vBulletin LTS

[How-To] Quick Troubleshooting

by HMBeaty 14 Oct 2011

As you upgrade / modify vBulletin, you may come across several different errors such as:

Blank / white page(s)
PHP errors
Database errors

And several more, but those that I've listed above seem to be the most common

Blank / White Page(s)

If you are receiving a blank / white page on your vBulletin installation, go through each of the steps listed https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/blank_pages as that will fix your issue 99% of the time.

PHP Errors

If you are receiving a php error, which should usually look something like this:

Code:

Some error text in somefile.php(251) : eval()'d code (line 125)

Then you should be able to easily translate it using the information below...

somefile.php(251) => line 251 of somefile.php
eval()'d code (line 125) => there is an error in line 125 of a plugin or a template

Now, to start tracking the error down, go to line 251 of somefile.php. There will probably be a fetch_hook() or fetch_template() call in this line. This identifier tells you the hook or template name that is causing the error.

If it's a hook, there may be multiple plugins attached to it so you'll have to find out which one is causing the problem by disabling all of the plugins using this hook and then re-enabling them one by one until the error appears again. Now you have the exact line for the plugin code that's causing the error.

If it's a template, open it and go directly to the line indicated by the error. Most likely you'll find an invalid template conditional there.

Database Errors

You NEED to know the exact error! Again, you NEED to know the exact error!!

To view the exact error you are receiving:

Edit your includes/config.php file and add your email to

PHP Code:

$config['Database']['technicalemail'] = 'email';
Go to your AdminCP => Settings => Options => Error Handling & Logging and set a path for Log Database Errors to a File. Something like this:
Code:
```
./logs/dberrors
```
(Make sure to restrict access to this directory using .htaccess and CHMOD to 777)
If you still can't view it via the above options, go to the page where you are getting the database error, and right click => View Source and you should see your database error somewhere around the middle of the page.

As an example, it could look something like this:

Code:

Database error in vBulletin :
{FULL ERROR HERE}
MySQL Error : MySQL server has gone away
Error Number : 2006
Request Date : Monday, January 1st 2011 @ 12:00:00 AM
Error Date : Monday, v 1st 2011 @ 12:00:00 PM
Script : /forum.php
Referrer : JaneDoe
IP Address : xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Username : JohnDoe
Classname : vB_Database
MySQL Version : 5.1.56

Now, almost 100% of the time, you can find out how to fix the error, or what is causing the error, by searching for MySQL Error : MySQL server has gone away in https://www.google.com (omg, don't hurt yourself trying to actually use the search feature

)

In this case MySQL Error : MySQL server has gone away is an issue with your host, and you would need to contact them about it. Make sure to include the error(s) you're receiving when contacting them

######################################

To see what's causing your problems a little faster than using the above options, a majority of the time, you can narrow it down by disabling your modifications and / or testing your problem on a completely default vBulletin style.

To disable your plugins, you will need to edit your includes/config.php file and add this line right below <?php

PHP Code:


define('DISABLE_HOOKS', true);

To create a completely default vBulletin style, just create a new style with no parent. Voila!

Styles & Templates > Style Manager > Add New Style
Parent Style: No Parent Style
Title: Default vBulletin
Allow User Selection: Yes
Save

Bookmark this page as I guarantee you will probably need it at some point

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