Author: antonyed
Description:
Environment:
- Windows XP
- Apache 2.2
- PHP 5.3.1
- PostgreSQL 8.4.1
Use-case:
(1) Running the mediawiki/config/index.php setup script.
(2) Leave the password for the new "wikiuser" account empty.
(3) Enter superuser info.
(4) Run script.
What happens:
(A) First part of the script goes fine because that's done with the superuser account.
(B) Creates "wikiuser" account with "" password fine (checked with PostgreSQL admin tool).
(C) But when tries to connect to DB with this account it fails.
(D) But the script keeps running!
(E) Gets confused at version check and breaks.
A couple of notes...
(*) There seems to have been a bug with PHP < 5.3 and MediaWiki 14.x.y related to the second PostgreSQL version check. Unfortunately this scenario looks exactly the same as that one which can easily mean you spend an hour or so following the wrong thread (I'm speaking from experience here).
(*) The instructions on the setup page are a little misleading. It certainly reads as though you EITHER enter the super-user or a wikiuser account. This is why I left the password field empty (I don't think that "" passwords are a great idea).
Suggested fix...
(1) Make it clear on the installation screen that a password for wikiuser is required (I'd suggest some text but I can't get back to that screen now the install is completed).
(2) Do some validation to ensure that that is the case.
(3) If the connection to the DB fails then break the script there with a helpful error message.
Version: 1.15.x
Severity: minor
OS: Windows XP
Platform: PC