Urgent problem with site/checkout not working

[ma111]

Hi everyone, I did an upload on my site last Friday, and all files on the server in the /acatalog/ folder (.html, images etc) got deleted! This is the first time this has ever happened. So all the product pages on the server were not there, so no one could use the website.

The next part is not to do with Actinic. We take a copy of all our files on our server daily for backup purposes. So to quickly solve the problem I just copied over all /acatalog/ files from the day before backup into the /acatalog/ folder on the server. This solved the problem, all pages were live and working, and orders were coming in.

I then tried another upload in Actinic, and this time all the product pages were uploaded fine, like they usually do. Unfortunately, the checkout pages were now very slow and when I tried to get to the next stage in the checkout, it just returned to the product page. So the checkout was not working.

Again to solve the problem, I just restored the backup of /acatalog/ files from the day before. I also copied files from the /cgi-bin/ folder from the backup to the /cgi-bin/ folder on the server. The site is now working fine, and orders are coming in.

However, it's very likely the next time I do a upload from Actinic, its going to stop the checkout working again.

Any ideas on what I should do next?

[RuralWeb]

you should be doing a refresh rather than an upload if that fails do a purge and refresh. There is no need to copy the files from the server to backup as every thing is held in actinic and can be restored from there. Sounds like your problem may be caused by your ISP connection

As always a URL would help

[grantglendinnin]

Might be way off course here, but have you been playing with any files lately that you shouldn't have?

And have you purged, compacted and refreshed the site?

I know it's not good for the body clock - but statistically speaking (unless you ship a lot of orders overseas) - you're best to try this out in the early hours to give yourself time to re-upload your backups in case something goes wrong again in time for the morning orders to begin.

Just my 2 cents.


---Edit---

I really need to get up to speed with this forum posting thing, Malcolm did the job before me

[ma111]

I haven't purged, compacted and refreshed site yet. I might try this to see if that helps. I take it by doing this, I won't lose any custom changes I have made to the Perl Scripts earlier on?

Also since the files in /acatalog/ folder are now one day old (taken from server backup the day before) I’m worried if I do an upload/site refresh, I will lose the orders we have had since Friday. Are you sure this won't happen when I site refresh?

Might be way off course here, but have you been playing with any files lately that you shouldn't have?(

The only thing I have done differently recently which could of caused the problem is... I lost some work in Actinic, and I had made a backup shortly before it happened, so I closed Actinic, replaced the ActinicCatalog.mdb with my Actinic Backup .mdb file. (but then changing name back to ActinicCatalog.mdb). I opened Actnic and there was no problems, I had my products back that I lost. So I assumed this was ok. Is this not the way to do it? I still have the old .mdb file if needed.

[RuralWeb]

you will not loose any orders doing a refresh or perl if you don't select the peel part of the refresh

You should be using snapshots to backup your data as they contain all parts of the site.

[Jarvis]

Oh dear, you seem to be getting into all sorts of bother.
You are trying too hard.

Just to clarify things for you.
1. Snapshot very regularly, and ALWAYS before you make changes.
(Snapshots ARE your backups.
In fact they are a Zipped copy of your whole site.
That's database, scripts, images, the lot).

2. If you get into a fix on your PC, import your last snapshot.

3. If things get into a mess on the server, REFRESH the site.
(You won't loose orders).

It really is that simple.

Nonetheless, remember:
Don't recover from backups on the server.
Don't use backups from your PC.
And certainly NEVER use partial backups, (like the database).

Good luck.

[ma111]

Thanks I will remember this for next time. I haven't done a snapshot for a while, so I would lose some work. I upgraded to V9 about 2 weeks ago so im not sure if I have a snapshot since then.

However every time I close Actinic, I choose "exit with database backup". Can I not restore the backup from this? If not then what is the point of clicking "exit with database backup"?

It looks like the only option I have got is to try a site refresh, hopefully this won't re-create the checkout problems. What if it doesn’t work? What should I try next?

[RuralWeb]

Database back up is a complete waste of time IMO as it does not really create a backup at all. There is a long standing wish list to get this changed as it causes so much confusion.

[ma111]

I have not had a chance to do a site refresh yet, I am just about to do one now. However today, I can't download any orders. We have had lots of orders come in over the weekend (I can see the email confirmations). It's just when I click 'retrieve orders', It just says searching and nothing happens. Do you think this will be solved by the site refresh?

[RuralWeb]

the problem you now have is because you restored the site by FTP rather than using actinic it will be out of sync. I think you need professional help and should contact actinic support or an actinic specialist for detailed help.

A refresh will not loose the orders but will sync the site again and any new orders will be downloaded. As to the orders currently on the server they may well be lost so you best bet is to use the email confirmations to process them.

[ma111]

I have spoken to Actinic Support and they suggested the purge and refresh. I have tried doing a purge and refresh in test mode, so it uploads to a test site. The checkout in test mode is not working. It is very slow and eventually I get the message:

A General Script Error Occurred
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Error: ./acatalog/test/acatalog/10Z191Z55Z161A1220879732B208.session can not be locked during Session init!

I would like to get it working in test mode first then I will do the same for the live site. Any ideas what to do next?

[Mike Hughes]

However today, I can't download any orders. We have had lots of orders come in over the weekend (I can see the email confirmations). It's just when I click 'retrieve orders', It just says searching and nothing happens. Do you think this will be solved by the site refresh?

the first thing I would do is copy all the .ord files from the acatalog folder into a file on your PC. That way they can be restored later in case the purge deletes them.

Mike

[Mike Hughes]

Ok. Having thought this through, if you're going to try a test site first, then the best thing to do is run a network test on your settings.

That should identify any problems.

Mike

[RuralWeb]

Purge and refresh in test mode will do nothing do as support and I tell you and purge and refresh the live site. Your site is completely broken and this is the only way to fix it.

[ma111]

OK I will try a purge and refresh on the live site and hopefully this will fix it. But I need to be ready in case it dosen't fix it. What should I do if this purge and refresh dosen't work? I will be left with my site out of action, this will be worse then what it's like at the moment.