OJS/OHS installation shows blank page

Software Support
1

I am having trouble installing OJS, OCS and OHS manually on a domain. The problem is the blank page it shows when I have reached the final step prior to installation. I have no trouble installing OJS and OCS via softaculous that the hosting service provides. Moreover, the hosting service - Inmotion Hosting has everything (PHP, MySQL, Apache &c) in top notch.

I read through several FAQs, internet forum discussions of PKP and I tried searching through the internet for possible solutions. But I wasn’t able to find any precise solution. Most solutions stated configuration in the Php.ini file. But I am lost in this regard with no clue now as to which specific extension must I include in my php.ini file.

To explain the structure of my installation, OJS is being installed in a subdomain i.e. journals.domainname.com. It installs perfectly fine with softaculous. Same goes for OCS - conference.domainname.com. Since OHS is not present in softaculous, I have to figure out how to install it.

There isn’t much help available for OHS, as most documentations point to OJS. Since the two software are reasonably similar in certain aspects. So I’m testing out how to install OJS manually in order to replicate the same operation to install OHS.

I would appreciate as to what specific extension must I include in php.ini file or any other solution so as to begin installation.

This is the link to OJS http://journals.iobmresearch.com/index.php/index/install
This is the link to OHS http://indexing.iobmresearch.com/index.php/install

This is the file structure
public_html > journals >
public_html > indexing >

The php.ini file that I requested from my hosting service to upload in my cPanel.

Note: I am not using WAMP or any similar server software. Instead I am using cPanel to perform the same - including MySQL and PhPadmin.

2

Hi @Zein_Saeed,

Have you checked your server’s error log to see if anything is reported there?

The most likely cause of a blank page here, I think, is a file permission problem in the cache/ subdirectory. Make sure each application has file permissions there set such that PHP can administer files there. There’s a FAQ entry describing file permissions in more detail.

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

3

Good day @asmecher

I checked the server’s error log and there’s nothing there. The server reports the past 300 reported errors and there are none.

Furthermore, in the public_html directory, I set the file permission as follows for all main folders
User RWE
Group RWE
World RE

When I went into the cache folder the following files show up
fc-locale-03b174b61510807426c2a2c128f6a86a.php
fc-locale-1cfde42be2b25bdac1c9a16538de37a8.php
fc-locale-39ad57a0a799a092b476f7b3d029e60d.php
fc-locale-8c15ce7dfec31e437114d80f1f936272.php
fc-locale-list.php

Whereas when I downloaded the OJS package the following folders show up after accessing cache
_db
t_cache
t_compile
t_config

All folders being empty

So what seems to be the problem here then? I’m puzzled

4

Hi @Zein_Saeed,

The file permissions are probably incorrect on templates/t_compile [edit: that should be cache/t_compile]. I suspect PHP can’t create files there.

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

5

Greetings again @asmecher :smile:

I just checked the directory and t_compile is a folder in cache. I don’t find the same in templates.

But like I typed earlier, t_compile does not show up in file manager’s folder subdirectory. Even though I extracted the package as it was.

6

Hi @Zein_Saeed,

Sorry, my typo – that should be cache/t_compile. What are the permissions and ownership on that directory? What is your server API (also called SAPI)?

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

7

I use the cPanel’s tools for all functions. Besides that how would I find out what is the server API?

8

Hi @Zein_Saeed,

Have a look at your phpinfo() output.

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

9

Good afternoon @asmecher :smile:

I’m sorry I fell asleep due to the difference in time.

Please see the entire result of what you requested. I hope this helps
http://journals.iobmresearch.com/phpinfo.php

10

Hi @Zein_Saeed,

That link doesn’t work – but in any case, once you’ve identified your SAPI, try working through this FAQ entry:
http://pkp.sfu.ca/wiki/index.php/PKP_Frequently_Asked_Questions#I.27m_having_file_permission_problems.3B_how_should_I_set_file_permissions.3F

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

11

Try this link instead, because my intention is to install Harvester anyway

http://indexing.iobmresearch.com/phpinfo.php

I’ll check up on the FAQs meanwhile

12

Hi Zein_Saeed.
I’m having the same issue.
How did you solve the problem?

