Moodle in English: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Mimi Rivera - Saturday, April 7, 2018, 8:36 AM

I tried to update the plugins in our Moodle Learning Management System and suddenly can't access nor login into our Moodle site. Sorry but I'm new to Moodle and have no idea how to fix this. I have basic background in programming and would really appreciate if someone could help me to resolve this issue, below is the error logs for reference.

Default exception handler: Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null Debug:

Error code: generalexceptionmessage

line 299 of /lib/filterlib.php: Error thrown

line 1604 of /lib/pagelib.php: call to filter_manager-setup_page_for_globally_available_filters()

line 674 of /lib/pagelib.php: call to moodle_page->initialise_theme_and_output()

line 861 of /lib/pagelib.php: call to moodle_page->magic_get_theme()

line 113 of /index.php: call to moodle_page->get_renderer()

We have just upgraded our PHP into version 7.1 this week then today was trying to update all the plugins then error showed-up: Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

Please help!

Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Ken Task - Saturday, April 7, 2018, 9:18 AM

Have you checked web service error logs for clues?

Moodle version is?

Try going directly via URL line of browser to:
http(s)://sitesite/admin/purgecaches.php

That should prompt you to login but then execute the purge.

Try to go directly to the area for updating plugins in the same fashion ... direct:

http(s)://yoursite/admin/plugins.php?updatesonly=0&contribonly=1

To see what plugins need updating.

I know screen might suggest updating them all at one time, but sometimes it's best to update those known to be massive all by themselves ... like Essentials theme.

Anyhoo ... above will get ya started.

'spirit of sharing', Ken

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Mimi Rivera - Saturday, April 7, 2018, 10:12 AM

Hi ken,

We're running Moodle version 3.2 and was trying to update fordson theme.

Tried to run purgecaches.php in my browser but that didn't help as well as trying to type this: http(s)://yoursite/admin/plugins.php?updatesonly=0&contribonly=1 in my browser, same error I'm getting:

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Ken Task - Saturday, April 7, 2018, 11:15 AM

Uhhh ... you did not type that literally did ya?

yoursite/admin/plugins.php?updatesonly=0&contribonly=1

where yoursite above is http:// or https:// your server URL ... then /whatever.

Then suggest editing the config.php file of the site and include this line:

$CFG->theme='clean';

That will set the default theme for the site to clean and hopefully allow you to login. You do not have to restart any service, just hit site with a browser.

The theme you mentioned ...

https://moodle.org/plugins/pluginversions.php?plugin=theme_fordson

did you try to upgrade to the wrong version of the theme for your version of Moodle?

Maybe you can get directly to:

yoursite/admin/category.php?category=themes

Your first post showed debug? and something about being able to do something with filters.

To get directly to filters:

yoursite/admin/filters.php

'spirit of sharing', Ken

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Mimi Rivera - Saturday, April 7, 2018, 2:04 PM

Hi ken,

Adding the code $CFG->theme='clean'; didn't fix the issue. And whenever I typed-in manually the URL in my browser (Last that I tried was http://.../admin/settings.php?section=debugging) , it always ended-up to Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null, No way for me to login to the site...

When I installed the plugin updates, I just went to Site Administration/ Notifications and from there it auto populates all available updates that I have installed.

How can I redo these updates and be back from the previous working state? I know how to check the php files using Cpanel or Filezilla but I have no idea on which code do I need to change or add to fix the issue...

Thanks

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Ken Task - Saturday, April 7, 2018, 3:01 PM

Well, looks like a serious 'regression'! :\

IF you started with a full site backup, restore the backup ... that's your backup of code and of DB. If no backup (shame on you!). Just before upgrading a bunch of plugins one *should always run backups* (code and DBF) just in case of events just like this (Lesson learned?)

Found a tracker reference for:

"Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null" via Google hit the link below:

https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-57283

So looks like fixed versions are 3.2.1 or 3.2.highest .... which is 3.2.8 (Build: 20180319)

Upgrade your site to the highest 3.2 or if your server can handle a 3.3 ... 3.3.

Fingers crossed!

