• Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Topic: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Bad HTTP_REFERER. If you have moved these forums from one location to another or switched domains, you need to update the Base URL manually in the database (look for o_base_url in the config table) and then clear the cache by deleting all .php files in the /cache directory.

My website is evolved.fm but my url for my forum http://www.xtcradiofm.com/forums right now the base url is set to http://www.evolved.fm/forums - I cannot change this because when I attempt to do it and save it - then it gives me that error.

My website primary domain is evolved.fm - xtcradiofm.com is parked at the same host.

Is there a place I can manually change the base url?

  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2007-12-13
  • Posts: 642

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Do just what it says: set the correct value manually: update your config table via phpMyAdmin or whatever.
Another trick is to set the right value in /cache/cache_config.php just before you submit the admin form.

See also http://punbb.informer.com/forums/topic/ … preferer/.

Carpe diem

Anatoly's Website

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

I did the catch edit and it didnt hold.

I dont know "how" to edit the base url in the config table -wherever that is.. none of the instructions tell you where that is. Is it in my sql data base? I have access to it.. I need to know how to navigate to this and ill change it.

Could someone give me some step by step instructions?

  • Slavok
  • PunBB Developer
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  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2008-06-11
  • Posts: 1,238

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

  • Choose the database which is used for punBB.

  • Run this SQL (<DB_PREFIX> is a prefix which is used for forum tables):
    UPDATE  <DB_PRFIX>config
    SET conf_value = '<CORRECT URL>'
    WHERE conf_name = 'o_base_url'

  • Remove all .php files in the /cache directory.

Slavok's Website

  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2007-12-13
  • Posts: 642

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

movingzachb wrote:

I did the catch edit and it didnt hold.

I dont know "how" to edit the base url in the config table -wherever that is.. none of the instructions tell you where that is. Is it in my sql data base? I have access to it.. I need to know how to navigate to this and ill change it.

Could someone give me some step by step instructions?

You must be having some interface to access DB: phpMyAdmin or whatever. Contact to your hosting provider.

Carpe diem

Anatoly's Website

6 Reply by movingzachb (edited by movingzachb 2008-11-11 11:34)

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Slavok wrote:

  • Choose the database which is used for punBB.

  • Run this SQL (<DB_PREFIX> is a prefix which is used for forum tables):
    UPDATE  <DB_PRFIX>config
    SET conf_value = '<CORRECT URL>'
    WHERE conf_name = 'o_base_url'

  • Remove all .php files in the /cache directory.

I can access my data base using PHP admin - i see the list of  files on the left. One of them is config.

I choose config and then I see config name and config value.
Under config_value I see a list if items,  one of them is the URL that I need to change.

Do I click EDIT on config value? Or browse direct values?

If I click browse - I can edit and see the ' (<DB_PREFIX>'.
But I do not understand your instructions. Am I to type what you mentioned in the box?
I see one file that shows just ' (<DB_PREFIX>' in it. Another ones just has 'SELECT COUNT(*) AS `Rows`, `conf_value` FROM `config` GROUP BY `conf_value` ORDER BY `conf_value`' in it - and I don't understand that.

Could you explain your instructions a bit more ? I think im almost there.

  • Slavok
  • PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2008-06-11
  • Posts: 1,238

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

There are two ways to change o_base_url via phpMyAdmin:
1) On the page with config values press 'edit' (it's a pen-like image in my 'phpMyAdmin') in the row 'o_base_url'. Then correct the base url of your forum and press "Go".
2) After selecting the database at the top of the page, you will see the tab "SQL", press it. In the appropriate field you should place the SQL-query, which I wrote for you. Replace <DB_PRFIX> with your prefix for the DB and <CORRECT URL> - with the correct URL to your site. Press "Go".

After that remove all .php files in the /cache directory.

Slavok's Website

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Slavok wrote:

There are two ways to change o_base_url via phpMyAdmin:
1) On the page with config values press 'edit' (it's a pen-like image in my 'phpMyAdmin') in the row 'o_base_url'. Then correct the base url of your forum and press "Go".
2) After selecting the database at the top of the page, you will see the tab "SQL", press it. In the appropriate field you should place the SQL-query, which I wrote for you. Replace <DB_PRFIX> with your prefix for the DB and <CORRECT URL> - with the correct URL to your site. Press "Go".

After that remove all .php files in the /cache directory.

Upon pulling up php admin I clicked on  my dbase name on the left side (is this also the prefix by the way?).

Then I see a list on the left and one on the right. The one of the right has check boxes for each item. I Clicked on config (browse) icon. That gave me a list if all the items one of them was o_based_url and I click the edit pencil icon next to it.

Then I see config_name and config value in the Field Column. o_based_url is in the name field. http://www.evolved.fm/forums is in the config_value value field so I http://www.xtcradiofm.com/forums, delete the cache files - then open the administration section of the forums and see the Base URL field blank. I ad in http://www.xtcradiofm.com/forums and click save changes and get the same error still.

But here is the deal.

Right now the forums are coming up with the URL http://www.xtcradiofm.com/forums (xtcradiofm.com is a parked domain.