13

Greetings there Paulo!

I resolved this problem like 2 years ago, which is why you can see indexing.iobmresearch.com as active.

Turns out I was doing it wrong by extracting OHS to the directory.

You simply copy and paste the unextracted compressed file to the directory and then access the url that locates the file path. Its that simple really lol and I couldn’t get it the first time scratching my head.

Let me know if you succeed. If not I’ll be happy to help you with a hands on approach this week.

14

hi @Zein_Saeed
i have the blank page problem when i try to install cos
(the installation page is plank)

15

I have the same blank phage problem. I install OJS 3.1.2.0 successfully. And set 777 rights for all the file inside ojs folder on server. following are the files in cache folder

root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache# ls
_db                                             fc-locale-465dd785313a94efc09bcc5e0d2e20cf.php  fc-locale-a7a4b1f73f3b922eb712521db2537797.php  fc-locale-f125812c7aaa6c503f9fab812e1d8325.php
fc-locale-00181aeea44e488de84aa3ddd7b66516.php  fc-locale-4bcc440e6b47fbf576ab9f30c1f1e221.php  fc-locale-a95a674fe6ab2832af794c3a7af64569.php  fc-locale-f229ed6413de8e5ac52a03586c17d6df.php
fc-locale-005a065b9c7e47fe8ec5e93cc24d9658.php  fc-locale-5137a1280b1086f54885b488948ffabd.php  fc-locale-b0bcfbc5ba59463ad133a509be3e8ed1.php  fc-locale-f90252dc6a63da3f259c3add542b2e84.php
fc-locale-01e94dde238387b6d491636e431c752c.php  fc-locale-53517aa182dce92537a86aa7171abb9d.php  fc-locale-b623d9d9973ed237655585254526aa90.php  fc-locale-f94bd7474203d823e291319a7258c6c4.php
fc-locale-03b174b61510807426c2a2c128f6a86a.php  fc-locale-5612b631975724bf18ae85ae09b2036d.php  fc-locale-bd5c206da51bbced3459ba28293d2752.php  fc-locale-list.php
fc-locale-044d797f82b2a293d65fe5e855bb52ec.php  fc-locale-580a6d087ef1e13c12b824c9721a1bae.php  fc-locale-be1ed5afd341073b4b94a1e845b62246.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-acronplugin.php
fc-locale-05afc2c4827ae11210c660d134ba1f01.php  fc-locale-64b0f9e2ab826b49e3e93a096aba8259.php  fc-locale-c95d7911b8b0da12d45eb2b0c884164c.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-defaultthemeplugin.php
fc-locale-132a969d0a010107948805488594b019.php  fc-locale-6d792d88c128347bc89a2c2e115faaaf.php  fc-locale-c984a9f2e9f815ad7d09ac78ec3ceb57.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-developedbyblockplugin.php
fc-locale-1637b50d04b69cf5e16bd0bbf9b277ff.php  fc-locale-6e65123f6e5caca2e7dca0b85b124ec8.php  fc-locale-ca1b6d8a4e76111861b2582e96bea836.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-languagetoggleblockplugin.php
fc-locale-174e6cae659d7725f63eee18dfade8c8.php  fc-locale-7c4942d219b564e45dca64885624b156.php  fc-locale-d1c78867740fa5b58f4b1073fc0657b4.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-tinymceplugin.php
fc-locale-1cfde42be2b25bdac1c9a16538de37a8.php  fc-locale-81a7b7244b850f5078b756252abc4054.php  fc-locale-d20be57bb305d999dbcf073bb906a2aa.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-usageeventplugin.php
