I can't install or Uninstall Apps nor can I contact support

[ee_joseph]

Hello, 

I'm having trouble with my 4.2.1 IPB and support are taking their sweet time to answer my ticket (not sure if they are just asleep and don't do 24/7 service). The problem happened when I tried to install Name 2 Avatar. I got an error that said "You are not allowed to do this" with the following system log:

IPS\Db\Exception: Table 'joestome_ipb.downloads_files' doesn't exist (1146)
#0 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Db/Db.php(1894): IPS\_Db->query('ALTER TABLE `do...')
#1 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Application/Application.php(3953): IPS\_Db->dropColumn('downloads_files', 'file_n2a_photo_...')
#2 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/applications/applications.php(1149): IPS\_Application->delete()
#3 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Dispatcher/Controller.php(85): IPS\core\modules\admin\applications\_applications->delete()
#4 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Node/Controller.php(62): IPS\Dispatcher\_Controller->execute()
#5 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/applications/applications.php(38): IPS\Node\_Controller->execute()
#6 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Dispatcher/Dispatcher.php(146): IPS\core\modules\admin\applications\_applications->execute()
#7 /home/joestome/public_html/JosepBooK/index.php(13): IPS\_Dispatcher->run()
#8 {main}

I refreshed the application page to find the app listed there half assed installed but not working nor can I uninstall it as I get this error:

IPS\Db\Exception: Table 'joestome_ipb.downloads_files' doesn't exist (1146)
#0 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Db/Db.php(1894): IPS\_Db->query('ALTER TABLE `do...')
#1 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Application/Application.php(3953): IPS\_Db->dropColumn('downloads_files', 'file_n2a_photo_...')
#2 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/applications/applications.php(1149): IPS\_Application->delete()
#3 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Dispatcher/Controller.php(85): IPS\core\modules\admin\applications\_applications->delete()
#4 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Node/Controller.php(62): IPS\Dispatcher\_Controller->execute()
#5 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/applications/applications.php(38): IPS\Node\_Controller->execute()
#6 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Dispatcher/Dispatcher.php(146): IPS\core\modules\admin\applications\_applications->execute()
#7 /home/joestome/public_html/Admin/index.php(13): IPS\_Dispatcher->run()
#8 {main}

At first, I thought maybe it is because I got CloudFlare running but disabling did nothing. So I tried to fill a support ticket from within my ACP and got the following error:

 

OutOfRangeException:  (0)
#0 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Application/Application.php(2847): IPS\_Db->getTableDefinition('downloads_files')
#1 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/support/support.php(200): IPS\_Application->databaseCheck()
#2 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/support/support.php(156): IPS\core\modules\admin\support\_support->_databaseChecker()
#3 [internal function]: IPS\core\modules\admin\support\_support->_selfService(Array)
#4 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Helpers/Wizard/Wizard.php(213): call_user_func(Array, Array)
#5 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Theme/Theme.php(809) : eval()'d code(2162): IPS\Helpers\_Wizard->__toString()
#6 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Theme/SandboxedTemplate.php(56): IPS\Theme\class_core_admin_support->support(Object(IPS\Helpers\Wizard), 10)
#7 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/support/support.php(45): IPS\Theme\_SandboxedTemplate->__call('support', Array)
#8 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Dispatcher/Controller.php(96): IPS\core\modules\admin\support\_support->manage()
#9 /home/joestome/public_html/applications/core/modules/admin/support/support.php(33): IPS\Dispatcher\_Controller->execute()
#10 /home/joestome/public_html/system/Dispatcher/Dispatcher.php(146): IPS\core\modules\admin\support\_support->execute()
#11 /home/joestome/public_html/Admin/index.php(13): IPS\_Dispatcher->run()
#12 {main}

 

So there is something wrong and I have 0 clue where is the problem or what is causing it. Please help!

 

Side question, I was looking at storage setting and there is a check for using custom URL with CDN, I figured if I'm running CloudFlare with railgun I should be using it but I'm not sure what does Custom URL means.

 

[Faqole]

It looks like a table called downloads_files does not exist in the database. I do not know if that table is part of the app that you installed or not, but I think that if you added it to the database it might fix the issue. 

[AndyF]

Do you have the Downloads app ?

I note there are two versions of that third party file, it would be worth trying the other version of it if you're having problems with one of them.

Having said that although said file supports Downloads, it does not list it as an essential requirement...

[ee_joseph]

I don't have the download app, and I did try both versions. There is also the issue of the support page within ACP it ends up with an error also, might be unrelated but I'm worried I got a major problem with IPB that would be costly in the future if I don't deal with it now.

