Elxis CMS Forum

Support => General => Topic started by: xmanhattan on June 02, 2008, 12:17:03

Title: Some problem observations and comments [SOLVED]
Post by: xmanhattan on June 02, 2008, 12:17:03: Hello,

I have noticed some strange problem while dealing with elxis and thought that it might be a good idea to mention them here. These facts have occured more than once and I have normally solved them without too much trouble.

Some preliminary information:
I have elxis installed on my linux server to create the initial work and it is in a sub-directory.
Languages selected are only English and Greek.
Mysql and PhpMyAdmin are compatible versions on linux and the internet.

1. After completing a site, I use the database manager to create an sql backup downloaded to the windows system that I use. I then edit the sql file using dreamweaver to keep utf-8 compatibility and simply change the fake site address to the correct one that is on the internet. After saving this, I go to the site cpanel on the internet and open phpmyadmin to import the db to the live site.
A problem occurs after this causing the site on the internet to loose it's menus and only show the frontpage.
Typical solution is to use TOOLS FIX LANGUAGE which immediately fixes the menus and allows the site to work normally.

2. With the use of a section, category, and content items, I created a menu item - table content category to display the content items. This worked normally on my linux server but after the transfer via sql to the internet, the content items in the table do not appear.
While this happened just for one new addition to the menu, other table content category types exist and work.
I cannot understand why this happens nor have I found a solution.

3. The use of FLOODBLOCKER. Users should be aware that this should not be used with the default settings as it WILL lock you out either as a administrator or as a visitor.
It might be better to provide some additional information to help admins here.

4. Flash. I use SwishMax but I have also used MacroMedia Flash 8 to test this.
I have tried to insert flash using the wysiwig editor but that appears to have a problem and therefore I insert the flash coding through the html to make it work.

5. I noticed that after deleting various items and then recreating others that the suggested seo title may create a title that also includes a number. I found that the reason for this is that if someone re-creates a content or menu item that they should use the site trash manager to empty these areas before the re-creation.

I would like to add, that while I have not used a cms such as joomla, mambo, or elxis before, anyone with very good organizational skills can create a powerful website within a short period of time.

Finally, with the exception of some minor problems, I have found elxis to be a very good program.

Petros
Title: Re: Some problem observations and comments
Post by: datahell on June 02, 2008, 14:58:39: Better use phpMyAdmin or MySQL Administration tool to take site backups if you wish to transfer your site from server to server. Use the Elxis's built-in database backup tool to take regulary database backups and store them on server. In general, your problems caused by language setting problems in menu items which can be solved using the "Fix language" tool. I am glad you find solutions. Elxis is a very large application and has many features that can help us under critical situations. Take some time and navigate to the whole Elxis administration looking for the "magic buttons". I believe that the most helpful feature in Elxis administration is the chmod tool, simple but very effective.
Title: Re: Some problem observations and comments
Post by: xmanhattan on June 02, 2008, 18:26:55: Regarding point #2 which I should probably have placed under a separate question.
Out of curiousity, I backuped the elxis from the internet back down to my system and loaded that onto the linux system.
Funny thing is that it works correctly on the linux system.

Is point #2 being caused by language problems?

I am using phpmyadmin both on my linux system and on the website on the internet through cpanel.
So why is it necessary at all to do a fix language???

I have examined all of the elxis menus and use many of the tools buttons but none have solved this particular problem.

What "magic buttons" are you talking about?
Title: Re: Some problem observations and comments
Post by: datahell on June 02, 2008, 18:53:20: Regarding point #2: It is obviously a problem that caused under the transfer from site to site, not an elxis fault. I dont know the settings you have made on your menu items, sections, categories and content items but there is surely something wrong which needs investigation on your site to find out what it is. You can delete that menu item and create new one. This kind of problems can also be generated by unofficial update scripts...

Fix language tool fixes language... Items that are available for ALL languages have NULL as language field value. Sometimes we might have by error empty values in a language field instead of a null value. This can be caused for example from an incompatible extension, a tranfer etc. In SQL NULL is different than empty although they might look the same to you.

Query db for NULL values:
WHERE language IS NULL

Query db for empty values:
WHERE language = ''

The Fix language tool converts empty values to NULL. This is what I call a "magic button", as it solves many menu items issues at once.

There are many other "magical" functions in Elxis but most of them are executed automatically and in the background. Elxis has many unique patents in its source code.
Title: Re: Some problem observations and comments
Post by: xmanhattan on June 02, 2008, 20:25:41: I have been looking at the sql file for some answer to this problem. I reloaded the sql file and suddenly the Greek side was working but the English side continues to show that there are no content item files.

From what I have seen in the sql, there are 3 areas that this can be affected. I believe that there must be something that is telling the table content array that there are no content item files items to be listed in the English area.

In case you want to see the links:
http://www.enosismyrneon.gr/elxis/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=32&id=62&Itemid=183 (http://www.enosismyrneon.gr/elxis/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=32&id=62&Itemid=183)
http://www.enosismyrneon.gr/elxis/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=23&id=82&Itemid=221 (http://www.enosismyrneon.gr/elxis/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=23&id=82&Itemid=221)

I have already tried deleting all of the English side affected but even after empting the cache, the temporary area, and the trash manager, it still remains the same. I have also tried a db repair and optimize.

Are indexes kept within the database or are they maintained by mysql?

