Need some community help here. (Running Joomla 1.5.15) Linux server. Got root access if needed.

I'm trying to install ARI quiz. We installed it on our site when we were with a different webhost with no problem.

We got a VPS and created an account. Everything has run well, I go to install ARI quiz and I get some really ugly errors.

==================================
Couldn't change permission for directory "/home/ourwebsite/public_html/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache/files" permission "511".
Couldn't change permission for directory "/home/ourwebsite/public_html/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache/files/css" permission "511".
Couldn't change permission for directory "/home/ourwebsite/public_html/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache/files/hotspot" permission "511".
Couldn't change permission for directory "/home/ourwebsite/public_html/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache/files/lbackend" permission "511".
Couldn't change permission for directory "/home/ourwebsite/public_html/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache/files/lfrontend" permission "511".
Couldn't change permission for directory "/home/ourwebsite/public_html/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache/files/i18n/lbackend" permission "511".
Couldn't change permission for directory "/home/ourwebsite/public_html/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache/files/i18n/lfrontend" permission "511".

Then it gave this error like 12 times

Notice: Undefined variable: stepval in /home/ourwebsite/public_html/libraries/joomla/installer/installer.php on line 279
==============================


... BUT... mind you.. Joomla gave these errors EVEN though I set the permissons for all administrator folders and subfolders to 777. I even set ownership in Linux to Nobody.


Here is what the file /libraries/joomla/installer/installer.php says on line 279


}
// Only set the return value if it is false
if ($stepval === false) {
$retval = false;
}

We have a firelwall on our VPS. I turned it off. No luck.

Clearly it is a permission error, but that is usually fixed by changing permisisons. This was not.

Hello,

ARI Quiz requires that <joomla_dir>/administrator/components/com_ariquiz/cache folder and all subfolders have writable permissions because ARI Quiz installer try to set appropriate permissions for this folders through Joomla! API, but it seems that installer doesn't have permissions to do it. If you use 'FTP Mode' for installation process, try to switch off this or you can provide temporary backend access to your Joomla! backend by email and we'll help you.

Regards,
ARI Soft

Well, thats odd. I turned off FTP and it worked. I do not at all understand how Joomla does file transfer with FTP off or on. If someone would like to give me a mini education on this I'd love it. Does Joomla use some PHP function instead of FTP is "off"?

When 'FTP Mode' is enabled, Joomla! use PHP layer functions for working with files and folders. Joomla! Team recommended to use 'FTP Mode' when 'Safe Mode' option is enabled in your PHP settings, but using 'Safe Mode' is bad approach, you can read about this in official Joomla! documentation. You can also find on Joomla! forum many reports about problem with 'FTP Mode'.

Regards,
ARI Soft