CiviCRM Community Forums (archive)

I have managed and installed hundreds of different CMS/blog systems and CiviCRM is the absolute WORST when it comes to migrating!

A client switched webhosts and started migrating their Joomla/CiviCRM directories -- yes, I know this is not the correct way to do it, but thats how it started.  I took over and changed all of the database references as they related to Joomla and it works fine.  However, CiviCRM does not.  I have deleted Civ through the Joomla uninstaller, removed any leftover directories from Civ, and deleted all database tables that began with civicrm_.

Now, with a well-written package, this should have completely removed any references to the package.  This, however is not the case.  I ran the installer again, got the "success" page, then went to Administer CiviCRM.  Of course, I get a page full of errors referencing some file on the old webhost, even though I deleted the package, all of the directories, and its database tables.  HOW exactly are there still remnants of the old host when I've removed everything installed by CiviCRM?

I don't need lecturing about how someone should have followed the instructions -- I'm aware they should have.  I also don't need lecturing on "its free, so you shouldn't complain" because you know what? If it worked right and was easily portable I would gladly pay for it.

I'm on A2Hosting and here's the error code:

Warning: file_exists() [function.file-exists]: open_basedir restriction in effect. File(/home/monolit2/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/packages/IDS/default_filter.xml) is not within the allowed path(s): (/home/migrate.a2/web:/home/danetidw:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php:/tmp) in /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/packages/IDS/Filter/Storage.php on line 201

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'XML data could not be loaded. Make sure you specified the correct path.' in /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/packages/IDS/Filter/Storage.php:217 Stack trace: #0 /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/packages/IDS/Filter/Storage.php(108): IDS_Filter_Storage->getFilterFromXML() #1 /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/packages/IDS/Monitor.php(167): IDS_Filter_Storage->__construct(Object(IDS_Init)) #2 /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/CRM/Core/IDS.php(132): IDS_Monitor->__construct(Array, Object(IDS_Init)) #3 /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/CRM/Core/Invoke.php(74): CRM_Core_IDS->check(Array) #4 /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/admin.civicrm.php(45): CRM_Core_Invoke::invoke(Array) #5 /home/dan in /home/danetidw/public_html/supportsdc/administrator/components/com_civicrm/civicrm/packages/IDS/Filter/Storage.php on line 217

I do agree that CiviCRM should make it much easier to migrate stuff (community contributions welcome). It is definitely convoluted right now, but it is well documented and if folks follow the steps it should be relatively easy

I think users/developers do like to help when folks have a reasonable tone and suggestions for improvements (and better yet patches / contributions)

lobo

Its difficult to have a reasonable tone when I've spent nearly two days trying to figure out why its not working.  I've even gone to the drastic measure of just deleting everything (including the user data) and trying a fresh install -- and I can't even get that to work because somewhere, CiviCRM put a file where it shouldn't have gone and I have no idea where it is and there's no documentation of what changes CiviCRM makes to the general Joomla system.

this is documented in step 10 of the "moving to a new server" installation

http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRMDOC/Moving+an+Existing+Installation+to+a+New+Server+or+Location

CiviCRM needs to use the media directory to cache a set of files (including Smarty compiled templates etc). It is good practice to localize the set of files that the web server writes to one directory in the application. In the case of Joomla, it is media, in the case of drupal it is the 'files' directory

lobo

Lobo,

I also struggled with this one lately... Maybe part 9. of the instructions should be moved before part 5.? I was getting WSOD at part 5 and while any clever person would have read all the way through, I did not. Had the instructions been before refreshing config_backend, everything would have worked fine and I wouldn't have got stuck.

While the migration process is a little cumbersome, I have to say that with the correct instructions provided its not a major issue for me. Drupal also has some requirements and issues around migration in my experience. Thanks for the improvements anyway though.

Adam