Users cannot post after 3.2.2 to 3.2.3 upgrade

nugai · Post by **nugai** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:01 pm

Hi,

I started playing with phpBB about a month ago with a new install of phpBB 3.2.2 (on/with a Bitnami stack based on Ubuntu 16.04). So, I'm very new to phpBB -- but I have some basic Linux knowledge. The system I set up was pretty much plain vanilla 3.2.2, with wysiwyg editor and some language packs added.

The problem I'm facing now is that, after a 3.2.2 to 3.2.3 upgrade, users can no longer post to the forums -- they receive an HTTP 500 error instead. More specifically: Users can preview, save and read/edit drafts, but the error occurs when they try "Submit" the posts to the to forums. The apache error log indicates there is a problem with a a non-existent service "storage.attachment" in phpbb/htdocs/vendor/symfony/dependency-injection/ContainerBuilder.php(455), but I have no idea how to fix this.

Background: Last night, when the ACP told me an update to 3.2.3 was available, I backed up the database from ACP, downloaded the update, untarred it and moved the install and vendor directories to web root, and then went through the upgrade browser-based procedure. The upgrade initially showed problems with the diff of "/includes/functions_posting.php" which I recall had to be modified (patched) in 3.2.2 to allow the posting of multiple file attachments (i.e. this change: https://fossies.org/diffs/phpBB/3.2.2_v ... -diff.html). I overwrote the file with the old version from the 3.2.2 release, ran the browser-based update again. It still complained.

Then, I read a suggestions to run the upgrade from cli -- which I did using sudo, and this procedure apparently was success. I deleted the install directory, logged in and looked at the site. Navigating into sub forums created mysql errors similar to what's described at https://fossies.org/diffs/phpBB/3.2.2_v ... -diff.html. So, I made sure all files and subdirectories in web root had correct permissions for the web server (cli update had switched ownership of some files to root:root) and that files in cache were fully acccessible and writable (chmod -R 777), which made the mysql errors disappear.

Now, I (as admin) and other users could access and read the forums, but any attempt to post to a forum (adding a post and/or creating a new topic) failed with the following error: "This page isn’t working" and [domain_name] "is currently unable to handle this request. HTTP ERROR 500". Users can preview their posts and save them as drafts, but posting them to the forums always fails with said HTTP 500 error.

I checked forum permissions in ACP, which seem to be OK ("Full Access" for Admins and mods, "Standard Access + Polls" for regular users). I cleared (reset) everything and anything I could think of in ACP, restarted mysql, php-fpm and apache -- even rebooted the server to no avail.

The apache error log indicates there is a problem with a a non-existent service "storage.attachment" in phpbb/htdocs/vendor/symfony/dependency-injection/ContainerBuilder.php(455), as per the following entry (with the domain name removed):

[Wed Sep 19 19:39:30.460179 2018] [proxy_fcgi:error] [pid 1921:tid 140044446721792] [client 50.64.37.96:55202] AH01071: Got error 'PHP message: PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Symfony\\Component\\DependencyInjection\\Exception\\ServiceNotFoundException: You have requested a non-existent service "storage.attachment". in /opt/bitnami/apps/phpbb/htdocs/vendor/symfony/dependency-injection/ContainerBuilder.php:809\nStack trace:\n#0 /opt/bitnami/apps/phpbb/htdocs/vendor/symfony/dependency-injection/ContainerBuilder.php(455): Symfony\\Component\\DependencyInjection\\ContainerBuilder->getDefinition('storage.attachm...')\n#1 /opt/bitnami/apps/phpbb/htdocs/includes/functions_posting.php(1439): Symfony\\Component\\DependencyInjection\\ContainerBuilder->get('storage.attachm...')\n#2 /opt/bitnami/apps/phpbb/htdocs/posting.php(1445): submit_post('reply', 'Re: Intro', '', 1, Array, Array, true, true)\n#3 {main}\n thrown in /opt/bitnami/apps/phpbb/htdocs/vendor/symfony/dependency-injection/ContainerBuilder.php on line 809\n', referer: http://[domain_name_removed]/posting.php?mode=reply&f=37&t=7

I don't know what to do or how to fix this. Can anybody give me some hints?

Lumpy Burgertushie · Post by **Lumpy Burgertushie** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:20 pm

I would start over completely.

the first mistake was using the bitnami thing to install phpbb. those files are not the same ones you get from here and often cause the exact problems you described.

then, when you updated you used the auto update method which is not working very well these days.

the current recommended method of updating is the file replacement method found here:
https://www.phpbb.com/support/docs/en/3 ... ating-32x/

I would revert to your backups and try again following that method.
hopefully the bitnami version of the database will take the update properly.

robert

nugai · Post by **nugai** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 5:51 am

Thank you for your reply, Robert -- I will try the upgrade procedure in the link you posted.

Post by **Mick** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:37 am

FWIW - You're attempting an udate not an upgrade.

nugai · Post by **nugai** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:02 pm

Just a quick update: After several attempts of finding a way to update the Bitnami phpBB image on AWS, I decided to abandon Bitnami completely and re-install phpBB from scratch on a AWS Ubuntu image.

The main reason for this decision was that the only update procedure Bitnami offers is to migrate from one image to another (i.e. dump the database, manually copy all necessary files (e.g pictures, language extensions, etc.) to the new image, then import database on new system). So, one way or the other, one has to learn what files to copy and where they live -- and this migration procedure involves a lot of manual labor.

The situation is further complicated by the fact, that, at the time of this writing (2 weeks after my first post), the latest Bitnami AWS image available is still labeled "3.2.2-4-r35" -- i.e. an image with the latest phpBB (3.2.3) is still not available. After starting a new Bitnami 3.2.2 image, site admins are alerted that a phpBB update is available. If site admins follow that advice (as I did), they may be in trouble immediately with no easy way of undoing the update and clawing themselves back to a previous, functioning state.

The lesson I learned is: There are no shortcuts -- it's either pain now or pain later! The short-term gain of being able to play with phpBB almost immediately by choosing the Bitnami image is offset by the much bigger long-term pain of having to figure out not just how phpBB is structured, but having to learn the largely undocumented way of how Bitnami set up their customized system. At that point, one may as well bite the bullet and install a phpBB system from scratch.

So, after learning my lesson, I now am in complete agreement with Robert's initial comment that "the first mistake was using the bitnami thing to install phpbb", i.e. I second his opinion and would advise anyone to stay away from it.

warmweer · Post by **warmweer** » Fri Oct 05, 2018 8:07 am

nugai wrote: ↑Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:02 pm So, after learning my lesson, I now am in complete agreement with Robert's initial comment that "the first mistake was using the bitnami thing to install phpbb", i.e. I second his opinion and would advise anyone to stay away from it.

Correct conclusion!!
And I'ld like to add that installing phphbb with any one-click install or with phpbb-files which do not directly come from the official phpBB-site (this one) is taking a risk. The initial installation may work but the files may have been changed (and in most cases thay are) resulting in errors when updating with official phpBB files. Needless to say support for those installations is not (officially) provided.