Can't write to gbook

[Rizlaw]

Script URL: http://www.poundridgepoet.com/guestbook/gbook.php
Version of script: 1.3.3
Version of PHP: 5.0
Hosting company: IHostvm
Have you searched THIS FORUM for your problem:Yes
(if not please do before posting)
If so, what terms did you try: can't add messages; non working guestbook

Write your message below:

I have setup gbook on a new website I created for my father. I thought it would be good if readers of his poetry could submit comments on his poetry. The problems I am having are twofold: 1. With the autospam feature enabled I can't write a comment in the guestbook. Each time I type the numeric code on the screen, I get a new code to type. This repeats ad infinitum. If I disable the antispam feature, I can write a comment, but I see several error messages all over the screen like the ones below (I see the same messages in both the autospam on and autospam off modes):

Warning: session_start() [function.session-start]: open(C:\PHP\sessiondata\sess_59204451445fa198778a6ed9352ab385, O_RDWR) failed: No such file or directory (2) in C:\Program Files\Ensim\Sitedata\LJRizzo\Inetpub\wwwroot\guestbook\gbook.php on line 47

Warning: session_start() [function.session-start]: Cannot send session cookie - headers already sent by (output started at C:\Program Files\Ensim\Sitedata\LJRizzo\Inetpub\wwwroot\guestbook\gbook.php:47) in C:\Program Files\Ensim\Sitedata\LJRizzo\Inetpub\wwwroot\guestbook\gbook.php on line 47

Warning: session_start() [function.session-start]: Cannot send session cache limiter - headers already sent (output started at C:\Program Files\Ensim\Sitedata\LJRizzo\Inetpub\wwwroot\guestbook\gbook.php:47) in C:\Program Files\Ensim\Sitedata\LJRizzo\Inetpub\wwwroot\guestbook\gbook.php on line 47

Warning: Unknown: open(C:\PHP\sessiondata\sess_59204451445fa198778a6ed9352ab385, O_RDWR) failed: No such file or directory (2) in Unknown on line 0

Warning: Unknown: Failed to write session data (files). Please verify that the current setting of session.save_path is correct (C:\PHP\sessiondata) in Unknown on line 0


I have contacted my ISP, IHOSTS. They are very cooperative and looking into the problem. They are using PHP 5.0. Is there anything further I can tell my ISP that would help them fix the problem with gbook? They have asked me to ask the author of gbook what settings should be implement on their PHP system. Since the program is offered free of charge, I'm not sure it fair to burden the author with this type of request. Does anyone have any useful info that I might provide my ISP to resolve the problem. Thanks.

[Rizlaw]

My ISP solved my problem with gbook about 2 hours after my original post. Seems they need to add a folder to the PHP installation.

[Klemen]

Yup, the temporary folder where PHP stores session data

[webber]

Hello all! My first post. I've joined this forum in order to find the answer to a problem I'm having with an installation of gbook 1.7. A forum search led me to this thread. Rizlaw's problem sounds similar to mine, but it's not identical, so I figured I'd better double-check. This is what happens in my case:

I used the gd_test.php to check whether the server supports image generation. It does, so I turned on the 'capcha' image-based verification, but it failed to show the generated image. Klemen has already covered this eventuality in his readme file: I'm aware that I have to have a word with the hosting company. However...

I figured that until I could get that sorted out, I'd use the text-based verification code. Unfortunately this isn't working either. Unlike Rizlaw, I don't get any mass of onscreen error messages, but every time I input the correct string of numbers, the page returns a "wrong security number" message.

Is this a symptom of the same 'session' issue already described by Klemen, or is it indicative of another problem? Have I forgotten to set / change something?

All wisdom gratefully received!
Cheers,
Ken

[Henrie]

Hello Ken,

This indeed sounds like a session problem.
If you have not done it yet, you could try the session_test as described in this thread viewtopic.php?t=83 under b)

Greetings,
Henrie

[webber]

Hi Henrie,

Many thanks for your swift response!

I've uploaded those items to the server. The .php files have their permissions set to 644 and the session_test directory itself is set to 755. Here are the links, as requested:

phpinfo.php

session_test.php

session_test2.php

As you will see, the result of test2 comes up as "$_SESSION['test'] is set to: FALSE" - I'm guessing that I should be asking my hosting company to fix things so that this reads as TRUE, yes?

Cheers,
Ken

[Henrie]

You definitely have a problem with sessions.
When i test the session_test.php link it will give a FALSE result. You should let your host know this and let them fix it.

Greetings,
Henrie

[webber]

You definitely have a problem with sessions.
When i test the session_test.php link it will give a FALSE result. You should let your host know this and let them fix it.

Greetings,
Henrie

You get a FALSE result on the first test? How weird - I get "Session started successfully!" and the llnk to the second test.

First thing tomorrow morning, I'll be on the phone to the hosting company. I only wish I had the faintest idea what to say to them other than "apparently you've got a problem with PHP sessions and it's messing up my guestbook". Alas, my knowledge of PHP could be written on a gnat's eyelash!

Thanks, Henrie. Much appreciated.
Ken

[Henrie]

No, i get a FALSE result with the session_test in total.
session_test.php is used for starting the session
session_test2.php is used for checking if the session is started successfully. If it is, the result is 'TRUE' if it is not started succesfully the result is 'FALSE'. I get a result false, so sessions are not working good on the server.

You can give the links to the session_test files to your provider as prove that sessions don't work.

Greetings,
Henrie

[webber]

No, i get a FALSE result with the session_test in total.

Aaah, now I get you.

You can give the links to the session_test files to your provider as prove that sessions don't work.

Don't worry - I will do! Thanks again.

[webber]

Further development...

My hosting company has replied to my email enquiry. Their email contains this question, to which I don't know the answer:

"for security of the session and the server all session information is held outside of the web site root and can only be accessed by local requests through apache. Do you know if the code you have added is expecting global or local variables?"

I'd be grateful if anyone can let me know what I should be saying in reply.

Many thanks,
Ken

[Klemen]

The session test scripts are as simple as it gets. The first one starts session and registers a variable:

Code: Select all

session_start();
$_SESSION['test']='TRUE';

And the second one starts the session and checks if the test variable is set or not.

It doesn't get any simpler than that. And if that doesn't work there is a problem with the server setup.

Tell your host to have a look at the
http://www.carltonguesthouse.co.uk/sess ... n_test.php
file.

[webber]

Thanks Klemen. In fact, I'd already asked them to do that in my original email.