[Forum] Can't delete attachments

[Darksome]

Hi!

Here's a problem I've just noticed and would like some assistance with. I pruned some threads yesterday and when doing a routine site backup today expected to see the associated attachments with those threads also deleted, however this wasn't the case. They were still on the server in the file-system (where I'm storing attachments).

I've tried manually deleting attachments through the AdminCP > Attachments > Search and then deleting them and this also fails to delete the attachments fully. I've also tried deleting them through the UserCP > Settings > Miscellaneous > Attachments this also fails to delete the attachments. They are removed from the thread and upon checking they're no longer in the attachments table in the database, but they remain on both the server and in the filedata table in the database.

How the heck do I physically remove these attachments from vB and thus the file system? I'm basically trying to prune old threads and have any attachments associated with them also removed completely from vB and the file system!

[Trevor Hannant]

What version are you running?

[Darksome]

I'm running 4.1.4 PL2

[Trevor Hannant]

Is your Hourly Cleanup 2 Scheduled task running OK?

[Darksome]

I've tried running it manually a few times already and checked the logs and it says completed.

[Trevor Hannant]

D'oh. Sorry, I never picked up on this from your original post...

The cleanup jobs only deletes the relevant database entries for the attachments, not the files themselves if you're storing in the filesystem (vBulletin has never done this). I believe there's a request in the Tracker to add this functionality however I can't find it at the moment.

[Darksome]

Wow, really? So there's no way of deleting those, now orphaned, attachments through vB?

[AusPhotography]

D'oh. Sorry, I never picked up on this from your original post...

The cleanup jobs only deletes the relevant database entries for the attachments, not the files themselves if you're storing in the filesystem (vBulletin has never done this). I believe there's a request in the Tracker to add this functionality however I can't find it at the moment.

Incorrect. I've been conversing with Darksome and setup a test on our site, the files are deleted.

Refer class_dm_attachment.php and vB_DataManager_Filedata public function delete

Our site is forum only, whereas Darksome is running Suite.

He ran this and got many records...

SELECT filedata.filedataid, filedata.userid
  FROM filedata 
  LEFT OUTER JOIN attachment ON attachment.filedataid = filedata.filedataid 
  WHERE attachment.filedataid IS NULL

So unless there is an issue in suite it should work.

BTW: Darksome and I live in the same city and are friends.

Kym

[Hawk2]

if the attachments are from your own profile then just go to your settings and delete them from there

[Darksome]

if the attachments are from your own profile then just go to your settings and delete them from there

That's not what I'm trying to do. In fact, doing that just results in the same problem. As I mentioned in the OP I'm pruning old threads and hopefully their associated attachments. These aren't being removed from the filedata table and as a result, not from the filesystem either. Even deleting my own attachments results in the same behaviour, the attachment is removed from the attachment table in the database but NOT the filedata table nor the file itself.

As per Kym's testing in the above post, I can confirm I've also tested this on a clean install (vB Suite 4.1.4 PL2) and it does delete the attachments from the filesystem! I haven't got any modified php files, I've tried disabling ALL plugins and products and have also created a new style with no parent style... it still won't delete attachments from the filedata table nor file system. I have noticed that there is an extra field in the filedata table for importedattachments as we migrated from phpBB3 into vB, I don't know if this is what's causing the problem?

I've tested a copy of our site at home for testing purposes and once again, the result is the same, it is only removed from the attachment table in the database. THIS REPORT sounds like the exact problem I'm experiencing.

[Hawk2]

And have you tired to delete them from inside the admin panel as this works for me or login to ftp and remove them from there

[Darksome]

And have you tired to delete them from inside the admin panel as this works for me or login to ftp and remove them from there

I've tried manually deleting attachments through the AdminCP > Attachments > Search and then deleting them and this also fails to delete the attachments fully. I've also tried deleting them through the UserCP > Settings > Miscellaneous > Attachments this also fails to delete the attachments. They are removed from the thread and upon checking they're no longer in the attachments table in the database, but they remain on both the server and in the filedata table in the database.

Yes I have. Of course I can login to ftp and remove them, but this isn't how it should work. I've got 300+ orphaned attachments that have relevant entries in the filedata table that aren't present in the attachments table that should be being deleted by cleanup2.php each hour that aren't!

Finding those 300+ entries from the filedata table then manually matching them to files on the server and then manually deleting is just a little tiresome when it should be done automatically!

[Andy]

As per Kym's testing in the above post, I can confirm I've also tested this on a clean install (vB Suite 4.1.4 PL2) and it does delete the attachments from the filesystem! I haven't got any modified php files, I've tried disabling ALL plugins and products and have also created a new style with no parent style... it still won't delete attachments from the filedata table nor file system. I have noticed that there is an extra field in the filedata table for importedattachments as we migrated from phpBB3 into vB, I don't know if this is what's causing the problem?

Have you tried creating a clean install, then upgrading your database?

[AusPhotography]

Try deleting the Impex import columns - they are not needed

[AusPhotography]

As I said above, this query shows the orphaned entries. (now enhanced)

Maybe dump the first 10 rows of data and post here, that way we can see what is happening.

I'm interested to see if the refcount is zero.

SELECT filedata.filedataid,
       filedata.userid,
       DATE_FORMAT(FROM_UNIXTIME(filedata.dateline), '%Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s' ) AS DateLine,
       DATE_FORMAT(FROM_UNIXTIME(filedata.thumbnail_dateline), '%Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s' ) AS Thumbnail_Dateline,
       filedata.filesize,
       filedata.filehash,
       filedata.thumbnail_filesize,
       filedata.extension,
       filedata.importattachmentid,
       filedata.width,
       filedata.height,
       filedata.thumbnail_width,
       filedata.thumbnail_height,
       filedata.refcount 
  FROM filedata 
    LEFT OUTER JOIN attachment ON attachment.filedataid = filedata.filedataid 
  WHERE attachment.filedataid IS NULL