Installation Problem Solving

Phoca Guestbook tables were not created while installing

Mostly you get the following system message "Error while Saving Phoca Guestbook Categories" or this PHP error message: Warning: mysql_num_rows(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource ... while using Phoca Guestbook.

Getting this system message or php error message is caused by not installed Phoca Guestbook tables in the Joomla!. Please enable debug mode in your Joomla! administration site (Global Configuration) and take a look at your database (e.g. via phpMyAdmin) to see if the installation script created Phoca Guestbook tables correctly. If not, you must create them manually. The SQL queries, which install Phoca Guestbook tables into your database, are saved in install.bak  file. You will find this file in the Phoca Guestbook component ZIP package. You will find this file in the Phoca Download component ZIP package. Since Joomla! 3 (Phoca Download 3) you will find the SQL files in ZIP package in folder: install/sql/mysql/ (e.g. install/sql/mysql/install.utf8.sql)

If you are installing Phoca Guestbook,

just copy all SQL queries (except ALTER TABLE ... queries) and run them in e.g. phpMyAdmin. But beware, because the names of tables are prepared for system installation, so they contain '#__' instead of your table prefix, you must rename them, e.g.:

• #__phocaguestbook to TablePrefix_phocaguestbook
  

TablePrefix is the prefix you selected while installing Joomla! 1.5 (it is mostly 'jos_' and it should differentiate the Joomla! tables from other tables used in your database). Make sure that you delete #_ at the start of the line; you only need one _ {underscore}. Do this for all queries.

If you are updating Phoca Guestbook,

it means that some tables from previous installation of Phoca Guestbook exist, so you must run SQL queries of tables which don't currently exist in the database. The automatic upgrade script knows that it should add only the new tables... but if you got an error while upgrading, or you choose to upgrade manually you will have to run the SQL query manually.

You should use install.bak or install.utf8.sql file, but here there are SQL queries for all tables, so you must run only SQL queries for the new tables (tables which are not already created in your database), not all tables, because if you add the existing tables (e.g. phoca download, phoca download categories) then these existing tables will be overwritten (and all data will be removed).

You will find the install.bak or install.utf8.sql file in the Phoca Guestbook component ZIP package. Just copy the SQL queries of new tables and run them in e.g. phpMyAdmin. But be aware, because the names of tables are prepared for system installation, so they contain '#__' instead of your table prefix, you must rename them, e.g.:

• #__phocaguestbook to TablePrefix_phocadguestbook
  

TablePrefix is the prefix you selected while installing Joomla! 1.5 (it is mostly 'jos_' and it should differentiate the Joomla! tables from other tables used in your database). Make sure that you delete #_ at the start of the line; you only need one _ {underscore}.

Phoca Guestbook is not installed and blank page is displayed

If you get blank page while installing Phoca Guestbook. It can be caused by not enough PHP Memory or CPU on your server. Installation procedure in Joomla! doesn't have enough time for unzipping Phoca Guestbook ZIP file.

In this case the best way how to install Phoca Guestbook is uploading data via FTP. But it is not all you need to do because some information about Phoca Guestbook (menu items) should be stored in Joomla!.

You should do the following steps (copying files and creating folders should be done by FTP client, see this article for more information):

1.Guestbook the latest Phoca Guestbook ZIP file and unzip it somewhere on your PC. E.g. create phocaguestbook_tmp folder on your PC and unzip the file here.

2. Create the following folders on your server (where Joomla! is running):

• components/com_phocaguestbook
• administrator/components/com_phocaguestbook

3. Copy all folders and files (except front and language folders and their files) from phocaguestbook_tmp folder into your server's folder:

• administrator/components/com_phocaguestbook

4. Copy all files which are saved in front folder on your PC ( phocaguestbook_tmp/front ) into your server's folder:

• components/com_phocaguestbook

5. Copy all files which are saved in languagefolder on your PC ( phocaguestbook_tmp/language ) into your server's folders:

• language
• administrator/language

Now all needed files should be saved on your server.

6. Guestbook com_phocaguestbook_ftp_install.zip file from Phoca Guestbook download site and install it in your Joomla! administration site:

Go to Extensions » Install/Uninstall. Now you are in Extensions Manager. Click on:

• Upload Package File - select the com_phocaguestbook_ftp_install.zip file from your disc and click on Upload File  &Install.

This file is very small. It doesn't contain Phoca Guestbook files (these were copied by FTP), so there shouldn't be any problem with PHP Memory or CPU anymore. After installation you can select if you want Install or Upgrade Phoca Guestbook.