Hello,

I own a Ubuntu 16 server, running 4 sites. I have been asked to move my really old install of phpsurveyor to this new server, but it runs PHP 7 so I decided I was time to upgrade.

Unfortunately I cannot get through the requirements. Installer tells me that my sessions are not writable.

I changed the session path to "/tmp/" for testing purposes. Within minutes, the folder was filled with sessions from other sites.

Still no luck..

So I created a folder, outside of limesurvey root, gave it 777 rights and owned by Apache2. I specified the new location in a .htaccess . File was read as installer told me that no matter what, it could not write the sessions..

I really do not see what else I could do..

you'd rather updgrade to LS3 to avoid those problems.

Hey, thanks for your answer. It is the latest release I am talking about.

ben2249 wrote: I changed the session path to "/tmp/" for testing purposes.

Where did you change it exactly? Path and filename?

So I created a folder, outside of limesurvey root, gave it 777 rights and owned by Apache2. I specified the new location in a .htaccess .

Please post the htaccess content.

What kind of PHP handler is used with Apache?

Hello,

Thank you for your reply. Sorry I did not explain well.
For the sessions in "/tmp/" I first edited the php.ini and it worked for each site.

Then, I created the specific folder for limesurvey and wrote it in a .htaccess, which it read cause the installer could read the new path.

I added :

php_value session.save_handler files
php_value session.save_path "/php_sessions"


This folder was in 777, owned by Apache2.

At the end I tried something else... I did put back the original folder "/var/lib/php/sessions" ( from memory ) in the php.ini and as it was Root's, I chowned it to Apache ..

Without any success...

jelo wrote: What kind of PHP handler is used with Apache?

That is important. Different permission sets for different kind of PHP handlers. Sometime the handler prevents thing. Still can be a issue in LimeSurvey.

php_value session.save_path "/php_sessions"

The path looks not complete to me.

php_value session.save_handler "files" add " "
php_value session.save_path "/var/lib/php/session" complete path

So set /php_sessions to 755 and add full path.
Just an educational guess.

Hello,

That is important. Different permission sets for different kind of PHP handlers. Sometime the handler prevents thing. Still can be a issue in LimeSurvey.

It is the default, the one coming with a default apache 2, PHP 7 installation on a Ubuntu 16 server.

The rights always were 755, and the path was correctly written in the php.ini which works for all the sites running on the server.

If I had to try to 777 "/php_sessions" then "/var/lib/php/sessionS" it is because installer was not able to write in it.

There is no mistake in "/php_sessions" path as for testing purposes, I created it in the root ( / ) of the server : "/php_sessions"

Thank for your help, I greatly wish we could find a solution..

I am going to try to add the " " and change the rights and keep you informed.

Hello again,

I do not know which part of the test worked or if vaudoo also helped but I have been able to finish the installation.

I would bet on the " "

Thank you really much for your great help.

thank you for your feedback, maybe you could add an entry in the wiki troubleshootings?
manual.limesurvey.org/Troubleshooting