UBB.threads System Requirements Test · Wiki

What Is Covered

• Summary
• Demonstration
• Developer Notes
• Downloads
• Support
• Compatibility Checks
     • PHP Version
     • filter_var
     • mysql_connect
     • mb_convert_case
     • iconv
     • ctype
     • GD
     • preg_replace
     • json_encode
     • DOMDocument
     • SimpleXMLElement
• Possible Problems
     • PHP File Get Contents
     • PHP Allow URL FOpen - File Get Contents Remote URLs
     • PHP fsockopen
     • PHP Max Input Vars
     • PHP Max Execution Time
     • PHP Memory Limit
     • Suhosin
          • Suhosin - Post Max Vars
          • Suhosin - Request Max Vars
• Configuration Display
• Additional Information
     • GZip
     • Maximum Execution Time
     • Maximum UBB.threads Version
     • Maximum Upload File Size
     • Memory Limit
     • MySQL
     • PHP Interface
     • PHP Version
     • Reported Host
     • Reported IP
     • Reported OS
     • Reported Path
     • Reported Port
     • Post Max Size
     • Time
     • Upload Maximum Filesize
     • ZLib


 

Summary

A Test Script has been made available by VNC Web Services, which is available on our archive (link below).

This script was originally written to test if your server is compatible with the settings needed for UBB.threads, but it can also be utilized to troubleshoot several server settings which can cause issues with web scripts in general.


 

Demonstration

You can see the UBB.threads System Requirements Test in action at UBB Developers Network or here on UBBWiki.


 

Developer Notes

(Download the latest build here)
Release Build 20180307 (Alpha)
• Change: The UBB.threads configuration path now requires no trailing slash.
• Fix: Fixed a bug with the maximum upload size calculation.
• New: The UBB.threads configuration check now checks the UBB.threads database (over a MySQLi connection) and reports the size of the UBB.threads database, the version of the UBB.threads database, and current upgrade step information (only shown if you're currently upgrading).

Release Build 20171220
• Configuration Display - Will display a human readable view of the UBB.threads Configuration file; sensitive information, such as passwords and API keys are scrubbed for security (default).
• Option to mask the server paths from the UBB.threads Configuration Display (not masked by default).
• Updated UBB.threads PHP Compatibility Check (PHP v5.4 is the recommended build of PHP for UBB.threads v7.6+)
• Another reworking of the script style.
• The fancy icons (FontAwesome) are now disabled by default.
• Now linking to the HTTPS versions of the UBB.threads sites in the footer.
• The Maximum Upload Size calculation should now display the correct value.

Release Build 20170525
• Another style update, easier on the eyes and more modern
• Fixed broken URL in "about"
• Version Check has been updated to have a check for PHP5.4+ (UBB.threads v7.6.x) and v7.5.9 was updated to read out UBB.threads v7.5.10 (the end of the v7.5 series)
• Version Check has been updated to check for a MINIMUM supported version
• Compatibility Listing now shows the Max/Min versions in "Additional Information" vs just the maximum supported.
• Maximum Upload Size displayed (the larger of "post_max_size" and "upload_max_filesize")

Release Build 20170227
• Fancy Indicators - An option has been added for "Fancy Indicators" (cups of coffee vs bullets), which is on by default.
• BASE64 Favicon - The UBBWiki favicon has been added as a BASE64 encoded image.
• New Color Scheme - New, Faster, and Revamped!
• Update Check - An option to check UBBWiki for the latest version, to ensure you're using the most up to date version of code checks (we assume that file_get_contents exists and allow_url_fopen is enabled; which are base functions and are required to use the Stop Forum Spam functionality in UBB.threads.
• Additional Checks - mb_convert_case (required for UTF8 support, which is required for future PHP7 support), allow_url_fopen (which is required for Stop Forum Spam to function).

Release Build 20170202
• Added a check for the PHP "mysql_connect" function, which is required to connect to the MySQL database.
• Added a "linkback" function and linked all of the error/warning messages to their anchor on this Wiki page.
• Updated several comments to checks which aren't yet live (they're commented out because UBB.threads does not require them current (mysqli_connect, spl_autoload_register, PDO::ATTR_DRIVER_NAME, max_input_time, suhosin.get.max_vars)

Release Build 20170101
• Added additional checks for file_get_contents and fsockopen (used by the Stop Forum Spam feature).
• Added a target to all of the links, so that you stay on page while reading additional information.
• Removed most v7.6.0 notices, to make the script target past UBB.threads builds as well.
• Updated styling.
• Updated URLs to UBBWiki and VNC Web Services to default to SSL.

