XF 1.2 Major Upgrade Issue

[WSWD]

Hello all. Help please! Getting the following error and now nothing is working at all:

Uh oh, your upgrade to 1.2.0 has failed!

The following elements of the database are incorrect:

• Column xf_forum.allowed_watch_notifications missing.
• Column xf_forum.default_sort_order missing.
• Column xf_forum.default_sort_direction missing.

This is likely caused by an add-on conflict. You may need to restore a backup, remove the offending add-on data from the database, and retry the upgrade. Contact support if you are not sure how to proceed.

 

[Paul B]

Which add-ons do you have installed?

This has been reported several times but in each case the member in question hasn't responded.

Also, read this: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/how-to-upgrade-to-1-2-0.56027/

 

[WSWD]

Had a bunch of add-ons installed, but disabled them all prior to the upgrade. Everything else is completely stock.

 

[Paul B]

That doesn't really help.

We need to know which add-on is causing the problem.

 

[WSWD]

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[TPerry]

Prefix Forum Listing

If you are referring to this one http://xenforo.com/community/resources/thread-prefix-listing.80/ it was not supported when I upgraded to 1.2 BETA versions... and unless it's been updated I don't think it is yet either.

 

[WSWD]

That's the one. I disabled all prior to upgrading though, per the instructions. In the process of restoring from backups now.

 

[Jeremy]

Disabling add-ons that have modified a database can still cause an upgrade to fail. Verifying compatibility before upgrading is always a good idea.

 

[WSWD]

Disabling add-ons that have modified a database can still cause an upgrade to fail. Verifying compatibility before upgrading is always a good idea.

Perhaps the instructions should be changed then?

If you have any add-ons installed, ensure they are compatible with 1.2 before upgrading.
If in doubt disable them, perform the upgrade and then re-enable them one at a time to determine whether they still work.

Yep...that's what I did. Disabled them, hoping to re-enable them one at a time.

 

[Jeremy]

The instructions cover this. You should ensure compatibility with 1.2 before attempting to upgrade. Test upgrades (on a test forum) are also a good idea.

 

[WSWD]

The instructions cover this. You should ensure compatibility with 1.2 before attempting to upgrade.

It then says "If in doubt disable them". That's what I did. I was in doubt and disabled them. Then the installation broke.

I have been admin'ing forums for years and years, and not once has an add-on ever prevented an upgrade/update. Not with any software. Probably something that should be worked out.

 

[WSWD]

If you have to rely on 3rd parties to upgrade their add-ons before you can upgrade the core forum software, that's just silly. You might be waiting for ages...perhaps forever. What if the add-ons stopped being developed, etc.?

Makes absolutely no sense, I'm afraid.

 

[Jeremy]

That is a risk of installing 3rd party add-ons, and exists on every software, not just XenForo.

 

[TPerry]

That is a risk of installing 3rd party add-ons, and exists on every software, not just XenForo.

And it's even MORE noticeable when they make database entries that may conflict. I don't know of any easy way to get around this unless it's to have a safety check in the upgrade routine to see if that name exists and if so cancel the upgrade and notify about it (which I don't think would be easy to do).

 

[Jeremy]

And it's even MORE noticeable when they make database entries that may conflict. I don't know of any easy way to get around this unless it's to have a safety check in the upgrade routine to see if that name exists and if so cancel the upgrade and notify about it (which I don't think would be easy to do).

XenForo now tells you of a possible failure. Most of these 'issues' can be avoided via properly prefixed tables, names, etc. Leave unprefixed for official is the best possible route a developer can take.

 

[WSWD]

That is a risk of installing 3rd party add-ons, and exists on every software, not just XenForo.

Like I said, never had it happen with any other software. The core forum software normally just overwrites anything the add-ons changed, and then the add-on simply doesn't work. It's never the other way around.

@Tracy Perry It's easy to fix. The forum software simply overwrites any database entries that were made by 3rd parties.

 

[Jeremy]

SQL doesn't work that way with altering or adding tables; the queries fail. XenForo is no different.

 

[TPerry]

XenForo now tells you of a possible failure. Most of these 'issues' can be avoided via properly prefixed tables, names, etc. Leave unprefixed for official is the best possible route a developer can take.

Never ran into the upgrade issue, so didn't know about it. Nobody should be using the xf_ prefix in their database routine that is not core software (read xenForo). Most of the authors that I use have their own (xengallery - Xen Media Gallery, sf - tenants spam utilities, dark - Post Ratings, etc).

 

[TPerry]

@Tracy Perry It's easy to fix. The forum software simply overwrites any database entries that were made by 3rd parties.

And then you run into the problem of it not working. The CORRECT solution is that the developer should NEVER be using the xf_ prefix for ANY of his/her database table creations.

 

[WSWD]

SQL doesn't work that way with altering or adding tables; the queries fail. XenForo is no different.

And you're trying to tell me that XenForo can't compare tables with a base and return them to their original form if they have been altered? Tables that are added make absolutely no difference. Tables that are altered can be compared and fixed.