Data corruption causes intermitt. crash 2.2

[!!aardvaark]

After upgrading to 2.2 rc1 ( I had skipped out on the encrypted versions b4 this) my skins kept corrupting with an error message about an unexpected ( in skin_global; listing different skin numbers (over a few days) in no specific order.

I compared two skin_global.php files using "Beyond Compare" and discovered that there appeared to be an ampersand & thrown into the line of script that was causing the pages to fail to load.



ANyone got experience of this? Is it just noise corrupting the files transfer? some other script generating this error, maybe when the skin files are getting cached or is there possibly a more sinister reason this has occurred?

Your feedback appreciated (even if its to say that its innocent corruption - unlikely to reoccur)

Regards ;)

[Mat Barrie]

Do you have an example of one of the lines? We might be able to help out more if we can get a look at it :)

[!!aardvaark]

: syntax error, unexpected '(', expecting T_VARIABLE or '$' in on line

Parse error/home/domain/public_html/forums/cache/skin_cache/cacheid_15/skin_global.php327

extract from skin_global.php (highlighting in red the rogue?? character)


" . (($component_links != "") ? ("
{$component_links}
") : ("")) . "
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='ipb-tl-search_menu' style='display:none;width:210px'>
<form action=\"{$this->ipsclass->base_url}act=Search&amp;CODE=01\" method=\"post\">
<input type='hidden' name='forums' id='gbl-search-forums' value='all' />
<input type=\"text\" size=\"20\" name=\"keywords\" id='ipb-tl-search-box' />
<input class=\"button\" type=\"image\" style='border:0px' src=\"{$this->ipsclass->vars['img_url']}/login-button.gif\" />
327 " . (($($this->ipsclass->input['act'] == 'sf' OR $this->ipsclass->input['act'] == 'st') AND $this->ipsclass->input['f']) ? ("
<br /><input type='checkbox' id='gbl-search-checkbox' value='1' onclick='gbl_check_search_box()' checked='checked' /> Search this forum only?
") : ("")) . "
</form>
<div style='padding:4px'>
<a href='{$this->ipsclass->base_url}act=Search'>{$this->ipsclass->lang['gbl_more_search']}</a>


Your gonna say I'm wrong! right?

[Mat Barrie]

Not at all. You're right, that isn't meant to be there. I was just expecting, well, an ampersand ;)

I would imagine that is just a server "hiccup" though, if it didn't do it again on next skin recache. Otherwise, just re-upload and see if a fresh install does it too.

[!!aardvaark]

Honest to Goodness it was an ampersand (the &) symbol previously !!

This time when I opened the same skin_global file from ache it read $ symbol

Thats why I decided to seek advice here :)
Thanks for your feedback; Ive re-uploaded and rebuilt skins but the error persists :(

[Mat Barrie]

This time when I opened the same skin_global file from ache it read $ symbol

Thats why I decided to seek advice here :)

Thanks for your feedback; Ive re-uploaded and rebuilt skins but the error persists :(

Ok, in this case, can you go into your ACP, hunt out the template where this particular set of lines occurs (I cannot offhand tell you which it is) and see if perhaps the skin itself is damaged in the database. Then, you can change it back and all should be fine.

[bfarber]

Is this a 2.2 compatible skin, or a 2.1 skin upgraded?

It sounds like the html logic is off and needs to be corrected.

[!!aardvaark]

Is this a 2.2 compatible skin, or a 2.1 skin upgraded?

It sounds like the html logic is off and needs to be corrected.

Actually thats a good question. BECAUSE I have three skins:
the 2.2, default off the main ipb template with one child skin, and another skin registered as no parent.
The skin rebuild fixs all skins so they work; but on changing pages within a skin (for example to view topics /view members ) is may take 10 or 15 minutes to produce an error (each skin, individually, including the default). Similarly whenever flicking between skins an error may / maynot be produced for a period of time)

Once the error occurs its a nightmare to get the skins stable/rebuilt again).

In order to get them working I have gone through various tools (using them one at a time then rebuilding) or combinations of 1/2/3 tools then rebuilding from within ACP and rebuilt - but theres no consistency as to when it all comes good.


How I have temporarily resolved this is to manually remove the rogue character from skin_global, uploaded and turned off members ability to change skin.
IM not sure how long I have until the system rebuilds the skin (as a task) - but if its not automatic I may not have the problem reoccur.