Troubleshooting SEF: 404, 500, incorrect redirects, and other page errors.

[Forrest]

Does your checkout give a 404 with SEF off?

[loppan]

Does your checkout give a 404 with SEF off?

Hi forrest, thanks for your reply!

No, everything works perfect with SEF off.

Regards Peter

[Forrest]

Please double-triple check that your site URL and secure URL match in the VM configuration under "Security" tab. The ONLY difference should be an "https" vs "http" if you are using SSL.

Second, turn OFF the cookie check under the VM configuration "Global" settings tab.

[loppan]

Please double-triple check that your site URL and secure URL match in the VM configuration under "Security" tab. The ONLY difference should be an "https" vs "http" if you are using SSL.

I'm not using SSL so the both URL's matches perfectly.

Second, turn OFF the cookie check under the VM configuration "Global" settings tab.

I disabled the cookie check.

Still error 404 .

[Forrest]

Ok, I was able to get it to fail, and I was able to get it to work.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO YOUR URLS:
http://sister.catchall.stranger.fanzone.org/index.php/store?page=shop.cart

VS something like:
http://sister.catchall.stranger.fanzone.org/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.cart&product_id=3&Itemid=67

Notice one of these URLs has "store?", and the other one is "index.php?"

What's happening is really 2 cart sessions are being created. I've seen this before a few times over, and usually this is an indication of a master/primary link issue!

Depending on how you are accessing the cart page, you'll be successful or fail in your checkout. I suggest you:
1. Turn off your SEF
2. Delete ALL your Joomla menu links to VM.
3. Start over and create one link in menu.
4. Clear cache, test with SEF off.
5. Turn on SEF and test again.

All else fails, ping me here again. And watch those URLS as your browse... they will give you a clue as to what is up!

[loppan]

Wow, I followed your steps and it seems to work now I'm amazed.

Thank you for your time Forrest. You just made me very happy

EDIT :

Hmmm, all of a sudden it does not work anymore...

This is my URL for showing cart :

http://sister.catchall.stranger.fanzone.org/index.php/store?page=shop.cart

When clicking "Checkout" it turns into this (and error 404)

http://sister.catchall.stranger.fanzone.org/store?page=checkout.index&ssl_redirect=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=85

I can clearly see that the "index.php" right after ...fanzone.org is missing

However, if I add that, the link does not work anyway.

Strange, because I'm really sure it worked a while ago and I cannot remember I changed anything since then...

I've tried clearing the cache etc...

Hmmm! Difficult.

[Forrest]

Are you sure you are not creating, or have other links in any Joomla menu to the VM component? This is where the mix-up can happen (multiple links to vm component).

to add to this, my guess is you are creating more links to VM component, but not following the structure in your menu that would be expected by VM.
IE: The menu link to cart should be under the "Store" menu item... not at same level.

[paulcreedy]

Sorry to jump onto this topic but it's exactly the problem I'm having.

However I have not created any menu links to the store. Instead I used inserted a virtue mart module "mod_virtuemart " into the left menu.

All works find with SEF turned off. With it turned on the last page on checkout gives a 404 error.

This is the store www.e-procedures.com  currently with SEF off at time of posting this.

I'd really appreciate help in getting this working

[trendwebsolutions]

I want to let you all still having trouble in-on what fixed the problem for me...

My issue was after performing an upgrade patch to the latest version, somehow my SEF URLS with sh404sef got tangled up when proceeding with the checkout steps because a new URL was generated for the process after replacing the files... Therefore, the itemID that Joomla gives the default page (IE - Home Page) in the menu (usually your main menu) is 1. So that being said, having the default menu item and its ID as 1 doesn't seem to work if you're having your VM front shop page associated with that item...

So what did I do?

I simply created a new menu item (turned off sh404SEF first, also purged all SEF URLS, and cleared Joomla cache) called "Shop" which Joomla automatically assigned a different itemID (in this case was 10), assigned it to simply the store front of VM, un-published the default menu item "Home", than set the "Shop" menu item as the default. I then erased the old default "Home" item. JOILA, that did it for me. I then turned SEF URLS back on and they worked without a hitch.

Just make sure to follow the steps I mentioned accordingly and this should work for you too. It's in essence what the MOD above said to do, just in a different, more specific fashion. I would also say that if your other URLS aren't working and not just the Store Front URL, then do the same thing and see if it helps.

[Forrest]

Txs for share trend...

@paulcreedy: You have your problem because you have NOT created a link to VM! It requires one for proper operation.

[Tirrawarra]

thanks for the article - Im sure #1's got me  (if I turn SEF off alls good - but SEF is important!) however Im a bit lost .. how do I ..

Create a Joomla article page, (I can do that okay)  and enable the Virturemart Module to show on that page, (Ive never put Virtuemart into a page - normally turn on as a menu item)

any help would be appreciated.

thanks Steve

[Forrest]

Steve, create and article, create a menu item to that article, and assign the Virtuemart Module to show on that menu item page.

[Tirrawarra]

Hi Forrest,
thanks for your help.

I have done a complete new install and followed the procedure (Im pretty sure) to a tee. Although the shop is completely unpopulated -(I was trying to get this right then use as base for 2 shops) -

it fails at the first menu link as soon as I turn "Use Apache mod_rewrite" on.

Ive used the VirtueMart_1.1.8_eCommerceBundle_Joomla_1.5.22.zip
then upgraded Joomla_1.5.22_to_1.5.23-Stable-Patch_Package.zip
then VM 1.1.8 to 1.1.9

site URL and secure URL match in the VM configuration under "Security" tab
turned OFF the cookie check under the VM configuration "Global" settings tab.

with Use Apache mod_rewrite = NO
http://xxx.xx.xx.xx/~account/index.php/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category=

with Use Apache mod_rewrite = YES
http://xxx.xx.xx.xx/~account/shop-link-article
fails on 404

when I add the index.php  - eg:
http://xxx.xx.xx.xx/~account/index.php/shop-link-article
- it works??

as I said before this is a clean install - no content changes - any ideas?? or would anyone care to look - I would make available to others ?/

thanks Steve

[twitty1437]

Hi guys, here is what helps me with this bugging problem, i tried this on my fresh install Joomla 1.5.23 and VirtueMart 1.1.19.
http://ktools.eu/en/freeware/joomla/21-virtuemart-sef
Install the fill following the instructions.

You might need to edit your .htaccess accordingly depends on the type of host you are hosting your website, for me, i do the followings:

1. Comment out

Code: [Select]

Options +FollowSymLinks2. Uncomment

Code: [Select]

RewriteBase /