Browse and Upload buttons not working in Admin

[Sean Callagy]

[Solved - but the conversation might be of use to others]

When I go to Admin > Site > Media Manager, I find that the Browse and Upload buttons don't work. Even though I am logged in as a "Super Administrator".

I used to be able to upload this way. Haven't had to upload any images in a while so am unaware of when the problem might have first occured. Last I recall trying to upload was about 3weeks ago however the image wasn't a priority so didn't think about it all that much.

At that time I was on 1.5.10 and was waiting for my providers to allow Fantastico upgrade to 1.5.11 hoping that would resolve the issue. Then in the meantime 1.5.12 was announed and I decided to update manually. But the issue still remains with 1.5.12.

Is this a permission issue that I can fix via cPanel? With permissions somewhere perhaps?

Or is it something to do with my server providers (they were doing something about a fortnight ago and I had no access for a few hours)? If so, what might they have changed and how can i change it back?

Best wishes,
Sean.

[holdencreative]

Can you provide a more detailed description? What happens when it 'doesn't work'?

[Sean Callagy]

Thanks for responding. And you asking for details helped me realise I can eliminate the server as being the problem. Because I have several sites running Joomla on the same server. In one's Media Manager > Images area the browse option works. In the other it doesn't.

Site 1

In this site (which is on the root of my server), when I click to 'browse' my computer for a file to upload, nothing happens. All I get is a slight highlighting of the browse button.


Site 2

In this other site (which is another domain and Joomla install on my server), when I press on the browse button, I get to choose where on my computer to upload the file from. And the function works because this where I've just uploaded these images to.



This at least suggests that the issue is not with my server providers, but instead somewhere within my first site's Joomla setup. I must have changed something somewhere but forgotten what!

[holdencreative]

Hi - Can you confirm that the 'save' and 'upload' buttons are working normally?

[Sean Callagy]

Not sure what you mean here because there isn't any 'save' button on the Media Manager > Images pages of my install.

But have since noticed that the normal button line up (as seen in Site 2 pic above - which works) actually shows up for a second or two while this area of Site 1 loads. Then it suddenly reverts to presenting the three buttons - none of which do anything when I click on them.

Does this give you any more clues?

[newrev]

Hi, I have the same problem in 2 of my sites. The upload images button stop working every where,
even in the articles section.

So the only way to upload images will be throughout the ftp. My clients aren't very happy with that solution. This already appended once in another of my sites and I could never solve that issue. I did all the upgrades, but that never solve this problem. Any ideas.

[Sean Callagy]

So the only way to upload images will be throughout the ftp. My clients aren't very happy with that solution.

I can understand why they're not all that happy. Because, for me, the whole idea of using cms is that it saves me having to negotiate the myriad folders and subfolders in cPanel to make sure I'm uploading something to the right place.

This already appended once in another of my sites and I could never solve that issue. I did all the upgrades, but that never solve this problem. Any ideas.

That doesn't sound good, so I do hope someone can help us resolve this.

[holdencreative]

I must have changed something somewhere but forgotten what!

. Because, for me, the whole idea of using cms is that it saves me having to negotiate the myriad folders and subfolders in cPanel to make sure I'm uploading something to the right place.

Well, don't blame the CMS in this case - that would be like blaming a car for not working without a battery. Obviously there's some sort of missing element, or file that's in the wrong place/code, or something wrong with the configuration.

Not sure what you mean here because there isn't any 'save' button on the Media Manager > Images pages of my install.

Are you the normal Joomla! functions working? - can you 'save' articles, etc?

Please post your system information (Joomla! version, server type, etc) as it will help to determine the issue.

Also - take a good look at your site's configuration.php file. Are the server paths' correct - or were they maybe incorrectly uploaded / overwritten from a local WAMP/server copy you had, etc?

NewRev, given that (2) of your sites have the issue and the other's dont, you may be able to compare configuration.php, Joomla! versions, etc, to determine the case.

