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Admin Tools

#32982 Can't compile LESS to CSS again

Posted in ‘Admin Tools for Joomla! 4 & 5’
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Environment Information

Joomla! version
n/a
PHP version
n/a
Admin Tools version
n/a

Latest post by nicholas on Wednesday, 06 May 2020 02:15 CDT

IAmCapstone
Hello!

I had this problem a year ago and David was able to connect and help me. That ticket was #31713. I've checked the setting on Admin tools and the changes he recommended are still there, however, the site won't compile less to css again. Any help is appreciated!

Thank you!

IAmCapstone
Specific error-
jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2 POST https://captechgroup.com/index.php?template=corporation&tmpl=ajax&function=ajax-compiler 500
send @ jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2
ajax @ jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2
$.fn.compile_data @ compile_data.js?version=ZGF v4 1.4.4:125
(anonymous) @ VM2450:801
dispatch @ jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2
v.handle @ jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2
c @ rocket-loader.min.js:1

nicholas
Akeeba Staff
Manager
Admin Tools, Web Application Firewall, Configure WAF, Cloaking, set “Block template=foo site template switch” to No.

This is actually a bug / wrong implementation in Joomla's com_ajax. It uses the URL parameter template to communicate which site template it will load to execute the AJAX call but this is actually a reserved Joomla system parameter which is meant to change the site template used to display the page. By repurposing a system parameter it causes a few problems, most of which are invisible and nobody caught them during testing when com_ajax was first implemented. Second order side-effects include security extensions, like ours, blocking that parameter unless otherwise configured. Hence the need to change something in your configuration.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

IAmCapstone
Hi Nicholas!

I changed my settings as recommended- (See pic). Still no luck. This is the error now-

jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2 GET https://XXXXXXXX.com/templates/corporation/settings/themes/theme.corporate.json?v=2020-05-05-10-41-39 404

jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2 POST https://XXXXXXX.com/index.php?template=corporation&tmpl=ajax&function=ajax-compiler 500

nicholas
Akeeba Staff
Manager
Are you using the .htaccess Maker? If you do, you need to add
templates/corporation/settings/themes/theme.corporate.json

to the "Allow direct access to these files" area.

Moreover, in the Configure WAF page you need to change the "List of allowed tmpl= keywords" to
component,system,raw,koowa,ajax

That is, add a comma and the lowercase word ajax to the end of the comma-separated list there.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

IAmCapstone
Thank you, Nicholas! I made the indicated changes (see pictures) and am getting this error still.


jquery.min.js?53b613ff2f1136c1a590d8fbcd973181:2 POST https://XXXXX.com/index.php?template=corporation&tmpl=ajax&function=ajax-compiler 500

nicholas
Akeeba Staff
Manager
Let's make sure that the problem is indeed caused by Admin Tools. In order to do so, try the following:

1. Try setting the Error Reporting level in your Global Configuration to "None". Many errors are caused by harmless PHP Notices and Warnings being output to the browser, breaking anything which requires HTTP header manipulation such as Joomla!'s session management, AJAX calls and download systems.

2. Try to replicate the issue after disabling the "System - Admin Tools" plugin. If you can still replicate the issue, it is not caused by Admin Tools. Disabling that plugin means that Admin Tools code (including the Web Application Firewall) is not running on your site.

3. If you suspect an issue with the .htaccess file, replace its contents with the contents of the stock htaccess.txt file shipped with every version of Joomla!. If you are on GoDaddy please wait for 1-30 minutes for the changes to be effective. Then, retry loading the problem page. If you can still reproduce the error, then it is not caused by .htaccess Maker.

If doing any of the above resulted in the issue still occurring, it's not related with Admin Tools and we can't help you. If doing any of the above did stop the issue from occurring, we'll have to do some troubleshooting.

First go to Admin Tools, Web Application Firewall, Configure WAF. Make sure "Log security exceptions" is set to Yes; if it's not, set it to Yes and click on Save. Now try reproducing your issue. Immediately after that, please go to Admin Tools, Web Application Firewall, Security Exceptions Log. The latest log entry at the top should have the date and time of when the issue occurred. Please copy the Reason and Target URL here so that we can further help you.

If, however, you do not see a log entry, or the Date and/or IP address do not match your last access, this problem is not caused by Admin Tools' WAF. In this case, you will have to do some .htaccess troubleshooting. You may need to read the general .htaccess troubleshooting page, as well as the page on finding out necessary .htaccess exceptions.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

IAmCapstone
Nicholas,

I'm still getting the error after following your suggestions. I'll continue troubleshooting on my own. Thank you for your help!

nicholas
Akeeba Staff
Manager
You're welcome!

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

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