fc-locale-1e181fa9791b0dc1c5d9939b82f50e34.php  fc-locale-8c15ce7dfec31e437114d80f1f936272.php  fc-locale-d361f6493b84f04da16487147dee41ca.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-usagestatsplugin.php
fc-locale-28c6bdf773e93c42c2b64d3788d65706.php  fc-locale-8d7202aca5108392224ddb6d14d9fe61.php  fc-locale-d8121ef5623fbe92a52d7d80c94028e3.php  fc-siteSettings-site.php
fc-locale-30ade3af71c390241cfe899534e36d36.php  fc-locale-8ec22e84e39c69f82b073a359230398a.php  fc-locale-d952a9a976b0c89a36ab9785d928080a.php  fc-timeZone-list.php
fc-locale-32de70b612cc9ebdfae5a7ddba703f7f.php  fc-locale-95d24e09ab8af6f9bb8a02f637efbefb.php  fc-locale-dad7d669be7f60d48e93f930da285fda.php  t_cache
fc-locale-358c56f5ace75e00d521d5b534a8c845.php  fc-locale-9ac3e959801c2a71b70855a9f0c11ef0.php  fc-locale-db89f18ff03a4787993a7c9cc2980df0.php  t_compile
fc-locale-37bc9c8fcb1f85e3a9c2ec72d6b59f2c.php  fc-locale-9f1bb3e9212d66927fcc703b0adc4594.php  fc-locale-ec5aaafbda196eaff6c9161b8eb9aa90.php  t_config
fc-locale-39ad57a0a799a092b476f7b3d029e60d.php  fc-locale-a4deb866f215617d15a1dc72591272c2.php  fc-locale-ec5d456a4a273bb3ef10a63412bd72e7.php
fc-locale-41160401839473398da948cf6b960392.php  fc-locale-a693fd658d4d789b2bfd2a303335d959.php  fc-locale-f0d95be66a424ed312397f8f0613757f.php
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache# cd t_cache/
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_cache# ls
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_cache# cd .
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_cache# cd ..
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache# cd t_compile/
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_compile# ls
13376d7934b5f251160733e5e3c8b2ff6a1e1f24^10e3d856b5157939542a21933ccc1280e8dbee1e_0.app.commonheader.tpl.php    65bfc3e024c2e9104f46e23b73376a9455e3df0e^10ae5578a0959129b8d4ceeb9f99c1bb2a9cbd65_0.app.frontendcomponentsheader..php
13376d7934b5f251160733e5e3c8b2ff6a1e1f24^652202841b9a358b5663534995b87eb1fcc7545d_0.core.commonheader.tpl.php   65bfc3e024c2e9104f46e23b73376a9455e3df0e^51cfb9321c891ada9323e7942962579e7e4324d1_0.app.frontendpagesindexSite.tp.php
13376d7934b5f251160733e5e3c8b2ff6a1e1f24^8e26d4d5b957a6848a96c58ac27d2fddb2c40f9a_0.app.installinstall.tpl.php
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_compile# cd ..
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache# ls
_db                                             fc-locale-465dd785313a94efc09bcc5e0d2e20cf.php  fc-locale-a7a4b1f73f3b922eb712521db2537797.php  fc-locale-f125812c7aaa6c503f9fab812e1d8325.php
fc-locale-00181aeea44e488de84aa3ddd7b66516.php  fc-locale-4bcc440e6b47fbf576ab9f30c1f1e221.php  fc-locale-a95a674fe6ab2832af794c3a7af64569.php  fc-locale-f229ed6413de8e5ac52a03586c17d6df.php
fc-locale-005a065b9c7e47fe8ec5e93cc24d9658.php  fc-locale-5137a1280b1086f54885b488948ffabd.php  fc-locale-b0bcfbc5ba59463ad133a509be3e8ed1.php  fc-locale-f90252dc6a63da3f259c3add542b2e84.php
