Blank pages

Hello,

I’ve been running MODX Revolution for about two weeks now. After doing a re-install, things were running smoothly and I have added quite a few pages. Last night I was amending a template, and after clicking save it went to a completely blank page with no error message. This has also occured for the front end web-pages as well. So I basically can see nothing. Ideally, I dont want to lose all of the work I have done so far, so have done a database backup. If anybody can help in anyway it would be much appreciated.

Version: MODx Revolution version 2.0.8-pl
Host: Servage
Browser: Same in firefox/safari/ie/opera

Thanks, Huw

Quote from: huwbarrett at Apr 11, 2011, 03:32 AM

Last night I was amending a template, and after clicking save it went to a completely blank page with no error message. This has also occured for the front end web-pages as well. So I basically can see nothing. Browser: Same in firefox/safari/ie/opera

That sucks! If you’ve backed up your database, have you tried running it on a local server to see what results you get?

It seems like something got corrupted in the database while you were saving, especially if both manager and front end are not loading. I am still a newbie, so I usually run a locally copy using xampp then only when I am sure it’s all working do I make the same changes on the live site. Try running the backup locally and see if that gives you answers.

Thanks for responding. Not running it on my local machine as not fully confident of doing PHP/MySQL. If the database is corrupted, the one I’ve backed up is probably the screwed up one

It’s unlikely that the DB is crashed (though it’s possible).

Try deleting all the files in the core/cache directory and clearing your browser cache and cookies.

If that doesn’t help, try an upgrade install.

If that doesn’t help, look at the DB in PhpMyAdmin and see if any of the tables are shown as crashed. If so, try repairing them.

While you’re there, take a look at the modx_site_content table and see if your content is still there (very likely it is).

Quote from: huwbarrett at Apr 11, 2011, 03:32 AM

Hello,

I’ve been running MODX Revolution for about two weeks now. After doing a re-install, things were running smoothly and I have added quite a few pages. Last night I was amending a template, and after clicking save it went to a completely blank page with no error message. This has also occured for the front end web-pages as well. So I basically can see nothing. Ideally, I dont want to lose all of the work I have done so far, so have done a database backup. If anybody can help in anyway it would be much appreciated.

Version: MODx Revolution version 2.0.8-pl
Host: Servage
Browser: Same in firefox/safari/ie/opera

Thanks, Huw

Hello Huw,

1. I look at it differently. MODx Revolution version 2.0.8-pl??? IMHO Revo 2.0.8. sucks because it can give you "invisible pages", see my recent experience at http://modxcms.com/forums/index.php/topic,63387.0.html . Therefore -- after you restore your site -- you might want to upload and experiment with 2.0.7 instead.

2. I look at it differently. IMHO, there is a possibility that if it goes completely blank without any error messages, it probably means MODx 2.0.8. has lost its ability to retrieve your pages from the DB.

3. The weirdest part is that, for you, this occurred at the front end as well as the back end.

4. Normally, if you can call invisible pages normal, at least I can get my pages from the back end.

5. Many-many people never seem to learn. I never lose anything, because I always keep multiple copies of my articles/resources/templates in various text files on my PC and on CD-ROMS and on other servers, because bad things can happen, when I feel the most confident that no bad thing can happen to me!

6. In lieu of backups per ’5’, I suggest you ask your hosting company to get the latest snapshot of your web site, and fully restore your site.

7. If I see nothing, for me it usually means that even the home page has been wiped out.

8. If you can see nothing, it probably has nothing to do with you. It might have been that some kid at Servage who pulled the wrong plug at the wrong time.

9. Of course you don’t want to lose all of your work you have done so far.

10. If you do have a DB backup, I suggest you tell Servage about it, and send a copy to Servage, and ask them to restore your site with (or without) your DB backup. And leave it to them!

11. And, most importantly, blame them. Don’t ever blame yourself!!!

I ran into this same issue with revo 2.8. Both frontend and manager suddenly went "blank". Here is what worked for me...

1.) Looked at the ’modx_site_content’ table in the DB and noticed the ’type’ field had a couple of corrupted docs. The word "document" was being cutoff to "docu" and adding in "-----" at varying lengths. So I fixed those first to just say "document".

2.) Then went to the core/cache directory and removed all the contents.

3.) Cleared cookies/cache in my browser and refreshed the site.

Works.

The first thing I would check here is permissions: if permissions change on any critical folders, the site behavior can get really wonky. Try re-running the "setup" for your version of MODx... even if it means "upgrading" to the same version that you are currently running, the setup process does some thorough checking of the various folders and their permissions and generally it can help clean up all sorts of problems.