Fresh 2.1.1 install, can't download packages

I’ve just installed a fresh copy of ModX 2.1.1 to my web host, and the first thing I tried to do was install the basic packages - TinyMCE, Wayfinder etc. However, I haven’t been able to download any. When clicking on the ’download’ button, it appears to start the process but then comes up with an error. The error log displays:


I’ve already checked and confirmed (via phpinfo - http://new.gungahlinvet.com.au/phpinfo.php) that both allow_url_fopen and cURL are supported and enabled on my web host.

One thing I can think of that may be the problem is that the host seems to run things a little differently with regards to permissions on the PHP process etc. For instance, the installation process was unable to create any of the necessary folders itself (eg assets, core/components etc), and it instructed me to do so. Additionally, in order to have these folders writable by PHP I’ve had to set them with permissions of 0777 (my host assures me that they have security measures in place meaning this should not be a risk). Therefore I created and set permissions on all the folders as instructed by the installer, and in the end the installer gave me no warnings so I assume it was all OK.

Any ideas?

System info:
ModX version: MODX Revolution 2.1.1-pl (traditional)
Server OS: Linux
Apache version: 2.2.19
PHP version: 5.2.17
MySQL version: 5.0.92-community

I have the same issue like you do.
I got this error but allow_url_fopen and curl are enabled

But when i want to update some packages in existing modx websites that were on-line for a few months
then i realised that this issue isn’t related to my modx version or installation but has some other cause...

Today i talked with my hosting provider and they found the cause
They said that the packages for modx are hosted on the amazon S3 cloud.
So for getting there the system has to do a redirect but this is not possible because "openbase_dir" is active

But now i know the cause, i hope you guys can give a solution to this issue...

Very interesting that you should mention that. open_basedir is precisely the security feature my host told me about when assuring me that it would be OK to set the folder permissions to 777.

I just telling thuis because my hoster told me so,
i am no specialist in server settings,

so i hope that some community members can give their opinion concerning this issue.
And hopefully also a solution.

i don’t want to change my hosting company because i am very satisfied in their work...
And it always has worked, until recently....

I dont even. I’m certainly no expert either, but open_basedir is a php setting, that tries to prevent php from accessing ’up the directory tree’... eg :


open_basedir = /var/dir/webstuff/

if you’re executing a php file that is in the webstuff directory, it can access anything in the same directory and any of the folders inside (perhaps there’s an ’assets’ folder in there). It can’t however go upwards and access anything in the ’dir’ directory, or the ’var’ directory. It’s good.


this bit could be completely wrong :

I’m guessing that what you’re hosting provider is saying is that the url to the package is getting redirected to the local filesystem, because it recognises that the link points to something that’s located internally, and so tries to get it from, say /var/modx/packages/ and can’t because of open_basedir. I guess CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION could be set to false by modx devs? I don’t know if that’s a valid fix?



But, the easiest workaround for you, if you can’t be pfaffed and just want to get these working - is to manually download the packages, and upload by ftp