'spirit of sharing', Ken

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Mimi Rivera - Saturday, April 7, 2018, 11:40 PM

Hi Ken,

Here are the plugins that I updated yesterday.

error

And yes, I do have a backup. But can I just overwrite the folders mod, theme,question,filter with the folders from the backup since that's the folder that has only been changed?

It was my biggest mistake not backing-up our site yesterday and the only one that I had was dated April 4th .

I hope there's still way to fix this as restoring from the back would lose all the activities that I have created since April 5

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Ken Task - Sunday, April 8, 2018, 12:43 AM

The screen shot you show on what would be updated ... that from the failed attempt or did you access that area again?

See the theme 'Essentials' ... that one I know could be massive.

What normally happens when continuing is that the new plugin code is downloaded to your server, then unzipped ... actually re-creating the directories it removed for the various plugins ... in theme an essentials directory ... in mod the mod_attenance etc.

Know for a fact the essentials theme is one of those massive updates. Moodle once downloading all those files, will/should take you to a screen that ask you to 'update' ... that's when the database becomes involved.

Once by that, moodle then takes one to a screen that shows *all* the settings for *all* the plugins ... *all* the plugins ... and that's where it might hickup. Too much to display ... times out/errors out ... (has to do with settings for PHP ... time for a script to run, memory a script can consume, etc. and some of those you might not be able to tweak upwards).

That's why, when there are many plugins to update, I don't update them all ... the ones I know are massive ... like Essentials ... I'll save to update individually.

The error, however, it reports is a 'bug' that was reported and fixed.

'Overwriting' should never be done ... replacing yes ... *** but *** what you are proposing is taking what is old code for those plugins mixed in with new core code ... which now may/may not (more than likely may not) match all the versioning information in the database for those plugins.

If you try the above, do create a backup of the code/db before attempting ... if that fails at least you can put it back to the confused/errored state to move forward with upgrading to a higher version.

Since you don't have backups taken right before you updated the plugins (shame on you), the two options you have are: restore the backups you have, even if it means loosing data/days ... or upgrade to a higher version of Moodle that fixed the issue.

The tracker https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-57283

says fixed versions 3.2.1 and up. So what version of Moodle do you have? ... a 3.2.0+?

Viewing the version.php file in moodle code will tell you.

If my thought process is faulty and any others spot it ... please jump in here and correct! ;)

While it's reported that 3.2 can run under PHP 7.1, I thought, I wonder if you've not discovered a regression with 3.2.lowest and PHP 7.1? (lucky you, huh! :\)

See:

https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Moodle_3.2_release_notes#Server_requirements

'spirit of sharing', Ken

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Mimi Rivera - Sunday, April 8, 2018, 1:13 AM

Hi Ken,

Here's our moodle version:

/**
 * MOODLE VERSION INFORMATION
 *
 * This file defines the current version of the core Moodle code being used.
 * This is compared against the values stored in the database to determine
 * whether upgrades should be performed (see lib/db/*.php)
 *
 * @package    core
 * @copyright  1999 onwards Martin Dougiamas (http://dougiamas.com)
 * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
 */

defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();

$version  = 2016120500.00;              // 20161205      = branching date YYYYMMDD - do not modify!
                                        //         RR    = release increments - 00 in DEV branches.
                                        //           .XX = incremental changes.

$release  = '3.2 (Build: 20161205)'; // Human-friendly version name

$branch   = '32';                       // This version's branch.
$maturity = MATURITY_STABLE;             // This version's maturity level.

I was able to take a screenshot of the plugins installed before it crashes.

Since we have version 3.2 and you advised to do the upgrade, really appreciate if you could let me know the procedure on how to do that manually as I have no access on site administration page.

Thank you so much Ken!

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Ken Task - Sunday, April 8, 2018, 2:11 AM

Well, that's a 3.2.0 for sure. Would this be your first time to upgrade?

Since you are host on GoDaddy and I see a 'public_html' directory, you might have to involve GD help desk to do this 'manually' ... as that would involve ssh access to your slice of what might be a shared host.