Release Build 20160222
• Added a notice for lack of PHP7 support, if detected.
• Added coding for future checks of MySQLi and PDO, depending on future plans for PHP7 compatibility.
• General Code Cleanup
• Maximum UBB.threads version check added; will check your reported PHP version against the minimum requirements for UBB.threads on all versions in the 7.5.x series as well as the upcoming 7.6.x series.
• Modified how several existing checks reported information.
• Added a display of the detected operating system and interface used by the web server.

Release Build 20151204
• Now HTML5 valid
• General Script Cleanup
• Will now always display values for PHP Maximum Execution Time, PHP Memory Limit, and the PHP Version running on the server.

Release Build 20150914
• Added checks for filter_var and the display of the unadjusted server time.

Release Build 20150502
• Initial public build.


 

Downloads

(Download the latest build here)
• Build 20171220 (Latest)
• Build 20170525
• Build 20170227
• Build 20170101
• Build 20160222
• Build 20151204
• Build 20150914
• Build 20150502


 

Support

Support for the UBB.threads System Requirements Test can be found at the UBBDev thread UBBDevelopers: UBB.threads System Requirements Test


 

Compatibility Checks

 

PHP Version

The minimum required version of PHP in UBB.threads is:
v7.6.0+ Requires PHP 5.3 or newer.
v7.5.9 Requires PHP 5.1.2.
v7.5.6 Requires PHP 5.0 or newer.
v7.5.0 Requires PHP 4.3.

PHP v7+ is NOT supported by any current build of UBB.threads. See php.net


 

filter_var

The filter_var function will filter a variable from a string using the specified filter. It is compiled, by default, in PHP 5.3+. This is a required function as it allows us to check if an IP Address is IPv4 or IPv6 for validating users through Stop Forum Spam (as the SFS database does not, at this time, support IPv6).

 

mysql_connect

The mysql_connect function is how we connect to the MySQL Database; currently, we do not support mysqli_connect (MySQLi) or PDO::ATTR_DRIVER_NAME (PDO) and require mysql_connect.


 

mb_convert_case

mb_convert_case is required in by the UBB.threads base library, it is used to change the case of text supplied by the "subject" of each posting to the generated URLs and should, by default, be enabled by your web host.

 

iconv

The iconv API is the standard programming interface for converting character strings from one character encoding to another in Unix-like operating systems. See: Wikipedia: iconv

 

ctype

The functions provided by this extension check whether a character or string falls into a certain character class according to the current locale (see also setlocale()). See: php.net: Character Type Checking

 

GD

The GD Graphics Library is a graphics software library by Thomas Boutell and others for dynamically manipulating images. Its native programming language is ANSI C, but it has interfaces for many other programming languages. It can create GIFs, JPEGs, PNGs, and WBMPs. Support for drawing GIFs was dropped in 1999 when Unisys revoked the royalty-free license granted to non-commercial software projects for the LZW compression method used by GIFs. When the Unisys patent expired worldwide on July 7, 2004, GIF support was subsequently re-enabled. See: Wikipedia: GD Graphics Library

 

preg_replace

preg_replace - Perform a regular expression search and replace. See php.net: preg_replace

 

json_encode

json_encode - Returns the JSON representation of a value. See php.net: json_encode

 

DOMDocument

Represents an entire HTML or XML document; serves as the root of the document tree. See php.net: DOMDocument

 

SimpleXMLElement

Represents an element in an XML document. . See php.net: SimpleXMLElement


 

Possible Problems

 

PHP File Get Contents

If file_get_contents is not enabled you will be unable to use the Stop Forum Spam functionality. see php.net: file_get_contents

 

PHP Allow URL FOpen - File Get Contents Remote URLs

If allow_url_fopen is not enabled you will be unable to use the Stop Forum Spam functionality. see php.net: allow_url_fopen

 

PHP fsockopen

If fsockopen is not enabled you will be unable to supply data to the Stop Forum Spam API. see php.net: fsockopen