I need the forum to come up under http://www.evolved.fm/forums. So should I change the config_value to http://www.evolved.fm/forums instead? This is what it was before but still wasn't working.

I am pretty sure every function in the forums was working fine until I had made a change to something in the Dbase after installing wordpress for my main site.

Or would it be better just to reinstall punbb and import a backed up database (of course I freak out on doing this even though I know how to back up the forums dbase file.

So I guess am I making these change in the right places and doing everything in the right order? I am very thankful for the instructional replies - would be happy to exchange a chat IM name of yahoo,msn or something to get help on figuring this out.

9 Reply by movingzachb (edited by movingzachb 2008-11-16 02:12)

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Now I seemed to have broken something else.

I am really needing help with this. I went through a second attempt to get these instructions gone through so I can fix the o_based_url but now after doing that look what my forum looks like.

http://www.evolved.fm/forums/

I need help getting this fixed right now! Can anyone help me?

(EDIT) - I uploaded a back up and fixed this but - still I cannot edit the base url without that error I originally posted.

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Now If i try to click on ANYTHING or log in - i get UNABLE TO FETCH USER INFO/POST INFO - no errors- please help!

  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2007-12-13
  • Posts: 642

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Restore the backup and describe the issue again.
If it is "Bad HTTP_REFERER" only, we have given you all the steps to solve it.
If you have other issues, try to list them here (in details).
If they are not PunBB-specific, you should better contact to your hosting provider or find some freelancer for paid support.

Carpe diem

Anatoly's Website

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Now If i try to click on ANYTHING or log in - i get UNABLE TO FETCH USER INFO/POST INFO that is what is happening.

The original issue has now escalated to this after trying to fix it with the instructions given. I need help.


If i Re install the forum using the same database name will it erase the database?

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

I tried restoring the forum several times before and I got some kind of error listing duplicate (something) and it showed all my banned IP addresses.

Can I simply re install my forum using the database name? Could that potentially solve the problem or would that erase the database?

  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2007-12-13
  • Posts: 642

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Sorry, but teaching the base web-knowledge is not included into official PunBB support.
Try to find someone who would be ready to help you to understand and use base techniques of host/site/db administration or just use Google and Wikipedia at least.

I don't get what are you actually trying to do now.
Just restore (this means not files, but database) your forum from the backup (you said you have) and solve the "Bad HTTP_REFERER" issue as described above (best way is to directly config table via any DB-administration tool).
Another way is to upgrade forum to 1.3 after restoring from backup. There will be no "Bad HTTP_REFERER" issue.

Carpe diem

Anatoly's Website

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Yeah im not asking for database help  - it is just that the fix I tried to implement regarding the changing of URL in the database has resulted in this issue.

Please tell me if I reinstall the forum 1.2 over the old forum using the same database name - would that delete the existing database?

16 Reply by movingzachb (edited by movingzachb 2008-11-19 00:09)

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

Anatoly wrote:

Sorry, but teaching the base web-knowledge is not included into official PunBB support.
Try to find someone who would be ready to help you to understand and use base techniques of host/site/db administration or just use Google and Wikipedia at least.

I don't get what are you actually trying to do now.
Just restore (this means not files, but database) your forum from the backup (you said you have) and solve the "Bad HTTP_REFERER" issue as described above (best way is to directly config table via any DB-administration tool).
Another way is to upgrade forum to 1.3 after restoring from backup. There will be no "Bad HTTP_REFERER" issue.

                        Carpe diem


I know that restoring means "restoring the database" - and when I attempted to do that it gave me an error  regarding duplicate entries" - thats what im trying to explain. Your intructions included me changing someting IN the database -  - if you can't support me in that area then i dont know what im going to do - I need this forum to work.

Now my forum is not working at all and i need help.

  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2007-12-13
  • Posts: 642

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

movingzachb wrote:

I know that restoring means "restoring the database" - and when I attempted to do that it gave me an error  regarding duplicate entries" - thats what im trying to explain. Your intructions included me changing someting IN the database -  - if you can't support me in that area then i dont know what im going to do - I need this forum to work.

Please, learn how DB works.
I don't know whether you have DROP commands before CREATE in your DB dump (open it in text viewer and try just to read). If you don't, you should first drop all the tables manually or recreate the whole DB.

Step by step.
1. Be sure you have a good DB dump (i.e. it created all the tables and rows). Be sure you have a copy of your old 1.2 files.
2. Drop all the tables in your DB (or drop the DB itself and recreate it again with the same name).
3. Restore tables fro the dump.
4. Follow these instructions then: Migration from PunBB 1.2 (replace old 1.2 files with new 1.3 ones keeping config.php and img/avatars and upgrade DB)
5. You should now have working PunBB 1.3 installed.

Carpe diem

Anatoly's Website

18 Reply by movingzachb (edited by movingzachb 2008-11-29 08:47)

  • Registered: 2008-09-19
  • Posts: 34

Re: I get this error when I try to change admin options or edit a post

I got it working - I  created a new data base name and used the back up - it worked.

http://www.evolved.fm/forum - turned out my File zilla FTP program wasn't correctly uploading files in directories when I was re uploading my forum file in effort to fix the original one.

Thanks for your help. Now I have to change the colors back some how.

Zachary