Help for newbie

[imknapik]

Hello all,

 

please understand that I have little to no knowledge of PHP and therefore am trying to get through this the best way possible....

 

Basically, I have an e-commerce site that is developed in OS commerce and then linked to a MYsql database...the os commerce part has some static pages and then the standard layout.....

 

I am running into all sorts of problems with modifying the site and have pounded my head against walls more than once.....but the latest thing is that now even when I go in to change the static pages and try to use the editing tool in the Sauron editor, I hit submit and get these errors...

 

 

Warning: fopen(/home/bacchusg/WWW/bacchusgroupltd.com/data/content/static/aboutus/default.txt): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/bacchusg/WWW/bacchusgroupltd.com/data/sauron/functions/functions_main.php on line 26

 

Warning: fputs(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/bacchusg/WWW/bacchusgroupltd.com/data/sauron/functions/functions_main.php on line 27

 

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/bacchusg/WWW/bacchusgroupltd.com/data/sauron/functions/functions_main.php on line 28

 

Warning: chmod(): Operation not permitted in /home/bacchusg/WWW/bacchusgroupltd.com/data/sauron/functions/functions_main.php on line 29

 

 

 

I have no clue what it is referencing...and I almost think that this orginal development is outdated or broken because I cannot even find how to delete static pages...the only alternative I have is making them invisible.

 

If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it...I would also love to know if there is someone who will help a developing college kid through these minor issues as I complete work with the updates......I am fluent in some other computer skills like HTML, Visual Basic, Visual Studio Beta 2005, SQL, ERD Database Design, etc....but this PHP world is killing me.

 

Sincerely,

Frustrated

[♥Vger]

As you have static pages incorporated into osCommerce it's obviously no longer a default installation of osCommerce. You say it was 'developed' in osCommerce, but this could mean anything. It could be that it WAS a default install, which is now heavily modified, or it could be that it was a 'loaded' version of osCommerce (a template based version provided by an individual or company - and no longer easily recognisable as being osCommerce). The only advice I can give you is to lay down a simplified version of how osCommerce works.

 

For almost every page in osCommerce there are two files of the same name. There is an index.php in the root directory, and this calls in the header, footer, left and right columns, and calls in the main body text and html from includes/languages/english/index.php. In this index.php you put all of your text and html. And, as you know html you'll be fine with this. Just remember that php 'parses' text so text with an apostrophy has to be 'escaped' by a preceeding backslash e.g.

 

Lte's = wrong

Let\'s = right

 

I don't know about the Sauron editor, but as one of the errors relates to trying to generate a chmod command I'd say that it's causing some problems. If in doubt try using humble old NotePad. TextPad is a free editor I know works with osCommerce.

 

Hope this helps - Vger

[imknapik]

Vger,

 

Thank you for your response...this explanation does help and I believe that it is an OScommerce platform that has been modified over the years, then left dormant, where now we are behind the times in some of the updates and therefore will obviously run into these error problems. My next question would be....If I can indeed use the assistance to Notepad to make the necessary changes to the static pages...I would assume that I would then need to upload the new files I create to replace the old.....However when I go into the file manager and attempt to edit any of the files....it says that I do not have the file permissions set....I have read other threads that talk about using an FTP program to set these permissions, but I still do not think I understand what that exactly means. Can you elaborate on how I would be able to modify these files?

 

 

Sincerely,

imknapik

[ozcsys]

Vger,

 

Thank you for your response...this explanation does help and I believe that it is an OScommerce platform that has been modified over the years, then left dormant, where now we are behind the times in some of the updates and therefore will obviously run into these error problems.  My next question would be....If I can indeed use the assistance to Notepad to make the necessary changes to the static pages...I would assume that I would then need to upload the new files I create to replace the old.....However when I go into the file manager and attempt to edit any of the files....it says that I do not have the file permissions set....I have read other threads that talk about using an FTP program to set these permissions, but I still do not think I understand what that exactly means.  Can you elaborate on how I would be able to modify these files?

Sincerely,

imknapik

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If you do not have an ftp program you need to get one. There are quite a few free ones out there cute ftp ws ftp etc. just do a google search. Do not use your file manager in the admin to edit your files. This will cause you problems. You can use notepad if needed or again you can download a free php editor and use it. There are free ones out there that will work fine.