Virgin 7.6 Install - Now what should I do to secure it?

Site Admin/Owner Joined: Aug 27, 2002 Posts: 17088

Whether meaning to or not, you write very defensively and in such a way as to challenge with almost every one of your posts. For instance, all you had to say was something like "Actually that's the way they are in the download". Good luck.

Involved Joined: Aug 06, 2005 Posts: 301

Raven,

I understand that someone may choose to decipher my posts in this way, however this is far from how they should be received. I do attempt to write in manor which prevents my communications being ambigus in any way, as often such posting are.

I do also realise that this can result in communications being protracted, but I feel it is best in order to eliminate the posibiity of messages going back and forth an unecissary number of times.

More than anything, my last point about the files was in order to be helpful, just in case you had missed the fact that these 'rogue files' are included with the original download.

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 4:37 pm

They are not rogue. My ftp client has no problems in transferring the files. It sounds like your ftp client is the issue.

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 4:49 pm

Raven,

What an irony!...Now who is being defensive?!...LOL ROTFL

I though that ftp servers only accept files with no space in their name. I though that was standard practice. This is the case for my server space anyhow...I know that for a fact.

Site Admin Joined: Jun 04, 2004 Posts: 6433

Even Windows-based FTP servers accept files with spaces in the names. Which FTP client are you using?

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:37 pm

Raven wrote:

They are not rogue. My ftp client has no problems in transferring the files. It sounds like your ftp client is the issue.

Nothing defensive. Simply stating the facts.

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:47 pm

Hi again Kevin,

I am using Cute [ Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registered or login! ]

But I do know that, (for whatever reason), the 'Yahoo! Small Business' server space will not allow me to upload any files with a space in the name.

Something completely different...Is there a way to 'reset' or allocate a new members 'number' in PHP-Nuke? So, for example, if 3 people join the website and person 2 decides they no longer want to be a member, when person 4 comes along I can give them the 'id' number 2?

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:58 pm

Looking back over the post, Raven was saying that you do not need those orig files anyway. Though they may have been included in the download, they are not necessary. Raven posts downloads from many people, and I'm guessing he did not create that download, but merely posted it.

Yes, there is a way to reclaim the next number assigned to the user. I believe you're using MySQL and phpMyAdmin. In phpMyAdmin, enter this command via SQL:

Code:

ALTER TABLE nuke_users AUTO_INCREMENT=2

Or set auto_increment to whatever the next number you would like to be assigned. If that number is lower than largest number in the table, it will assign the largest number +1 to the next insert.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:04 am

Raven/Kevin,

I am so new to MySQL and phpMyAdmin that my head is unable to compute the instructions of your last reply to me.

I have logged in to phpMyAdmin and clicked on the name of the database associated with PHP-Nuke.

At the 'top' of the main frame/window I see 6 tabs:

Structure
SQL
Export
Search
Query
Drop

Where do I go fro here?...Step by step instructions please.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 5:46 am

If you see "structure" that means you've selected a database and a table, which is good. Selecting a table is not required to enter SQL (you'll also see the SQL table when you select a database, and it works the same way).

- To enter an SQL command, click the SQL tab.

- Enter (type or paste) the SQL in the textarea (box) below " Run SQL query/queries on database ..."

- Click the Go button below and to the right of the textarea.

- Read confirmation message indicating success or error message(s).

Please note the "Or Location of the textfile: " below the text box where you entered the SQL. This allows you to load a text file from your computer, usually in the form of filename.sql, that might be included with add-on modules or updates to PHP-Nuke. You can Browse files on your computer to select, then click the Go button below and to the right of this to load and execute SQL from a file.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:00 am

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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:29 am

Hi Kevin,

Well I understood your directions perfectly...Thanks for that step by step guide.

However, before running the code you previously supplied, (above), I just want to confirm what I want to be able to do:

If, for example, 3 people join my website and later in time person 2 decides they no longer want to be a member, when person 4 comes along I want them to be allocated the 'id' number of the person who has left the website, (i.e. person 2).

Then when person 5 signs up they will receive the 'id' number 4,
Then when person 6 signs up they will receive the 'id' number 5 etc

In this way, there will be no unused member 'id' numbers.

I am not sure what you were trying to explain when you wrote:

'...set auto_increment to whatever the next number you would like to be assigned. If that number is lower than largest number in the table, it will assign the largest number +1 to the next insert...'

Please deciper this for me.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:32 am

Raven wrote:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1904811035/qid=1123502337/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_sbs_1/002-6006835-6045640?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Thanks for that Raven...Could be worth the investment!

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:46 am

Kevin,

After reading it 20 times now, I think I understand what you are explaining.

I am assuming that this SQL has to be run periodically in order to 'fill in any gaps in User 'id' numbers, or each time someone is known to have left the website.

I think you are explaining that I should run the following SQL:

ALTER TABLE nuke_users AUTO_INCREMENT=2

I understand this to mean that 2 should be substituted for the 'id' number that is 'vacant' and that I want the next user to be allocated.

So if I have users 'ids' registered as 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, I should insert the number 4 where you used the numbeer 2, (above), then the next perso to sign up will be allocated the user 'id' number 4.

Is my understanding on all this correct?

I am still not sure though, what you mean by:

'...If that number is lower than largest number in the table, it will assign the largest number +1 to the next insert....'

Please decipher.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:50 am

Hmmm...Kevin,

When you wrote:

'...If that number is lower than largest number in the table, it will assign the largest number +1 to the next insert....',

did you actually mean:

'...If that number is lower than largest number AVAILABLE in the table, it will assign the largest number +1 to the next insert....'

?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:55 am

Let me clarify by continuing your example from above.

If you have user id numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and you insert the number 4 in the SQL statement, (above), then the next person to sign up will be allocated the user 'id' number 7 (the largest user ID number = 6 +1).

The ONLY reason you should EVER need to use this SQL is if you delete several users at the end of the table (i.e. the highest user ID numbers) and want to reuse the last user ID numbers that were deleted. Since most people normally don't delete users (they can be deactivated) AND wish to reuse the numbers, this normally isn't an issue.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:00 am

Kevin,

I understand that site administrators may not usually delete members of a site.

However, as I will be running a subscription site, there will be times when current members will want to discontinue using the website. Hence I thought it would be better to 'clean out' the database of any registrations that were no longer active users of the site, rather than just leave them 'in the system'.

Anyhow, thanks for your help on this matter.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:37 pm

I understand. You may not want to reuse the user ID numbers, though, even if you delete the user.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:50 pm

The reason being?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:29 pm

First, what's the benefit of reusing the numbers, versus the cost of executing the SQL to regain it?

Next, not a great reason, but you might have links from other sites (including Google cache) to a deleted member's profile, which would now link to a new user.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:33 pm

All makes sence Kevin and helps me understand much better when I know the reasoning behind such advise.

Any joy with the other current issues I have posted, (located at the following URL)?

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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:38 pm

Checking them now. Can you paste the contents of the block file in a PM?