webfusion & CGI

[allenjr]

Dear All,

I have been through all the threads and tried everything I can see.

I have webfusion starter linux with 2 sites and they upload fine but when you add anyhing to the cart you get an internal server error.

Try www.wightcyclehire.co.uk (book online)

When you run the test in network settings you get the "the cgi-bin directory doesn't exist or you don't have write permissions"...cgi-bin set to 755 acatalog set to 777.

attached are the settings.

strangely I have one other site www.eatwight.co.uk on the same hosting package which works fine ....i exported the settings from it and changed the required but no joy.

I logged the call with webfusion and got no solution....back to actinic they say.

I have put up with this for a year which has cost...I ordered a new hosting package this week in the :confused: believe it could be a strange hosting problem (with www.wightcycle) but I get exactly the same problem.

Any thoughts welcome!

[Duncan Rounding]

Have you manually checked the permissions per the error message with your ftp client?

[allenjr]

Hi..yes I have checked them with Cute FTP and reset them...many times :(

[los_design]

Hi John

when they replied did they state whether or not they had a standard reset on the CHMOD values?

I know of some hosting co's (who will remain nameless ;) ) who will let you CHMOD to 777 but within 20 mins it resets to a default value of lesser permissions.

Failing that, have you run the network wizard successfully. I know you have uploaded, but when it runs a test on your cgi-bin it could highlight an issue.

And yup, 500 is 99.9% of the time caused by permissions as summised correctly.

HTH
Regards
Daren

[allenjr]

When I run the wizard it gets to the point where you specify the cgi-bin and acatalog directory and I get the error message "error occured while sending HTTP request to the web server, the network may be down etc..." it isn't down because I can continue to upload the site without any problem.

With reagrd to the permissions when you look at the existing permissions they are set as they should be...I keep trying a reset just incase....so I don't believe they are being reset to any other default value by webfusion.

[Duncan Rounding]

The wizard you are referring to is to configure the website. Have you tried a network test after this? (Network Setup - Test)

[los_design]

shot in the dark

Have you tried changing PATHFROMCGITOCATALOG ../public_html/acatalog/
to ../acatalog/?

[leehack]

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of people using webfusion successfully. It must be something silly somewhere. Which package have you got with webfusion and is it Windows or Linux?

[Duncan Rounding]

Compare with these settings:
http://community.actinic.com/showpost.php?p=103347&postcount=10

[los_design]

Windows
:eek: lets hope not...

[allenjr]

Linux Fusion starter
when I run test I get the CGI-bin does not exist or cam't be written to error
I tried changing path to../acatalog...no joy

I agree I was running this site very happily on webfusion servers, I changed to a newer cheaper package they had which had all the same features I was on already (they will never tell you when they decrease prices)...I ordered the new one tried to upload with exactly the same settings and the problems started. I have had it like this for a year but have been too busy to look at it before. I thought too it was something very simple so I ordered another hosting package (same web fusion starter linux) for another of my domains (wightcycle) thinking it was something wrong somewhere with the hosting...having uploaded I now get exactly the same problems on both wightcyclehire(the original) and wightcycle bought this week.

As I said earlier I have another site eatwight...also actinic on the same package (Linux Fusion starter) which works fine...I have exported the settings from this to both the others, changed the domain names passwords etc and no joy.

It is very puzzling but it most be something very simple!

[allenjr]

Hi thanks for this but I have already been throgh this and my settings are identical.

Some other posts I have seen...sometimes relating to 123-reg hosting (same company)

Norton firewall...not sure how this can effect the website but if it can I will cahage it (thoughts...)

Unique CGI Script ID number ....set to 1 currently...I have changed it to a number of settings but no change...I'm not sure how this effects things....too technical for me!

[Duncan Rounding]

From what you are saying it appears there is a difference between the 'new' starter package and your original starter package. I presume you have multisite - if so then perhaps try to upload another site (in Test Mode with a different script ID) on the domain that is working.

It seems to be pointing to the hosting package - can you try an upgrade with money back or something to see if it works on the next package up or something along those lines?

[RuralWeb]

appears there is a difference between the 'new' starter package and your original starter packageThere is no difference - I have just set up a site this morning with the exact same package so its something at the posters end. I never use the wizard with webfusion as it usually fails so I set them up manually with the same settings as those I have already posted on the forum.

