FAQ: Admin Menus Not Working or Missing

[DeanMarshall]

Sounds like perhaps your site isn't configured to use index.php as an 'index page'.
When you don't specify a specific filename at the end of a path the server generally looks for index.html or index.htm in that folder. Servers with php installed will also look for index.php and servers with perl might look for index.cgi or index.pl

For some reason your site doesn't appear to be doing that - not in the /administrator/ folder anyway.
It probably isn't working as you expect when you type in http://yourdomain.com/ - it isn't picking up the index.php automatically - it is probably relying on a redirect within a .htaccess file.

Edit your .htaccess file and add this line

DirectoryIndex index.php index.html

See if that makes a difference. I expect that it will solve the issue and /administrator/ will work on its own.

Dean

[astroturbo]

Thank you for quick response!

The funny thing is that the index function IS working in other directories (php or htm etc) where I have needed it (the main and joomla directory), and it WAS working with this one for a couple of days (although I don't know for sure if the URL was the same all the time...). The problem started after installing the CommunityBuilder and some extra configs, but I don't actually believe that it's directly related and at the same time I hold it open that the autmatic installers MAY corrupt stuff...

You mean putting a htacces file in this directory specially or add a line to the one i already have in my joomla directory?

I'll try both and get back to you on my proceedings. :P

PS If it's of any interest or help, you're welcome to check out the site where I started to build my Joomla site: http://www.thisishereandnow.net.

[astroturbo]

You were right about the DirectoryIndex stuff:

To direct visitors to the joomla site that I have put in a joomla directory under the web root I had set the web server DircetoryIndex to /joomla/index.php index.php.
I have changed this to index.html index.php /joomla/index.php and taken away the index file in the web root. Now visitors are directed to the joomla dir and index files will be loaded by tipping only directories in the URL's.

Thanks a lot for getting me on the right track.

However today I got a new maybe uglier problem - why I don't know - I get four warning statements on top of the page like Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by.... and on trying to log in to the admin I get a similar warning and the login reloads (which means i'm not able to log in to the back end)!!! Any Ideas? check http://www.thisishereandnow.net to see the full warnings for yourself. A config file topic?? - Seems one problem solved launches a new problem here...

[DeanMarshall]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.
The headers already sent stuff is usually the result of either:

a) a warning / error message being 'printed' to the browser - solve the initial error rest of problem goes away.
or
b) editing of files and placing whitespace above the tag.

Dean

[astroturbo]

yeah I'll try to keep that in mind. i checked a couple of files for such blanks but couldn't find them. Seemed hopeless enough and I didn't have much data or extensions added yet, so I did a new install into the site root directory this time. Hopefully that'll make managing the site a bit easier.
thanks anyway.

[jehutson]

Dean,

I have been picking through all the javascript files in the admin section and I can't seem to find my problem.
The backend admin menu does not appear in one particular install of joomla. I am running a half dozen joomla sites right now all very similar. However now i have switched over one of these sites onto a new server and a new ip address. I zipped the site using ssh and unzipped it using ssh as well on the new server. phpmyadmin export and import should all have worked fine as well. All the settings in my configuration file are correct as well.

The problem i am having is that the backend admin section is not rendering any javascript with in the page. When i compare the source with a proper functioning site there is loads of script that isn't being written at all. I have no menu, no control panel buttons. The back end is essentially barren.

I have spent several weeks trying to figure this out as my site is still live on the old server, but i need to switch it very soon as the old server is being overloaded frequently.

What am i missing?

Thank you very much, please let me know if you would like a link to my site. 

[Necromagvs]

Ok,

I got the issue again.

Start to read this thread and find something language file, and there , funny thing, I was updating my new spanish language file (since it was full of strange simbols) and the session expire, I wasnt able to login.

Took the english files, copy them locally, changed their names to spanish, upload them and everything starts to work fine.

I will add a note on the spanish language project. But if any of you knows how to configure correctly a language I will really appreciate it

:P

[goodie1]

HI help me please i dont know what hapened (sory my english)
first, I install Joomla to localhost and admin panel load correct
Then i install Joomla on 110mb.com server and admin panel not load
Below pictures of admin panel, making in 3 browser.
http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/8453/iecy3.jpg
http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/2700/ffzk6.jpg
http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/694/operajw3.jpg

What I do wrong help please

[DeanMarshall]

@goodie1 - It looks like some of your files did not upload completely.
Try uploading them again - espeicially anyting javascript related.
A link is often useful in resolving - or at least identifying such issues.

Dean

[jehutson]

seriously i cannot a solution to this issue. i have completely reinstalled my joomla site and imported the old database into the new one and it still does not work. i am losing my mind.

the admin menu in the back end is not generating ANY javascript, there for it is not possible to determine if there is a break in the script. all the files are there and that isn't the issue. its something in my database that will not work for a new domain.

PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE. the issue must be in the configuration somewhere (ive gone through the base config file a thousand times) any thoughts...

[DeanMarshall]

When you say not generating any javascript - you mean you looked at the source of the page and there is no menu related javascript at all - or just no menu visible. From your description it looks like you have an error somewhere in the database - my bet is going to be that you have apostrophe's in the names of menu items - that is a frequent killer. Alternatively some other form of 'corruption' in the database.

Have you tried a 'repair' process on the database?
In phpMyAdmin go to the 'structure' tab.
Under the list of tables look for the 'select all' link - which ticks (checks) all the tables.
Then in the drop down select box click the 'repair table' option.

Is your admin template intact? Could it be as simple as corrupted files within the admin template - or perhaps a warning or other error message is being printed in the middle of some javascript and killing it (and/or the layout).