[AndyF]

38 minutes ago, ee_joseph said:

I don't have the download app, and I did try both versions. There is also the issue of the support page within ACP it ends up with an error also, might be unrelated but I'm worried I got a major problem with IPB that would be costly in the future if I don't deal with it now.

It does (as above) appear to be Downloads related somehow. As I mentioned there's no 'requirement' that I see for that third party file to have Downloads installed (if it did, that would explain it) , it would be prudent to await a reply to your ticket. Support is 24/7 although a little slower over a weekend...

Thank you for your patience.

[ee_joseph]

43 minutes ago, AndyF said:

It does (as above) appear to be Downloads related somehow. As I mentioned there's no 'requirement' that I see for that third party file to have Downloads installed (if it did, that would explain it) , it would be prudent to await a reply to your ticket. Support is 24/7 although a little slower over a weekend...

Thank you for your patience.

Yeah, I will be patient, worst case scenario I have to nuke IPB installation and start over, better done early on than down the road when it would harm the site. 

One thing though, CloudFlare is a CDN correct? Since I'm using it I have to use custom URL for storage in the ACP, correct? I just don't understand what is the custom URL and if it is just the full URL to the upload folder location on the server. An example would be highly appreciated. 

[Joel R]

Tagging @CodingJungle.  In the future, if you've clearly isolated the problem to a third party app, you need to post in the support for the app.  

In general, if you have a critical problem and cannot access your ACP, you should send in a ticket through the websites Client Area and Mark as critical.  Regular support does not work on weekends

[ee_joseph]

3 minutes ago, Joel R said:

Tagging @CodingJungle.  In the future, if you've clearly isolated the problem to a third party app, you need to post in the support for the app.  

In general, if you have a critical problem and cannot access your ACP, you should send in a ticket through the websites Client Area and Mark as critical.  Regular support does not work on weekends

My problem is not 3rd app working or not, my problem is the error that is being thrown at me, I could care less for one 3rd party app is working or not. What expanded this problem and confirmed that there is something wrong on my site is the support page within my ACP is also throwing an error at me which is why it made me think the problem might be bigger and deeper than just a 3rd party app.

[Joel R]

1 minute ago, ee_joseph said:

My problem is not 3rd app working or not, my problem is the error that is being thrown at me, I could care less for one 3rd party app working or not. What expand this problem and confirm that there is something wrong on my site is the support page within my ACP is also throwing an error at me which is why it made me think the problem might be bigger and deeper than just a 3rd party app.

I'm pointing out the fastest and easiest way for you to get support and fix your community.  

Its important to understand and trace errors back to any third party mods, because those can be addressed independently.  As you've discovered, IPS Support does not work on the weekends unless you mark your ticket as critical.  

[CodingJungle]

it is a problem with the install/uninstaller. it doesn't check to see if a table exist before it tries to add/remove a column to it. n2a doesn't require downloads or forums for that matter, but it can be used on them, so it adds a column to their respected tables.  you can get rid of the error by FTP'ing into your sever going to applications/n2a/setup and renaming the "install" folder. I'll fix this in the next version of n2a, since IPS will more than likely say this is "my problem" and not theirs. 

[ee_joseph]

14 minutes ago, CodingJungle said:

it is a problem with the install/uninstaller. it doesn't check to see if a table exist before it tries to add/remove a column to it. n2a doesn't require downloads or forums for that matter, but it can be used on them, so it adds a column to their respected tables.  you can get rid of the error by FTP'ing into your sever going to applications/n2a/setup and renaming the "install" folder. I'll fix this in the next version of n2a, since IPS will more than likely say this is "my problem" and not theirs. 

Sweet! I was able to uninstall and it seems the error at the support page is now gone.

[AndyF]

I did alert the author towards this topic however as the file is listed as unsupported (I sent a PM actually as I had one open) its up to them if they choose to reply or not obviously.

The issue after looking a bit more seems to be either the file is relying on Downloads being present or an issue with the Suite uninstall plugin/app routine. Both seem unlikely scenarios though...

[CodingJungle]

1 minute ago, AndyF said:

The issue after looking a bit more seems to be either the file is relying on Downloads being present or an issue with the Suite uninstall plugin/app routine. Both seem unlikely scenarios though...

its sorta both, i don't require downloads, but it can work with downloads to generate images for download listings (the same with forums, it is not required but it can generate a forum icon). to do this, it adds a column to downloads_files and forums_forum thru the queries.json in the install folder. however, the installer/uninstaller doesn't check to see if tables exists before it tries to add to the tables. (as i do check in the settings to see if the apps are present, before it shows the "enable" option for them). Its been so long since i've added a column to a table outside of "core" that i had "forgotten" the install/uninstall routine is simplistic in its task. I've corrected this for the next version, by moving it to my applications.php and checking there myself before it adds or removes the columns.