mm, this is very strange.

We've reached the point where two tests could help out to find out if the server or the application is guilty.
First test, install the same code on another host, second test, install a vanilla phpBB on the same host with comparable conditions eg in a sub domain.

The phpbb-seo board works fine on the new host. I copied it accross and ran it, verifying that I could login to the forum and access the UCP. The problem arises after importing the database of the live site ( phpbb 3.0.8 ) and running the database update script (phpbb-seo pre-mod).

Strange indeed.

So you confirm that you have everything set as it should for your server & cookie settings ?

And it only works with auto login enabled ?

Once it worked with auto login, does it still fails if you deactivate it ?

By the looks of it, yes. Everything worked perfectly before the DB import.

I'll check to see what happens if I disable the autologin whilst logged in.

As far as I can see, everything is as it should be with the cookies and server settings.

Ok, so if I login with auto-login set, I stay logged into the board but cannot access the ACP.

If I don't select auto-login, I'm immediately logged out.

If I try to logout, I get an error message stating that "you were not logged out as the request did not match your session".

And of course, you clear all your browser's cookie / cache, phpbb's cache etc ... ?

Because the db import is most likely changing your server settings, and only the cookie name update (even valid) could create trouble with your browser holding the old one.

Also, try with a shorter cookie name just in case.

Hi,

Yes, both phpbb_sessions and phpbb_sessions_keys tables have been truncated, cache folder cleared (exc index and htaccess) and all cookies, cache, history and sessions cleared on browser (in fact, I tried it on a brand new out of the box PC I'd powered up about 10 mins earlier).

I'll try with a short cookie.

Ho, something that just cme to my mind, did you activate the remove SID option ?
If so, try without it.

Also, does it change anything if you just deactivate url rewriting ?

You can do it without going to the acp if you just replace :

Code: Select all

'url_rewrite' => true,

with

Code: Select all

'url_rewrite' => false,

in phpbb_seo/cache/phpbb_cache.php

Another desperate try would be to ad a .htaccess in adm/ with :

Code: Select all

RewriteEngine Off

in it, which would prevent any mess caused (even though I can't think of any right now) by the above .htaccess rewriterules.

I sorry I can' t find a clue quicker, it's really the first time we face this issue and I really don't see how our code could mess with admin sessions since url rewriting is fully turned off in acp.

Can't seem to find that file: (phpbb_cache.php)

[~]# ls public_html/phpbb_seo/cache
./ ../

Then url rewriting must be off (it's default). That file would hold the phpbb_seo settings after you first submit the rewriting options (which of course require proper chmod of the directory).

Anything else you can think of that would help?

Have you tried all the test I suggested ?
What are the results ?