Joomla 3.5.1. Maybe don't update to it

[betterlead]

Hi, just FYI. I updated my site to Joomla 3.5.1 (From 3.5) and it ment trouble. After shopper confirmed order in checkout (In my case Klarna) shopper was not sent to confirmation page and no confirmation Email was sent, either to shopper nor admin.

Also strange order status updates happened. Took me to some error page.

So, just a small warning. Don't know if it effects any other shops. But please be careful and make a backup before you try to update Joomla. (As always, huh?)

[weby]

Try using libraries/joomla/mail/mail.php from Joomla 3.5.0

[jenkinhill]

See http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=133760.0

There is no point yet in updating J3.5   As there are other (non-VM) issues with J3.5.1 coming to light it may not be long before J3.5.2 is released.

[betterlead]

Thanks. Also saw other tyhread about this where you answered.
http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=133760.0

Sorry for posting this under Gen, should have posted under bugs aso.

[jenkinhill]

But is is not a bug. Joomla changed their code without telling anyone or considering the consequences, so extention developers have to play catchup instead of spending their time on new/better features.

[leolam]

But is is not a bug. Joomla changed their code without telling anyone or considering the consequences, so extension developers have to play catch-up instead of spending their time on new/better features.

This is a complete incorrect statement.  The extension developers are responsible for their own code and Joomla is not liable for the way how VM (wrongly) uses 'addReplyTo' methods.

What has changed in Joomla 3.5.1 (for good reasons) is the error handling and that is "known" to all extension developers and yes a bug was fixed related to exactly that in core as well see https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms/pull/9577/files (that shipped in 3.5.1 btw) . Use of addReplyTo has been changed from accepting an array of parameters to have 2 parameters which has the for certain extensions 'negative' effects. (see here VM ...)

As a result extension developers (such a VM/RS-Forms, Breezingforms, Hikashop and a lot more) that have used this addReplyTo   "wrong" for a long time (the last change to that method was in 2014 fwiw). need to update flashy fast their extensions to avoid their extension throwing these errors and rendering their forms and submissions useless. This won't be changed (we call that a regression)  in Joomla 3.5.2 nor in any other future version. So if some moderators here on this forum advise to wait for future patches of Joomla they are ill informed and are providing wrong information to their users. Also other advise is here submitted to mix up Joomla 3.5.0 and Joomla 3.5.1 files. That is an equaly bad solution. The only solution for VM developers is (just like the other extension developers mentioned in this post -and many more as we know from our connections in the Joomla Bug Squad and on GLIP)  have already done) to patch your VM software! You simply have no choice!

You can visit our Blog as well for more technical details if interested.

Leo Lammerink
MD GWS-Desk.com
Member Joomla Bug Squad
aka 'leolam' on Joomla forums with 15K support assists

[jenkinhill]

Leo I believe this update was badly managed in that those Joomla users about to update J3.5.0 to J3.5.1 should have been advised of possible issues with extensions that include a mail function, and suggest they check with the extension developer first.

Breezingforms were quick to respond to users finding they could not submit, as were Hikashop and a patch was made available for VirtueMart users. There are many extension developers who have not yet updated their software, especially form extensions.  As a business we received calls from several Joomla users who updated in response to either an update email or the BE prompt and then found problems. None of these were VirtueMart users, but they had other affected extensions.

I always advise users (and my clients who manage their own updates) to test any update on a copy of the live site first, but of course, very few do. 

I don't think anyone here suggested that users wait for a "Joomla fix" for this particular issue. Like I said, it is not a Joomla bug, but it is/was a code change that broke some backwards compatibility and impacted on a lot of Joomla users. I did read Michael Babker's blog about this (your blog link here is broken BTW) and understand the need for change, but maybe the resulting "firestorm" was not predicted.

[AH]

It is good to see someone from the Joomla bug squad providing further insight into the changes that have affected VM.

What has changed in Joomla 3.5.1 (for good reasons) is the error handling and that is "known" to all extension developers

From your comments, it looks as though "known to all extension developers" appears not to have resulted in preventing some not so positive impact.

Small change though it might be - it has not been a great Joomla update experience for many non technically minded users.

That said, users should have not updated into live, before doing full end to end testing - IMHO unit testing is not sufficient - (but that is wishful thinking. )

Once again Leo - thank you for your insight.

[Studio 42]

It's hilarious, the point of view of the bug squad.
So, changing a function after 4 Years and not checking this break many extensions in a minor release, is the good way to do?
If this code worked for 4 years (and perhaps more) perhaps find a way to use the old parameters and add this in the next major release made more sense.