Upload Directory settings, symlinks, and contact images.

[texvet_webmaster]

Howdy,

The Good:
* CiviCRM uploads images to a valid, accessible folder when I add an image to a contact.

The Bad:
* CiviCRM does not "point" at the correct location to display a contact's image when it displays a contact's information (Ex.: When I view http://www.texvet.org/civicrm/contact/view?rcid=5517 – the picture of the contact is a "missing image" placeholder.)

Info:
* The image on the contact's information page links to:
"http://www.texvet.org/srv/bindings/ba49c892cb554e8b9bc5bc73b29b92c0/files/civicrm/custom/scott_smith_peer_pic_658419684c7eaa6bf084885090577403.jpg" If I try to view that directly, I get a 404.
* If I replace "srv/bindings/ba49c892cb554e8b9bc5bc73b29b92c0" with "sites/default", it loads fine.
* There's a symlink that redirects "www.texvet.org/sites/default/" to "www.texvet.org/srv/bindings/40c1b52882bc4f0a9c4a64079157fc09/"

Etc:
I've found two admin pages that seem to directly pertain to this:
* SETTINGS - UPLOAD DIRECTORIES: http://texvet.org/civicrm/admin/setting/path
* SETTINGS - RESOURCE URLS: http://texvet.org/civicrm/admin/setting/url

Upload Directories has the following settings:
* Temporary Files: /srv/bindings/ba49c892cb554e8b9bc5bc73b29b92c0/files/civicrm/upload/
* Images: /srv/bindings/ba49c892cb554e8b9bc5bc73b29b92c0/files/civicrm/upload/
* Custom Files: /srv/bindings/ba49c892cb554e8b9bc5bc73b29b92c0/files/civicrm/custom/
* All other settings on this admin page are unspecified.

Resource URLs has the following settings:
* CiviCRM Resource URL: http://www.texvet.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm
* Image Upload URL: http://www.texvet.org/sites/default/files/civicrm/upload
* All other settings on this admin page are unspecified.

When I try to change Upload Directories settings to correct file system paths (Either "/srv/bindings/ba49c892cb554e8b9bc5bc73b29b92c0/files/civicrm/custom" or "/sites/all/files/civicrm/custom") I get the error, "Custom Files' directory does not exist."

My Desire:
Ideally, when CiviCRM creates a view page for a contact, it would "write" the URL for the image correctly, letting the image display.

Questions:
* How/why does it know where to upload the file to, but isn't pointing at the right place?
* When I try to save a correct path, why does it assert that the correct path does not exist?
* How can I force the URL that displays the file to rewrite and display it properly?

Regards,

Jonathan L.

[petednz]

Can you upgrade - i think there were some image file issues earlier that are now resolved

[texvet_webmaster]

I contemplated upgrading. The instructions I found for upgrading from 4.4.3 to 4.4.6 seemed quite complex for a +.0.0.3 upgrade. The most appropriate instructions I could find were at: http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRMDOC/Upgrade+Drupal+Sites+to+4.5+-+Drupal+7

If you're aware of a more appropriate upgrade path for 4.4.3 to 4.4.6, point me at it and I'll give it a go. =)

Q: Why not upgrade to CiviCRM 4.5+?
A: It requires PHP 5.3.3. My host is running PHP 5.3.17. I can't change that.

Thanks!

[texvet_webmaster]

I've since learned that my webhost can easily upgrade their PHP version. Now I'm waiting for 4.5.1 because we also run CiviCase.

https://civicrm.org/blogs/dave-greenberg/civicase-users-alert-please-wait-451-upgrading

[Michael McAndrew]

FWIW I would call those instructions comprehensive rather than complex.  Once you have done it a couple of times, it is not so bad

[texvet_webmaster]

Please forgive the "resurrection" of this topic, but I felt it deserved closure.

A long story made short: Upgrading CiviCRM to the latest version resolved the issue.

Also: Michael's correct. Upgrading CiviCRM really isn't that complex (once you're used to it).
(Note to self: Make a "how to" video for newbies to augment the upgrade instructions.)

Woot!