fc-locale-01e94dde238387b6d491636e431c752c.php  fc-locale-53517aa182dce92537a86aa7171abb9d.php  fc-locale-b623d9d9973ed237655585254526aa90.php  fc-locale-f94bd7474203d823e291319a7258c6c4.php
fc-locale-03b174b61510807426c2a2c128f6a86a.php  fc-locale-5612b631975724bf18ae85ae09b2036d.php  fc-locale-bd5c206da51bbced3459ba28293d2752.php  fc-locale-list.php
fc-locale-044d797f82b2a293d65fe5e855bb52ec.php  fc-locale-580a6d087ef1e13c12b824c9721a1bae.php  fc-locale-be1ed5afd341073b4b94a1e845b62246.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-acronplugin.php
fc-locale-05afc2c4827ae11210c660d134ba1f01.php  fc-locale-64b0f9e2ab826b49e3e93a096aba8259.php  fc-locale-c95d7911b8b0da12d45eb2b0c884164c.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-defaultthemeplugin.php
fc-locale-132a969d0a010107948805488594b019.php  fc-locale-6d792d88c128347bc89a2c2e115faaaf.php  fc-locale-c984a9f2e9f815ad7d09ac78ec3ceb57.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-developedbyblockplugin.php
fc-locale-1637b50d04b69cf5e16bd0bbf9b277ff.php  fc-locale-6e65123f6e5caca2e7dca0b85b124ec8.php  fc-locale-ca1b6d8a4e76111861b2582e96bea836.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-languagetoggleblockplugin.php
fc-locale-174e6cae659d7725f63eee18dfade8c8.php  fc-locale-7c4942d219b564e45dca64885624b156.php  fc-locale-d1c78867740fa5b58f4b1073fc0657b4.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-tinymceplugin.php
fc-locale-1cfde42be2b25bdac1c9a16538de37a8.php  fc-locale-81a7b7244b850f5078b756252abc4054.php  fc-locale-d20be57bb305d999dbcf073bb906a2aa.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-usageeventplugin.php
fc-locale-1e181fa9791b0dc1c5d9939b82f50e34.php  fc-locale-8c15ce7dfec31e437114d80f1f936272.php  fc-locale-d361f6493b84f04da16487147dee41ca.php  fc-pluginSettings-0-usagestatsplugin.php
fc-locale-28c6bdf773e93c42c2b64d3788d65706.php  fc-locale-8d7202aca5108392224ddb6d14d9fe61.php  fc-locale-d8121ef5623fbe92a52d7d80c94028e3.php  fc-siteSettings-site.php
fc-locale-30ade3af71c390241cfe899534e36d36.php  fc-locale-8ec22e84e39c69f82b073a359230398a.php  fc-locale-d952a9a976b0c89a36ab9785d928080a.php  fc-timeZone-list.php
fc-locale-32de70b612cc9ebdfae5a7ddba703f7f.php  fc-locale-95d24e09ab8af6f9bb8a02f637efbefb.php  fc-locale-dad7d669be7f60d48e93f930da285fda.php  t_cache
fc-locale-358c56f5ace75e00d521d5b534a8c845.php  fc-locale-9ac3e959801c2a71b70855a9f0c11ef0.php  fc-locale-db89f18ff03a4787993a7c9cc2980df0.php  t_compile
fc-locale-37bc9c8fcb1f85e3a9c2ec72d6b59f2c.php  fc-locale-9f1bb3e9212d66927fcc703b0adc4594.php  fc-locale-ec5aaafbda196eaff6c9161b8eb9aa90.php  t_config
fc-locale-39ad57a0a799a092b476f7b3d029e60d.php  fc-locale-a4deb866f215617d15a1dc72591272c2.php  fc-locale-ec5d456a4a273bb3ef10a63412bd72e7.php
fc-locale-41160401839473398da948cf6b960392.php  fc-locale-a693fd658d4d789b2bfd2a303335d959.php  fc-locale-f0d95be66a424ed312397f8f0613757f.php
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache# cd t_config/
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_config# ls

