FATAL ERROR WITH UPDATE JOOMLA 3.4.7

Hi,

I took a look into this and although it is really difficult to debug, because I cannot reproduce the problem (and therefore cannot test a fix), I think I can offer a bugfix.

I need to know which Visforms Version you are using in order to send you a file with the bugfix that is based on your Visforms Version (should be Visforms 3.5.7 (last stable release) or Visforms 3.6.7 (last release of beta version)).

Regards,
Aicha

Hi Aicha,

I'm seeing this, too (localhost, as well as live). Closing the browser tab and cleaning the browser cache wasn't sufficient for me (Chromium (Chrome)) – I also had to restart the browser (I hate how browsers get that wrong, sometimes!).
Very interested in the bugfix!

"visforms" (component) 3.5.8, Joomla 3.4.8
The other visforms versions are all over the place:
"Visforms" (module) 3.5.2, "Content - Visforms" (plugin) 3.1.1, "Visforms Spambotcheck" (plugin) 3.2.0
(that correct?)
On my localhost I have: PHP 5.6.17, MySQL 5.5.47, Apache 2.4.10, Debian 8 (but live is a different setup, so only visforms and Joomla seem relevant).

The exact errors from Apache's log:
PHP Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in /var/www/vhost/components/com_visforms/models/visforms.php on line 275
PHP Fatal error: Cannot instantiate abstract class VisformsHtmllayout in /var/www/vhost/components/com_visforms/lib/htmllayout.php on line 86

Hi,

actually Visforms 3.5.8 was my first try to fix the problem.
My assumption is that after the Joomla! update there sometimes seems to remain a "residue" of a form stored in the session. As Visforms uses the session to persist information in case it has to re-display the form, if the php validation of the user inputs failed, this "residue" is, where the problem starts. I think that an incomplete form object is used which misses importent information..

I added some functionallity to Visforms. 3.5.8 in order to check, that the form stored in the session is complete and not only a "residue" and I released this code with Visforms 3.5.8. I doublecheck this code now and actually I cannot see why it would not work (if my assumptions about the source of the problem are correct).

I agree with you that only Joomla! and Visforms are relevant (at least if you work with recent server configurations). But actually I'm a bit at a loss, how to fix it. I simply need more information.

How do you display the form? (module (in module position or via plugin loadposition in an article) or menu)
What are the cache settings of your website?
Do you use any thirdparty extensions with relevance to the caching of the website?

Could you please try if replacing the components/com_visforms/models/visforms.php file with the file in this zip solves the problem?

Regards,
Aicha

Thanks Aicha!

I am using a module in an article via loadposition.
Not using any caching on the two installations mentioned (other than automatic browser cache, of course).
The test probably has to wait till tomorrow, as I first have to restore the old installation from the backup to a new host. I assume, I install all the updates again, then copy the file over com_visforms/models/visforms.php?
If it's the session, perhaps I would only have to log out (without the fix and without clearing the browser cache)? I'll try that, too.

Hi,

thanks a lot for the information, your help and the time you are willing to spend in the test!
Yes you have to go through the restoration and updates... and copy the file over in the end, as you describe.

It is interesting as well to know, if the problem is reproducable form your backup, because then, maybe you could consider, to give the backup to me and I could try, if I can reproduce the problem on my local test system, where I would be able to debug it.
That would be great.

Waiting paciently for your results,
Aicha

Hi Aicha,

sorry for keeping you waiting – apart from other things, I had to make some changes to get the installation working after restoring to a subdir, this time.
You seem to be right, it must be the session – relaunching the browser was sufficient for the error to disappear (without joomla caching, at least). And (after freshly restoring), installing the updates and then your test file worked, too!
Thank you!

Is visforms 3.5.9 going to be ready soon?
Do you still need the backup? I'd have to strip it down a bit (it's a client's installation).

Cheers,

Valentin