Please see:

https://docs.moodle.org/32/en/Upgrading

Basically get the highest version of 3.2 onto server in appropriate directory *** without erasing/removing *** the old code folder as you will need to locate and *copy* all the addon-plugins from old code directory to new code directory + the config.php file - cPanel file tool should do that (I don't use cPanel and don't host on GD).

At that point, one should be able to use browser and hit the site which should recognize it has new code and throw you into upgrading. Do the upgrade.

This time, before updating the plugins, *** MAKE A BACKUP *** ... then rather than updating *ALL* plugins at once, do a couple at a time. IF there is still a problem, then you'll know which plugins are suspect. Save the themes to do individually ... Esssentials definetly last *IF* it's not your default theme. If it is your *default* theme, you probably should see a notice telling you that you *must* update it ... then do Essentials first AND by itself. Then the others ... a couple at a time.

IF all of it is successful .... **** MAKE A BACKUP ****!

Now if the browser upgrade won't work, then if you can convince GD help desk to try out the php script in moodlecode/admin/cli/ they might see something they can fix.

Don't hold your breath on that one, however, as most providers don't get that deep into a customers apps. :\

'spirit of sharing', Ken

PS ... a resident GoDaddy 'Defender' ought to be along any minute now to take over ... best of luck!

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Mimi Rivera - Sunday, April 8, 2018, 4:11 AM

Hi Ken,

I restored the backup and now the site is up and running. Thanks for all of your instructions, really appreciate that.

This would be my last question, how can I manually restore all the activities that I have completed for the last two days? Before restoring today, I did the backup of all moodle files from the non-working site; thinking that I could be able to copy at least the activities after backup restore...

Thanks

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Ken Task - Sunday, April 8, 2018, 5:47 AM

Good that your site is up ... will give you time to plan ... maybe even test locally from a clone of your active production site how to do an upgrade.

Am sure you know 'activities' are just not files ... there's metadata in the database for each activity and depending upon what that activity was there may not be files (that you uploaded) with those activities.

If the backup you restored was code + database + moodledata directory, then you have to re-create whatever you did from that backup date to the date the failed upgrade of plugins.

The data in the DB and the files in moodledata simply don' t exist.

If you didn't do a full restore files might exist now in moodledata/filedir that are 'orphaned' ... they are there ... but there's no reference to them in the database for moodle to know how to build a link to them.

moodledata/filedir is a 'sea of files' ... with **NO** humanly recognizable file names. The ONLY way I know to see what they might be is to use a command line tool called moosh and a command related to files in filedir. But, even if one could find those orphaned files there is no way to re-link to them via the Moodle interface any longer.

I suggest that might be beyond your abilities at present ... as it would also be a challenge for even the most expert moodle administrators - the gurus of the gurus and well versed in moodle code (how it works), as well as database.

Know it's two days worth, but think you'd spend more time attempting guru level feats and learning how to do those (without any damage to system) than you'd spend rebuilding them. Of course student work is gone ... nothing you can do about that at this point ... don't hold students responsible of course.

Painful way to learn a lesson, but ... uhhhh .... did ya backup what you have now?

'spirit of sharing', Ken

PS: Uhhhh ... did I remind you to make a backup? MAKE A BACKUP!

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Re: After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null

by Ken Task - Sunday, April 8, 2018, 6:06 AM

Follow up ... a little slow thinking about it, but .... maybe ...

Do you make backups of courses ... like after adding content/assignments/etc. to a course and maybe right after students have submitted something major?

Hmmm ... might be a good practice/habit to get into ... add work/major work ... backup the course. Students take major quiz or have completed an assignment ... backup the course ... even if you haven't graded anything yet.

Probably too late for this ... hosting providers sometimes do offer a backup service ... where they will backup your slice of a shared server. Dunno if GD has that or not. They might do such things for major issues with hardware, which you, the customer, has nothing to do ... but they might only do those once a month. Dunno if GD has that either.

Here again though ... those backups are good only up to the date they were performed ... they cannot do Vulcan Mind Melds with customers! ;)

'spirit of sharing', Ken

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Installing and upgrading help

After updating plugins; I got an error : Exception - Call to a member function setup() on null