[allenjr]

Malcolm....are your settings the same as those posted earlier in the thread?

If not where can they be found?

Could you possibely export the working settings and send them to me via email?

Regards

John

[allenjr]

Wheb you click on the add to cart button on the site it generates the following in the log file

www.wightcycle.co.uk 86.158.1.59 - 2007-11-25 10:46:33 POST /cgi-bin/ca000001.pl - 500 400

So it appears it is trying to run a script but can't.

I have logged an additional support call with webfusion and see what they say.

[leehack]

Sounds permission related to me, it has to be something you are not doing or have done incorrectly causing this as there are too many sites using webfusion sucessfully. Do you have dreamweaver? if so go to your server and right click on the folders and see what the permissions say.

Unless of course the cheapo package you bought just will not do this, but i can't see it personally, i've never known any webfusion package not to work, even their Windows package has been known to battle through.

In fact just wipe your server clean and start again from the beginning. What size is your snapshot, is it emailable?

[allenjr]

The Snapshot is very small, so yes it can be emailed.

I don't have Dreamweaver but having checked the permissions with Cute FTP they appaer to be as they should...cgii-bin 755 acatalog 777.

There is nothing sensitive on the site and if you have the time and the inclination I'm happy to share whatever to try and resolve this.

Regards

John

[allenjr]

After a week or so trying still to get this to work without success and (trying) to talk with Webfusion support. After going over all the old ground they have confirmed that the permissions are set as they should be 755 on the cgi-bin and 777 on the acatalog.

I have looked at the log files and it appears that when I try to add to cart it does find and try to run the script but fails (as described earlier in this thread).

My network settings appear unless I'm going blind (and I could be after looking at them so many times) to be correct.

So, it's not network settinfgs, webfusion tell me my permissions are correct. What elase could it be?

My other site (eatwight.co.uk) is on the same hosting package with the same settings (aside the obvious) and it works fine. The only difference is that on the www.wightcyclehire.co.uk page I have a single add to cart button per page on eatwight it's per item...can this effect the result in anyway.

I'm at the end of my page and I assume so are webfusion, they say pass it back to Actinic so if there is any more thoughts out there on this I would be glad to hear them!

[RuralWeb]

cancel the package you have - you have a 30 day money back deal and then buy another.

[allenjr]

OK..today I ordered a hosting package from FastHost (Linux Home) and I have followed both the best advice I can find on this forum and from FastHost in the setup. FastHost have enabled the perl scripting

Still however I get the same error when I try to run the ca00001.pl script...500
when adding to the cart with a single add to cart button. fastHost placed a time.pl script in the directory and this can be executed without problem

The wizard all goes through fine and the site uploads no problems. Within network settings I still get the cgi-bin doesn't exist or you don't have permissions error message.

I have used the following settings....if there are any FastHost experts out there who can give it the once over for my sake I would be grateful.

Don't worry about the URL...this is the test one that FastHost provide before the DNS is all set up...I haven't requested the change from Webfusion just yet until I can see that it's working.

If Actinic could look at this I would be grateful...I'm using the LE version of Catalog for this site, can't imagine this has any influence however.

Thoughts welcome.

HTTPPROXYMODE 0
HTTPPROXYADDRESS
HTTPPROXYPORT 80
HTTPPROXYUSER
HTTPPROXYPASSWORD
FTPPROXYMODE 0
FTPPROXYADDRESS
FTPPROXYPORT 21
FTPPROXYUSER
FTPPROXYPASSWORD
SCRIPTID 1
SCRIPTEXT .pl
SMTPHOST
WEBSITEURL http://domain1762565.sites.fasthosts.com
IGNOREPASSIVEERRORS true
USERELATIVECGIURLS false
PATHTOPERL /usr/bin/perl
USEENHANCEFTP false
FTPCLIENTTIMEOUT 15000
FTPRETRYDELAY 3000
FTPSILENT false
FTPMAXRETRIES 3
FTPCONNECTTIMEOUT 25000
SMTPAUTHREQUIRED true
SMTPUSERNAME
SMTPPASSWORD
CATALOGURL http://domain1762565.sites.fasthosts.com/acatalog/
CGIBINURL http://domain1762565.sites.fasthosts.com/cgi-bin/
PATHFROMCGITOCATALOG ../acatalog/
CODEBASE ./
FTPHOST 213.171.193.5
FTPUSERNAME
FTPPASSWORD
PATHTOCGIBIN /htdocs/cgi-bin/
USEPASSIVEFTP false
FTPPATHFROMCGITOCATALOG /htdocs/acatalog/

[leehack]

How did you come up with fasthosts as your chosen host?:confused: they have been the most problematic actinic host bar none for years. Get rid of that idea and start again on your 3rd chosen provider. Alternatively why not contact someone to help setup your webfusion for you if you can't work it out, 100's of people (if not 1000's) use webfusion, you are the only one that i know of who has failed to get it working. Webfusion even sell and advertise actinic on their site!

