Duplicate tables problem

[jazzbird]

Hello,

I'm having a strange issue with duplicate jDownloads tables that I can't resolve. It seems like there are two instances of jDownloads installed. When I look at the extensions list, I see this:


But then Joomla Extensions: Discover "discovers" these parts of jDownloads that are "waiting" to be installed:


When I check the Database, I see that indeed several of the jDownloads tables are duplicated:


I have tried uninstalling jDownloads (without deleting the tables and data) and then reinstalling it, but the extra tables are still there and Joomla still "Discovers" the jDownloads component and some of its plugins. I have also tried manually deleting the extra tables from phpMyAdmin, but then they recreate themselves automatically (with the extension_id number that keeps increasing)!

How can I get rid of those extra tables and stop Joomla from constantly "discovering" jDownloads?

Thank you, and happy new year!

[jazzbird]

Also, is it normal that every time I install jDownloads it recreates all the layouts? I ended up with dozens of duplicate layouts that I had to delete manually. All the licenses are also recreated at each install, so I now have 70 licenses!

[jazzbird]

If I'm dealing with a conflict between two versions of the extension, I'm wondering if I should uninstall jDownloads again (without deleting the jDownloads tables and data, and of course the downloadable files in the jdownloads folder), then delete all the jDownloads rows in the _extensions table, then reinstall it?

Does that sound like a good idea or would that be dangerous?

[ColinM]

Hi
This does sound challenging, something I have  not seen before.
I will bring it to Arno's attention.
Possibly the database does not have delete permission so it keeps adding tables

For reference it should not keep replicating the existing Layouts and licenses

Also could you advise Joomla version, jD version, PHP and what database and version

Colin

[jazzbird]

Sure. It's Joomla 4.4.1, jD 4.0.38, PHP 8.1, mysql 8.0.28

[jazzbird]

Update: I tried my idea above. I uninstalled jDownloads. After the uninstall, much of jDownloads still appeared under System/Manage/Extensions/. I tried uninstalling it a second time. This produced an error. Finally, I tried deleting the jDownloads rows in the _extension table. This was a disaster and completely crashed the website.

So after restoring a site backup, I am back at square one. All the jDownloads tables are duplicated in the DB, and Joomla Discover now identifies 14 different jDownloads extensions waiting to be installed!



Any advice would be appreciated!

[Arno]

Hi jazzbird,
I have never observed such behaviour before. But I must also admit that I have never used the 'Discover' function before.
It could possibly be the result of an incorrect previous installation or update? 

Maybe can I try to check this more in detail tomorrow.

[jazzbird]

Okay Arno, thanks, I appreciate it.

I think the Discover function just indicates that Joomla sees the extra (duplicate) records in the DB and so it thinks that the extension is available but not properly installed. Basically I think I'm dealing with two instances of jDownloads on my site that clash with one another.

[Arno]

Hi jazzbird,
normaly two instances of jDownloads on the same Joomla installation are not possible.
If only because each table can only exist once with this name.

I would try the following:
- Create a backup
- Uninstall jDownloads (without deleting the files and DB tables!)
- Now check the Extensions Manager to see if an installation of jDownloads is still listed.
- If so, try to repeat the uninstallation process, even if an error message would certainly appear.
- Alternatively, manually delete the jDownloads entries in the 'extensions' table.
- Check whether jDownloads subdirectories from previous installation attempts still exist in the /temp folder. If so, delete them.
- Now check which DB tables of jDownloads exist in the database. Only 7 tables should exist here.
- If this has been done successfully, create a new backup of this clean version.
- Now reinstall jDownloads.

[jazzbird]

I would try the following:
1- Create a backup
2- Uninstall jDownloads (without deleting the files and DB tables!)
3- Now check the Extensions Manager to see if an installation of jDownloads is still listed.
4- If so, try to repeat the uninstallation process, even if an error message would certainly appear.
5- Alternatively, manually delete the jDownloads entries in the 'extensions' table.
6- Check whether jDownloads subdirectories from previous installation attempts still exist in the /temp folder. If so, delete them.
7- Now check which DB tables of jDownloads exist in the database. Only 7 tables should exist here.
8- If this has been done successfully, create a new backup of this clean version.
9- Now reinstall jDownloads.

Thank you for the suggestion! I believe I tried something very similar a few days ago. If I recall correctly, item 5 (manually deleting the jD entries) completely crashed my site.

As you can see in the tables screenshot above, all the jD tables definitely exist twice with the same name on my site.

I will try a few more things and get back to you.

[jazzbird]

When I uninstall jD, do I select only the component, or all the plugins and modules as well? Currently I have 19 jDownloads installed! The component, 6 plugins, and 12 modules.

[jazzbird]

By the way, the uninstall instructions on this page are very confusing:
https://www.jdownloads.net/documentation/getting-started-v3-9/how-to-uninstall-all-of-jdownloads-jd39

The instructions say to select all items, then deselect the component, then uninstall (everything except the component?).

But the image shows the opposite: only the component is selected. So just uninstall the component?

So which one is it? Just uninstall the component, or uninstall everything else except the component?

[jazzbird]

Item 2: I uninstalled just the component.

Item 3: After the uninstall, I still have 13 jDownloads extensions that are apparently still installed.

[jazzbird]

Item 4: I tried to repeat the uninstallation process. An error did indeed appear, and no change.

Still 13 jD extensions appear in the list:

[jazzbird]

I now managed to uninstall the two plugins at the bottom of the list. If I try to uninstall any of the modules, I get the error:

An error has occurred.
0 Call to a member function children() on null

So Joomla still lists the component and 10 modules, but won't let me uninstall them.