> Blockquote

have ubuntu 16.04 OS
php PHP 7.0.33-0ubuntu0.16.04.5 (cli) ( NTS )
mysql mysql Ver 8.0.16 for Linux on x86_64 (MySQL Community Server - GPL)

Can anybody help me please ??

16

Hi @msiraj83,

Is anything relevant appearing in your PHP error log? (Note that 777 permissions are never safe to use, but can be useful for testing; once you figure out what’s going wrong, I suggest fixing the permissions to something more secure.)

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

17

This is appear in cache folder…

‘/var/www/html/ojs/cache# ls
_db fc-locale-32de70b612cc9ebdfae5a7ddba703f7f.php fc-locale-8c15ce7dfec31e437114d80f1f936272.php fc-locale-d361f6493b84f04da16487147dee41ca.php fc-timeZone-list.php
fc-locale-005a065b9c7e47fe8ec5e93cc24d9658.php fc-locale-358c56f5ace75e00d521d5b534a8c845.php fc-locale-95d24e09ab8af6f9bb8a02f637efbefb.php fc-locale-d952a9a976b0c89a36ab9785d928080a.php t_cache
fc-locale-01e94dde238387b6d491636e431c752c.php fc-locale-39ad57a0a799a092b476f7b3d029e60d.php fc-locale-a4deb866f215617d15a1dc72591272c2.php fc-locale-dad7d669be7f60d48e93f930da285fda.php t_compile
fc-locale-03b174b61510807426c2a2c128f6a86a.php fc-locale-465dd785313a94efc09bcc5e0d2e20cf.php fc-locale-a7a4b1f73f3b922eb712521db2537797.php fc-locale-ec5d456a4a273bb3ef10a63412bd72e7.php t_config
fc-locale-1637b50d04b69cf5e16bd0bbf9b277ff.php fc-locale-5137a1280b1086f54885b488948ffabd.php fc-locale-bd5c206da51bbced3459ba28293d2752.php fc-locale-f0d95be66a424ed312397f8f0613757f.php
fc-locale-1cfde42be2b25bdac1c9a16538de37a8.php fc-locale-53517aa182dce92537a86aa7171abb9d.php fc-locale-c95d7911b8b0da12d45eb2b0c884164c.php fc-locale-f90252dc6a63da3f259c3add542b2e84.php
fc-locale-1e181fa9791b0dc1c5d9939b82f50e34.php fc-locale-64b0f9e2ab826b49e3e93a096aba8259.php fc-locale-ca1b6d8a4e76111861b2582e96bea836.php fc-locale-f94bd7474203d823e291319a7258c6c4.php
fc-locale-30ade3af71c390241cfe899534e36d36.php fc-locale-6e65123f6e5caca2e7dca0b85b124ec8.php fc-locale-d20be57bb305d999dbcf073bb906a2aa.php fc-locale-list.php
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache# cd t_compile/
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_compile# ls
13376d7934b5f251160733e5e3c8b2ff6a1e1f24^10e3d856b5157939542a21933ccc1280e8dbee1e_0.app.commonheader.tpl.php 13376d7934b5f251160733e5e3c8b2ff6a1e1f24^8e26d4d5b957a6848a96c58ac27d2fddb2c40f9a_0.app.installinstall.tpl.php
13376d7934b5f251160733e5e3c8b2ff6a1e1f24^652202841b9a358b5663534995b87eb1fcc7545d_0.core.commonheader.tpl.php
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_compile# cd …
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache# cd t_config/
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_config# ls
root@jasbr:/var/www/html/ojs/cache/t_config#’

18

Hi @msiraj83,

Have you checked your your PHP error log?

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

19

Hey, I use OCS from 2 years ago, and today I have to install new OCS installation on new server which is using PHP 7+. It is already stated on the installation documentation, OCS is not support PHP 7+, therefore PHP 5.6 is the best option for us. Hope you find this useful!

20

Hi everyone, I am having the same problem on windows web hosting. Can someone please describe how they resolved this issue?