[RuralWeb]

and then buy anotherI meant another webfusion package - I dont use fasthost.

[RuralWeb]

you are the only one that i know of who has failed to get it workingAs am I - I have many many sites using it including one I set up yesterday with no problems at all.

There must be something wrong at your end.

[allenjr]

Well FastHost as I read a few threads and it seemed a good choice...obviously not!

I have other sites working on webfusion servers (as I have said earlier on in the thread)...this site used to work on webfusion before I changed the hosting package...all the sites have the same settings...I have used webfusion for 4 years ...this is the only times I have had an issue....I can't understand it...

[pmckenzie]

I had the same problem but seemed to have fixed it .. but I'm not sure how or if what I have done is safe but:

The solution is to:

Set permissions on cgi-bin to 755 (it's usually this anyway)
Set permissions on public_html to 755

I used Ipswitch FTP to do this and the thing that seemed to make a difference was the public_html change. I also selected the tick box that said something like "include all folders and files in the directory". This is in a pop up window after you hit OK.

Perhaps someone can tell me if I have messed things up but it all seems to be working now. BTW this is on the webfusion starter linux package - the 60 quid a year one !

[RuralWeb]

the thing that seemed to make a difference was the public_html people often miss this as they try to upload to the root of the server and not the public_html file which is where actinic needs to go.

[allenjr]

Dear All,

I have now reverted back to my V6 version of Catalog LE. Changed the username and password and ftp server name to reflect the new hosting package.

I ran the test no problems, I uploaded no problems. I went to the site and added to the cart no problems.

I exported these settings from V6 into my V8 LE and ran the same tests...it fails exactly as it did before...cgi-bin does not exist or you do not have permission etc. Add to cart does not let the cgi script run.

My conclusion after 9 months...not a webfusion problem but an Actinic V8 problem...any comments!

[RuralWeb]

not a webfusion problem but an Actinic V8 problem...any commentsIve over 30 V8 sites working with webfusion and non of them have had any problems at all so I dont thinks its a V8 problem.

[allenjr]

Any running V8 Limited Edition....as my V8 full site works fine...eatwight.co.uk on the same hosting package.

[RuralWeb]

Any running V8 Limited Edition....as my V8 full site works fineNon - they are all full versions or client software. The issue may be related to the LE version in some way?????

[Duncan Rounding]

Have you tried exporting your settings from the working v8 site modifying them and them accordingly and then importing them back into your v8LE site?

Also are you running v8LE on a different PC to the PC you are running your full v8 site?

[allenjr]

I originally exported the settings from the worrking V8 site some months ago...and a few times since without success...changing the obvious.

Why the V6 settings work (which are exactly the same as I had in V8)...I have no idea...but they do...it's so nice to get emails telling me that somebody has placed an order...sadly it's only me at the moment.

I will have to stick with V6 until I can work it out.

I have ordered the webfusion pro hosting (the next one up from my starter Linux) just to see if this makes any difference...I doubt it and feel I'm a little lost somewhere between Actinic and webfusion....

[Duncan Rounding]

Are you running v8LE and v8 on the same PC?
(I'm not sure if that would be possible without conflicts)

[allenjr]

Hi..sorry yes they are both on the same pc

[allenjr]

They are both licenced properly and I just activate the site I want to move between the two...I don't know if it causes a conflict,,,I have the same setup in V6 without problem.

[Bruce]

Hi John,

Can you let us know if this issue has been sorted since your upgrade to the new package or does it still exist?

Kind regards,

[allenjr]

Hi,

I had to downgrade my LE Catalog from V8 to V6 to get it to work...both have exactly the same settings. The V8 version does not work....for whatever reason.
The V6 LE works perfectly.