Good luck,
HC

[Sean Callagy]

Well, don't blame the CMS in this case - that would be like blaming a car for not working without a battery. Obviously there's some sort of missing element, or file that's in the wrong place/code, or something wrong with the configuration.

I agree. It's gotta be something in the back-end. Maybe it didn't come across but was just expressing concern that if things can get put out of place/changed relatively easy, I could end up going into the cPanel area more often than I would like.

Are you the normal Joomla! functions working? - can you 'save' articles, etc?

Yes, they seem to be.

Please post your system information (Joomla! version, server type, etc) as it will help to determine the issue.

Might be getting a bit out of my depth now but I think this is what you're after yes?

Joomla 1.5.12 (on both sites)
Shared vps server (with rapidvps.com)
Here's the specs from inside my cPanel:

cPanel Version 11.24.4-CURRENT
cPanel Build 37008
Theme x3
Apache version 2.2.9 (Unix)
PHP version 5.2.6
MySQL version 5.0.81-community-log
Architecture i686
Operating system Linux
Shared Ip Address 208.77.102.121
Path to sendmail /usr/sbin/sendmail
Path to PERL /usr/bin/perl
Kernel version 2.6.18-Aug5-v06iscsi-Xeon

Also - take a good look at your site's configuration.php file. Are the server paths' correct - or were they maybe incorrectly uploaded / overwritten from a local WAMP/server copy you had, etc?

The two config files look slightly different. In the site where media image upload works there are some extra lines... rather a lot of them actually. What should I do? Post both configs here... or is there a specific line or 'var' you were thinking might be amiss?

Thanks for your help by the way.

NewRev, given that (2) of your sites have the issue and the other's dont, you may be able to compare configuration.php, Joomla! versions, etc, to determine the case.

I'm doing the same thing and have found the following permssions:

755 on Site 1 (uploading of images not working)
644 on Site 2 (uploading of images working just fine).

Would it be worth trying to see the 755 to 644?

[holdencreative]

Hi,

Thanks for posting your server info - it's helpful. Exactly what I was requesting.

You may as well go ahead and try the permissions-test, but I'm not sure that's the issue.

re: Joomla! Update

Can you confirm that you patched successfully - ie - you patched up with the 1.5.10-->1.512 patch, and not the 1.5.11-->1.5.12 patch (which is the more obvious download on the Joomla! article about the update)

Please go ahead and post your configuration.php
**but**

Please be sure to edit out any security-sensitive information, replacing the info with placeholders.

Fair Warning:

Doing my best to help you with this, but if it gets away from Joomla and into a more server-configuration related issue, there's only so much I'll be able to suggest.

Good luck,
HC

[nagilum]

Hi there,

I just ran into the same problem and noticed something. Have a closer look at the buttons and hit 'Reload', it first displays as a regular button but then quickly changes to the flat layout that you have in your first screenshot above. On loading the page a Javascript loads the /media/system/swf/uploader.swf file and that's when the button changes. If you hit ESC when the button still looks 'regular' it will work! Somehow the Flash file is not working properly. Strangely enough it seemed to work on my system a few days ago with another test install of the exactly same version (1.5.12).

Maybe someone with more knowledge of Joomla knows where the problem lies. I've not more than a few days of experience but will keep looking.

HTH,
Nag

[ATVSource]

From what I've learned under the Global Config settings, turn off Flash upload option, that will fix this little issue you are having.

[nagilum]

I never turned that option on in the first place and it was actually set to off when I looked it up. But turning it on and off indeed solved the issue. Oh well... anyway, thanks for the hint.

[Sean Callagy]

Well now that is interesting. Because in:

Site 1 (image upload was not working) Global Config > System > Media Settings > Enable Flash Upload was set to "Yes".

Site 2 (image upload was working fine) Global Config > System > Media Settings > Enable Flash Upload was set to "No".

Don't know how that "yes" got to be there. But once it was reset to "No" all seems well and the problem seems to be solved. Am very glad it didn't involve much tinkering about in cPanel other than changing permissions so I could change that Flash Upload setting in Global Config.

Thanks a million to each of you for jumping in and trying to help on this. Much, much appreciated.