 

PHP Max Input Vars

If max_input_vars has a value that is equal to or less than 1000 a warning that should be taken under advisement for UBB.threads installs with many forums will appear. See: UBBWiki: Issues with the PHP 'max_input_vars' Setting and php.net: Runtime Configuration - max_input_vars

 

PHP Max Execution Time

If max_execution_time has a value of 30 then a recommendation that this value be increased to at least 60 will appear. See php.net: Runtime Configuration - mad_execution_time

 

PHP Memory Limit

If memory_limit is a value of 32M a recommendation that this value be increased to at least 128M will appear. See php.net: Resource Limits - memory_limit

 

Suhosin

Suhosin (pronounced 'su-ho-shin') is an advanced protection system for PHP installations. It was designed to protect servers and users from known and unknown flaws in PHP applications and the PHP core. Suhosin comes in two independent parts, that can be used separately or in combination. The first part is a small patch against the PHP core, that implements a few low-level protections against buffer overflows or format string vulnerabilities and the second part is a powerful PHP extension that implements numerous other protections. See Suhosin.org

If suhosin has been detected on your system, a warning will be displayed to read UBBWiki: Issues with the PHP Module 'suhosin'

 

Suhosin - Post Max Vars

If 'suhosin.post.max_vars' has the default value of 1000 (or below) a warning that you're using the default settings will display. See Suhosin.org: suhosin.post.max_vars

 

Suhosin Request Max Vars

If 'suhosin.request.max_vars' has the default value of 1000 (or below) a warning that you're using the default settings will display. See Suhosin.org: suhosin.request.max_vars


 

Configuration Display

The UBB.threads Configuration Display will appear when you populate the $conf["path"] configuration variable with the path to your UBB.threads directory (either as a full filesystem path or the path from where the System Requirements Test script resides). Not every configuration variable is currently displayed, and they will be periodically updated.


 

Additional Information

 

GZip

Most modern web browsers accept web pages encoded in GZIP or Deflate encoding method, with GZIP as the more popular compression format. Webmasters and system administrators are also encouraged to implement GZIP compression.

PHP can compress the content output by the PHP scripts, including HTML, JavaScript and CSS codes which are included inside the PHP files. GZIP compression is supported by default on PHP version 4.3 or newer.

 

Maximum Execution Time

The maximum time that the server will allow a script to run.

 

Maximum UBB.threads Version

The maximum version of UBB.threads that your server supports.

 

Maximum Upload File Size

'upload_max_filesize' determines the maximum size of an uploaded file. See php.net: ini.core - upload_max_filesize

 

Memory Limit

The maximum memory limit that the server will allow a script to utilize.

 

MySQL

MySQL is the database server that UBB.threads utilizes; MySQL v5.0 or newer is required, please manually check that you meet this requirement. See: MySQL.com

 

PHP Interface

The reported PHP SAPI interface.

 

PHP Version

The version of PHP running on your server.

 

Reported Host

The reported Host Name (usually your URL).

 

Reported IP

The reported IP for your host.

 

Reported Operating System

The reported Operating System.

 

Reported Path

The path to the folder which the UBB.threads System Requirements Test file exists in.

 

Reported Port

The reported port used in this instance of the UBB.threads System Requirements Test (Port 80 indicates the standard connection port, 443 would indicate SSL).

 

Post Max File Size

'post_max_size' sets the maximum size of post data that is allowed. This setting also affects file uploads. To upload large files, this value must be larger than 'upload_max_filesize' (see Upload Maximum Filesize above). Generally speaking, 'memory_limit' should be larger than 'post_max_size'. php.net: ini.core - post_max_size

 

Time

A check was added to detect the current, unadjusted, system time for support issues.



 

ZLib

zlib is a software library used for data compression. zlib was written by Jean-Loup Gailly and Mark Adler and is an abstraction of the DEFLATE compression algorithm used in their gzip file compression program. zlib is also a crucial component of many software platforms including Linux, Mac OS X, and iOS. It has also been used in gaming consoles such as the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Wii, Xbox One and Xbox 360. See php.net: Zlib Compression and Wikipedia: ZLib
Posted on May 1st, 2015 · Updated on March 12th, 2018

This script was originally adapted from the XenForo test script, available here

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