Found a workaround for open_basedir errors!!!

[Andy]

Problem description: When running converter, get the following type of errors:

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Converting Settings...

Warning: open_basedir restriction in effect. File is in wrong directory in /home/httpd/vhosts/xxxxxxx.com/httpdocs/yabbse/converter.php on line 255

Warning: file("/home/httpd/vhosts/xxxxxxx.com/cgi-bin/bb/Variables/agreement.txt") - Operation not permitted in /home/httpd/vhosts/xxxxxxx.com/httpdocs/yabbse/converter.php on line 255

Warning: open_basedir restriction in effect. File is in wrong directory in /home/httpd/vhosts/xxxxxxx.com/httpdocs/yabbse/converter.php on line 256

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Problem Caused by:

I think this problem is caused by a security restriction imposed by service providers to prevent people from reading files contained in cgi-bin areas.

Workaround:

Copy the entire contents of your bulletin board directory located in your cgi-bin area, to a temporary directory under your public http area and then run the converter on this area.

Example:

Existing Yabb1G install directory =

/home/httpd/vhosts/xxxx.com/cgi-bin/bb

Planned new YabbSE directory:

/home/httpd/vhosts/xxxx.com/httpdocs/yabbse

Copy entire contents of /home/httpd/vhosts/xxxx.com/cgi-bin/bb to a temporary directory /home/httpd/vhosts/xxxx.com/httpdocs/yabb1Gtemp

Run conerter.php and answer:

YaBB 1 Gold Install directory: /home/httpd/vhosts/xxxx.com/httpdocs/yabb1Gtemp

How to Copy Entire Contents:

The best way I found of doing this was to set my ftp programme to copy everything in Binary mode, then copy the complete cgi-bin bulletin board directory onto my local system, and then ftp the whole lot back onto the server again (with ftp still set to binary).

Hope this helps!!

[oldiesmann]

Here's a better explanation of why you're getting that error. The open_basedir restriction prevents scripts from accessing stuff in folders outside of the "base" directory, in this case httpdocs. Because your cgi-bin folder is outside of the httpdocs folder, you can't access it with your script. Usually this isn't a problem because all your website files go in the same "base" directory and anything outside that base directory would be inaccessible from your browser. From the error messages you gave, it appears that your host is a reseller (kind of complicated - basically, a "reseller" is a host who uses another webhost's servers - they get the ability to set up and manage other accounts within their own account, so they can "re-sell" portions of their hosting plan). I'm not sure why the cgi-bin folder is outside your httpdocs folder, but it might just be the way the server is set up. Glad you got it working though.