my fuc--ng server. I don't know exactly if its easy to work that way but I'm sure I wont be the only one... I'll search information on the forum later.

Take care,
FRED