------------------------
(80, 0, 'Ανθολόγιο Κειμένων', 'Ανθολόγιο Κειμένων', '', '32', 'left', '', 1, 0, '1979-12-19 00:00:00', '', 2, 29, 0, '', 'greek', 'anthologio-keimenon'),
(82, 0, 'Literary Anthology', 'Literary Anthology', '', '23', 'left', '', 1, 0, '1979-12-19 00:00:00', '', 2, 29, 0, '', 'english', 'literary-anthology');

------------------------
(148, 'Ιωνικόν', 'ionikon', ' ΙωνικόνΓιατί τα σπάσαμε τ' αγάλματα των,γιατί τους διώξαμεν απ' τους ναούς των,διόλου δεν πέθαναν γι' αυτό οι θεοί.Ω γη της Ιωνίας, σένα αγαπούν ακόμη,σένα η ψυχές των ενθυμούνται ακόμη.Σαν ξημερώνει επάνω σου πρωί αυγουστιάτικοτην ατμόσφαιρα σου περνά σφρίγος απ' την ζωή των,και κάποτ' αιθέρια εφηβική μορφή,αόριστη, με διάβα γρήγορο,επάνω από τους λόφους σου περνά.Κωνσταντίνος Καβάφης', '', 1, 32, 0, 80, '2008-06-02 10:19:33', 62, '', '2008-06-02 05:50:30', 66, 0, '1979-12-19 00:00:00', '2008-06-02 00:00:00', '2060-01-01 00:00:00', '', '', 'pageclass_sfx=\ntextclass_sfx=\nback_button=\nitem_title=1\nlink_titles=\nintrotext=1\nsection=0\nsection_link=0\ncategory=0\ncategory_link=0\nrating=\nauthor=\ncreatedate=\nmodifydate=\npdf=\nrtf=\nprint=\nemail=\nkeyref=', 4, 0, 1, 'Ανθολόγιο, Κειμένων, Ανθολόγιο, Κειμένων, Εκδόσεις, της, Ένωσης', 'Ανθολόγιο Κειμένων Ανθολόγιο Κειμένων Εκδόσεις της Ένωσης', 29, 4, 'greek'),
(150, 'Ionic', 'ionic', ' Ionic That we've broken their statues, that we've driven them out of their temples, doesn't mean at all that the gods are dead. O land of Ionia, they're still in love with you, their souls still keep your memory. When an August dawn wakes over you, your atmosphere is potent with their life, and sometimes a young ethereal figure indistinct, in rapid flight, wings across your hills. Constantine P. Cavafy', NULL, 1, 23, 0, 82, '2008-06-02 10:13:04', 65, NULL, '2008-06-02 10:19:40', 65, 0, '1979-12-19 00:00:00', '2008-06-02 08:00:00', '2060-01-01 00:00:00', NULL, NULL, 'pageclass_sfx=\ntextclass_sfx=\nback_button=\nitem_title=1\nlink_titles=\nintrotext=1\nsection=0\nsection_link=0\ncategory=0\ncategory_link=0\nrating=\nauthor=\ncreatedate=\nmodifydate=\npdf=\nrtf=\nprint=\nemail=\nkeyref=', 3, 0, 1, 'Ionic, Literary, Anthology, Publications, Section', 'Ionic Literary Anthology Publications Section', 29, 1, 'english');

------------------------
(217, 'mainmenu', ' Ανθολόγιο Κειμένων', 'index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=32&id=80', 'content_category', 1, 183, 80, 0, 1, 0, '1979-12-19 00:00:00', 0, 0, 29, 0, 'menu_image=-1\nmenu_image_only=0\npage_title=1\npageclass_sfx=\nback_button=\norderby=\ndate_format=\ndate=\nauthor=\nhits=\nheadings=1\nnavigation=1\norder_select=0\ndisplay=0\ndisplay_num=50\nfilter=0\nfilter_type=title\nother_cat=0\nempty_cat=0\ncat_items=0\ncat_description=0', 'greek', ''),
(221, 'mainmenu', 'Literary Anthology', 'index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=23&id=82', 'content_category', 1, 75, 82, 0, 1, 0, '1979-12-19 00:00:00', 0, 0, 29, 0, 'menu_image=-1\nmenu_image_only=0\npage_title=1\npageclass_sfx=\nback_button=\norderby=\ndate_format=\ndate=\nauthor=\nhits=\nheadings=1\nnavigation=1\norder_select=0\ndisplay=0\ndisplay_num=50\nfilter=0\nfilter_type=title\nother_cat=0\nempty_cat=0\ncat_items=0\ncat_description=0', 'english', '');

------------------------
Title: Re: Some problem observations and comments
Post by: datahell on June 02, 2008, 22:28:56: This link should work:
http://www.enosismyrneon.gr/elxis/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=221&mylang=english

but it does nt. It is very strange.

Steps to fix this issue:
Check section language, access, publish status.
Check category language, access, publish status.
Check item language, access, publish status and publish date (site offset also).
Check menu items language, access, publish status, parent menus (attention, you have set a custom frontpage item).
Empty trashed content items and menu items (important!).
Temporary disable cache.
Recommendation: Move Elxis to your site root folder.
Recommendation: Use SEO PRO
Recommendation: Use default frontpage
Title: Re: Some problem observations and comments
Post by: xmanhattan on June 03, 2008, 10:55:18: .....and the correct answer was that the publish date appears to have been corrupted.

Many thanks.
Ευχαριστω!