[FIXED] Cannot yet handle MBCS Warning after upgrading from 1.1.3 to 1.1.4

[sl45sms]

On server with PHP version 4.4.8 i get i get the error from html_entity_decode function on line 235.

To stop warnings place @ at front of function.

Code Select Expand

$vm_mainframe->setPageTitle( @html_entity_decode( $page_title, ENT_QUOTES, vmGetCharset() ));

Edit soeren: The file is /administrator/component/com_virtuemart/html/shop.product_details.php.

[aravot]

Upgrade to php5, from next version on wards we won't be supporting php4, I don't have php4 to test and won't be testing on php4, sorry I know is not what you want to hear but don't have time to test on many different servers and versions, end of php4 was announced more than a year ago.

If any team member has php4 they might test and reply to you.

[jenkinhill]

Sorry, I am entirely PHP5 now as well.

[Scott]

Having the same problem! Nothing was said about THIS version being incompatible with PHP4, and for those of us with shared servers the upgrade may not be an option.

It isn't really acceptable to just say "upgrade" when this wasn't mentioned beforehand!

[jenkinhill]

Nobody should be using PHP4 now. End of life for PHP4 series was announced in July 2007 http://www.phpdeveloper.org/news/8235 and the last release made in late 2007.

No PHP4 security update patches have been released since August 2008.

PHP5 was first released in 2004. There is a requirement for PHP5 for some Joomla! modules & components.

VirtueMart 1.1.4 should work with PHP4, maybe with some minor code changes to remove error warning messages, but we cannot test it, and it would be very unwise to run an eCommerce application on a platform which is potentially unsecure.

[Scott]

Thanks for the lecture... but again, those on shared servers - myself included - can't necessarily influence such a move. I can complain long and hard - as I have been for some time - but if they say no, then it stays on PHP4. And please don't say "change hosting providers" - that's not a reasonable response to a report of a serious problem with an update.

At the very least, it needs to be clearly noted that this update breaks compatibility with PHP4. Right now, VirtueMart 1.1.x is supposed to be compatible with PHP4 - so I would suggest changes need to be made to the package, even if that means relying on end-users to test them.

[aravot]

VirtueMart 1.1.4 Release Candidate was available since May, you should have tested and gave us feedback, instead everyone kept asking when will the stable release be ready (you can read the posts, only one feedback), now that stable release is out everyone is complaining about bugs, instead of complaining why they didn't test release candidate.

I understand you and many other users are on shared hosting so am I but my host actually takes care of requests, if yours doesn't than maybe is not the best option for you.

At the end this is volunteer project, we don't get a cent, and are not going to test on every server (php, database) version, Joomla version or every scenario, that fact that we put so much time in the project without any appreciation it is surprising.

Search the forum Kelvyn is the most active member and has helped and is helping the community tremendous have some respect.
 

[Scott]

Don't be so sensitive. I operate a myriad of not-for-profit websites myself for which I get little to no thanks as well.

It is quite simple - if VirtueMart 1.1.x is listed as supporting PHP4, then there is a basic expectation that it will be tested on PHP4 and that it will be compatible. That is not an unreasonable expectation.

If this is not possible, then the update must clearly notify users that it will break PHP4 compatibility, to allow them to decide their next step - whether to try it anyway, update to PHP5, or move away from VM.

I realise this is free software, but if it wants to be taken seriously then it's a fairly basic requirement that a security release not break compatibility unless absolutely necessary - and if it does, that fact be noted very clearly. Any moderately professional software developer would agree with that, and my posts are merely trying to make you aware of this oversight so that the appropriate changes can be made - either adjust the release to fix the compatibility issue, or advertise the change in supported environment.

At the end of the day, the VM team can either take that on board... or get defensive the moment anyone suggests they may not be perfect, refuse to change anything and just alienate other users who can't get it to work and have no idea why.

[aravot]

As mentioned VirtueMart 1.1.4 release candidate was available since May you should have test it.

[Scott]

Unbelievable. What a fantastic attitude to have - the devs miss something, and rather than listen to users who try to bring it to their attention, they blame them for the issue instead.

[templecloud]

I've just encountered this problem with a newly installed site running on PHP5.2.9  It seems to be resolved by adding the "@" as recommended, but I'd be interested to know why it cropped up as I'm not on a server using PHP4?

[aravot]

Fixed in SVN