Dean

[Sunflare98]

I've had the same problem and tracked down the error by viewing the source.  I found the following in my javascript:

Code: Select all

				[null,'Components',null,null,'Component Management',
<br />
<b>Warning</b>:  Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in <b>/home/content/S/u/n/Sunflare2k/html/administrator/modules/mod_fullmenu.php</b> on line <b>180</b><br />
<br />
<b>Warning</b>:  Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in <b>/home/content/S/u/n/Sunflare2k/html/administrator/modules/mod_fullmenu.php</b> on line <b>190</b><br />
				],

Line 180 is the "foreach" line in the code snippet below from mod_fullmenu.php.

Code: Select all

			$query = "SELECT *"
			. "\n FROM #__components"
			. "\n WHERE name != 'frontpage'"
			. "\n AND name != 'media manager'"
			. "\n ORDER BY ordering, name"
			;
			$database->setQuery( $query );
			$comps = $database->loadObjectList();	// component list
			$subs = array();	// sub menus
			// first pass to collect sub-menu items
			foreach ($comps as $row) {

Running the above SQL substituting "#__components" with "jos_menu" works fine in phpMyAdmin, so it seems like the #__components variable is not being set correctly (and thus not retrieving any recordsets).

If that's a good assumption, where do I find the setting for #__components; or, if not, what else could be causing this error?

[DeanMarshall]

I'm not sure substituting modules jos_menu for components is a good idea.
Your best bet would simply be to stop the WARNING being output - it should not be seen except by developers.
It is just coming out in an unfortunate position and breaking the javascript.

You need to set the error reporting variables in php.ini - or in a .htaccess file (or local php.ini file) depending on server setup.

Dean

[Sunflare98]

Instead of substituting jos_menu (that didn't look right) - I substituted "mos_components" since I had never deleted my previous installation after doing a brand new install.  Changing the variable name worked perfect. 

Which leads me to believe that there should be a "jos_components" table.  In my database there isn't and I'm wondering if there should be (and thus that's what's throwing the error).  GoDaddy had problems with my database's server a while back and perhaps that specific table was never recovered.

[DeanMarshall]

There should certainly be a #__components table (where the #_ is a placeholder for your chosen table prefix).
That would certainly explain the issue, yes.
I wonder if it is absolutely not present or present but corrupt enough not to be recognised.
Perhaps trying a repair process on the database might work.
Failing that you are looking at some significant rebuilding or reverting to a backup of the DB.

Of course you should then put the code back how it was. Your edit is merely supressing the warnings by using a table that does exist - if the code was seriously flawed I would expect more widespread reporting of issues over the last six months

Dean

[kachete]

Hi

I was reading and doing all the issues that are posted here and seen anyone are helping me

I have a running site and all was perfect i run a newspaper kind of site and i need the menus in order to edit the news put in sections edit modules configuration, add some banners thats is every day

Know i see that i have no menus in my backend so i cant edit and run anything in my site

Please help me here

In the backend main page when i click under configuration button there show the menus but they are not activated

When i push other button there are no menus in the backend

Please help us here we dont know what is hapenning

Please show us some ligth here

In the botton line of the status i double click in a warning (litle yellow in the left) and it tells this error

Code: Select all

Line:89
Char: 84
Error: Unterminated string content
Code: 0
URL: http://www.mysite.com/new/administrator/index2.php

Please help here Please

Thanks in advance

[DeanMarshall]

Almost certainly down to your use of an apostrophe (single quote) or invisible control characters in sql files / .xml files.
Also database corruption can cause similar issues.

I think this post should help:
http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/topic ... #msg326795

Dean.

[kachete]

Thanks Dean

I solved my issue just deleting the admin template i have been chosen and the system take the default so know we have a running site.

I think the admin template have some bugs so when using some java from some mambots instaled the menu in the backend run bad

Thanks again

I read a security issue in your site dont you have a copy of it in PDF or something to read more material so qe can achieve more security in our site running joomla

it would be apreciated

[DeanMarshall]

Glad you got your admin site back up and running.

On the security issue - I think we lost a little in translation
I think you are referring to my 'Hacker Beware!' Joomla Security add-on
which is indeed offered from my site. I don't know how much I can say here
without being accused of self promotion - so I will just say that the
'Hacker Beware!' script needs installing manually in your Joomla root folder.

Once installed it bans an IP address after one hack attempt - rather than the
default Joomla security stance - which just blocks that specific request.

My position is that one strike and you are out - why let the hacker keep hammering
away until he finds a way in. The script also sends an admin email each time someone new
is banned - to let you assess the level of hacking activity.

Of course if I misunderstood your question and I'm way off base then I apologise to you
and to the Joomla gods for any self promotion

Dean

[kachete]

Im interested in making my site the more secure as posible in order to prevent hacking and anything else making my sites go donw

Please you can show me the way to it

Best Regards

[Highlander]

I think you are referring to my 'Hacker Beware!' Joomla Security add-on which is indeed offered from my site.

Hi Dean - I am interested in this script but cannot locate it on your site, nor any option to register and perhaps find it in registered user parts of the site.

[DeanMarshall]

Details here:
http://www.deanmarshall.co.uk/content/c ... /6/88/116/

Download via:
http://www.deanmarshall.co.uk/demo/apf_bridge/
somewhere in the 'downloads' section.

Sorry it isn't as clear as it used to be - part of my little protest.
I figure if the download is a little less straightforward - and inconveniences people 'slightly'
then people will stop and think a little more about the issues involved in my little protest on
the home page.

Dean

[Highlander]

thanks -

PS - I voted for "mix"