Joomla 1.5 installation error: Cookies do not appear to be enabled on your browser client

If during a Joomla 1.5 installation, the following error is encountered:

"An error has occurred:

Cookies do not appear to be enabled on your browser client. You will not be able to install the application with this feature disabled. Alternatively, there could also be a problem with the server's session.save_path. If this is the case, please consult your hosting provider if you don't know how to check or fix this yourself"

don't be alarmed!

And before rushing in and trying complicated steps and changing settings for Apache, PHP, and MySQL (like a few forum threads actually suggest), try simply the following:

• clear the browser's cache (you may not even need to go to advanced internet tools options for this),
• restart your Apache, MySQL and PHP services (you may need to request your webhost for this in live server settings, or in local machine your XAMPP, WAMPServer, etc. restart commands),
• then go back to Joomla installation.
  

Then again, just documenting my experiences... disclaimer applies :D

Joomla 1.5's Fatal error: Cannot instantiate non-existent class: jinstallationmodel in ../installation/installer/controller.php on line 161

Someone asked me about this error encountered during his Joomla 1.5 installation:

Fatal error: Cannot instantiate non-existent class: jinstallationmodel in ../installation/installer/controller.php on line 161

Download and install the latest stable updates and patches that should come with the corresponding installer used.

Check latest Joomla stable patch/update releases here:

http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/joomla/frs/?action=FrsReleaseView&release_id=9911

What these patches basically do is to provide updated necessary Joomla files (and folders) which one can upload/save replacing previous default Joomla files and folders.

Patches normally come in zipped/compressed files, extract them first for uploading/saving.

"Reported Attack Site" displayed by Firefox as reported by Google

As one ‘developer’ of a site that has been labeled by Firefox’s latest rigid updated version of 3, I think this is unfair as this is commonly of no fault of the site developer/webhost.

We have all been great fans of Firefox for many years now, but I’m very disappointed with their automatic display of this warning. It just scares people off (useful) websites unnecessarily that have potentially become infected through no fault of their own.

Other browsers don’t show this degree of ’sensitivity’ (nor, insensitivity!!!) that this latest FF 3 update does; it simply is too much caution!

I don't know, but personally I think leave the security issues with the host, leave out the inconvenience from the users. We urge FF to disable this damaging and reckless feature; or provide other inconspicuous display of warning.

To manually disable this:

Go to Tools > Options > uncheck "Tell me if the site I'm visiting is a suspected attack site"

Suspected attack site??? Come on! I rest my case...

Sitemap online collaboration tool

Came across a useful online site map creator called WriteMaps Site Tool (http://writemaps.com) , which provides shared online collaboration among users. Cool! Simple, straightforward...

Screenshots below:

Fatal error: Call to undefined method JException::getNullDate() in ... /installation/installer/helper.php on line 290

Errors:

• Fatal error: Call to undefined method JException::getNullDate() in installation\installer\helper.php on line 290
• Fatal error: Call to undefined method JException::getNullDate() in /installation/installer/helper.php on line 290

During the installation of an undergoing Joomla 1.5 project, I deliberately hit the browser's back button during the initial installation steps (as part of Joomla 1.5 testing, one of those "what would happen if's"). Of course, data has to be resent, thus hitting the back button during the install steps produces this error.

Dilemma:

How to proceed with the installation, or do a re-install of Joomla 1.5 ?

Solutions:

1. Create a new and completely empty file, name it as configuration.php and upload or save it to your joomla root directory (e.g. .../www/joomla-folder/ or .../htdocs/joomla-folder, etc.) replacing the previous configuration.php.

Then go back to the installation process of Joomla 1.5 (http://joomla-site/installation/index.php, or http://www.joomla-site/installation/index.php). You will then have to enter (or re-enter) the details as the installation proceeds. This is part of what they call a manual installation

In my case, the previous installation (that have gone wrong) had reached the "Install sample data", so I had to also drop/delete the initial database created in phpmyadmin (http://localhost/phpmyadmin/ or similar mysql admin tool) to give way to the second, fresh installation.

2. Installation should basically work then. If not, recommended further steps can be found here http://help.joomla.org/content/view/1945/302/

Hope this helps!

Joomla 1.6 Error: "The URL is not valid and cannot be loaded"

Testing Joomla 1.5 and a few initial observations:

Almost everything is the same with older versions of Joomla, except for the look and feel in the administrative interface, nothing really different that needs much adjusting

However, enabling all default (that come with the package) modules and components as part of the test, a "The URL is not valid and cannot be loaded" dialog box error is displayed when refreshing the frontend page. And when clicking OK, the page is otherwise ok and displaying properly.

Don't be alarmed as this is not an issue really. The ff. can be noted which will resolve the error:

Culprit:

Wrapper module is published but has no URL specified to wrap. Earlier Joomla 1.5 versions has the wrapper module published or enabled by the default installation, while the latest Joomla 1.5 to date has this disabled.

Error/s:

"The URL is not valid and cannot be loaded" in Firefox. In IE7, page will simply not display. In my case, the error was visible immediately while in some this may not take effect immediately as your site will seem fine for a few days after installation, and will pop eventually.

"The address is not valid" is also displayed in Internet Explorer 7 when the sample data is deleted (when one needs to put in the real stuff).

Solution:

Fill in valid URL in the wrapper module, otherwise disable or unpublish the module until desired.

WAMP (WampServer) or XAMPP ?

I've been using XAMPP ever since and have followed it's development from one release to the next. Have experienced first-hand the bugs, errors, and fixes of 'em all. And presently, the latest version seems to work fine for me.

Am trying out WAMPServer and hopefully will find anything more useful or more convenient than XAMPP or other one-packaged installers.

Browsing through forums, can't find anything concrete on the pros and cons of one over the other. User preferences seem to be thing here :D

Background check (WAMP vs XAMPP) forum links:

• http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119408
• http://www.dynamicdrive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35923

Anyway, will post if anything comes up!

Keep AMP'ing everyone!