URGENT!!!! Host changed the rules

URGENT!!!! Host changed the rules

by Marc Dastous -
Number of replies: 6

Good afternoon;

As far as I can figure this is what happened....

My students are able to upload files without a problem.  However, I cannot see them when I go to grade them.  In searching the server, I found my data folder, called 'moodledata', is intact and the files located in it are NOT corrupted.  The moodledata file is in the root directory above the htdocs folder, for security. 

I think the problem is thast the host has started restricting access to the root, except in the cgi-bin, but I cannot get an answer.

How can I start seeing this folder again?

Marc

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In reply to Marc Dastous

Re: URGENT!!!! Host changed the rules

by Paul Shew -
I've had a problem before where I was unable to access the files by FTP because they were owned by the webserver user instead of me. But I could still access them through Moodle's interface (which uses the webserver user).

From your description, it sounds like you are trying to access the files by FTP.

Are you also unable to access the files through the course administrative menu (the link called "Files...")?
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In reply to Marc Dastous

Re: URGENT!!!! Host changed the rules

by Marc Dastous -
Let me restate the issue. My students upload their assignments through the assignment module. Those assignments are placed in a directory above the htdocs directory for security.

For months I have had no problem accessing the data in that folder. Now, when I go to the grade book to view the files and grade them I get a file cannot be found. The files are there because I looked, via FTP, to see if they were getting uploaded; they are.

I HAD not changed anything, but now I have attempted the following procedures:

1) Moved the moodledata folder into the htdocs folder and changed the config to match. No good.

2) Changed the .htaccess for the Apache 2.0 fix. No good.

3) changed the config back and set the permissions of the moodledata folder ABOVE the htdocs folder to 755. No good.

4) I have tried the moodledata folder in the htdocs folder and pointed config there. No good.

5) The 'deny all' in the .htaccess of datafolder didn't work either. Obviously, I did not do all of these things in that order, but I am out of the options I have researched. I looked at the dbase and did a repair on all the folders and everything was fine with the database.

Bottom line is my students are able to upload and I can't see the product!! I'm very anxious right now because my entire curriculum for this semester is tied up in Moodle for the first time and I am not able to get it fixed.

Can ANYONE help? Martin?

Thanks,

Marc

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In reply to Marc Dastous

Re: URGENT!!!! Host changed the rules

by Paul Shew -
My question above is *HOW* are you accessing the folder. Only by FTP or also through Moodle's interface? (It looks now like you're trying both, right?)

After putting everything back to the way it was when your students uploaded the files, are you still able to upload or see files or download them through the Moodle interface (not FTP)?

It's possible that even if you don't have privilages to access them through FTP, but you still might have access them through Moodle's interface (because that has privilages as the web server). If the students are able to upload files through the Moodle interface, then a you (as admin) should also be able to access them through Moodle's interface too.

In either case, your web host should help you by making the files readable/writeable by you. It should be a very simple thing for your web host to fix...

But perhaps others are better able to answer than I.
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In reply to Marc Dastous

Re: URGENT!!!! Host changed the rules

by Marc Dastous -

Paul,

The students COULD upload, but I could not view the files in the ADMIN mode.  The only way I could see the files is if I went to FTP and moved them to my desktop.

Martin,

With all due respect for the time you put into Moodle, I am an educator in the United States that pays for hosting ($94/ yr.) to host my Moodle.  I couldn't even come close to affording your $100/hr. fee to solve a problem that I wasn't even sure you could solve wink

In this case, you would have not been able to.  This the reply I finally got from the host this morning...

**************
Hello,

Thank you for contacting ******* Technical Support. We believe that we have
located the problem with the script. It was not a problem in the code but rather a problem in our php configuration which we have now corrected. 

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance to you.
**************

I want to thank you all for everything you do!!  Moodle has inspired many of my students to take their learning outside of the classroom.  Many of my students are FINALLY doing homework.  All is good now big grin

Marc

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