[Glenn Kilpatrick]

Hi Guys. I keep getting this message when I try upload an avatar for a group :

Upload Failed! Error was: Unable to create directory /group-avatars/1. Is its parent directory writable by the server?

Question 1 Where does the group-avatars folder go ? In root ? In the buddypress plugin folder ? or in bp-groups folder ?

Question 2 I have made a folder in each of the above places, but the same error persists. Any help would be appreciated.

[@mercime]

@whitbyglennk At first glance, seems to me like an upload path problem when you haven’t configured WP/multisite correctly – https://codex.buddypress.org/getting-started/before-installing/#wp-configuration

Q1: Group Avatars – if you’re on multisite and BP is installed at root, group avatars go to wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/group-avatars
Q2: What folders and in which places? The avatars and group avatars folders are automatically generated. I would suggest checking your site’s .htaccess file since I have only seen this kind of problem if multisite is not configured correctly https://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network#Step_6:_Super_Admin_Settings

[Hugo Ashmore]

This is usually a server issue with groups/users permissions, simply creating the folders and even setting their permissions insecurely i.e 777 can still not mean that the server can write to the directories or create them, whenever I run across this it seems to be a flipping CP messing things up.

Ensure that PHP Safe Mode is off is one thing to check.

[Glenn Kilpatrick]

Im confused. WHATS WP MULTI SITE ? I thought mu no longer existed? I do need the facility to allow users to create blogs but I was going to deal with that after the initial teething problems. Could you give me a plan of attack as I am now having more permission path problems, this time with the album+ plugin not being able to upload images.

[Hugo Ashmore]

WP used to exist in two separate versions one regular bog standard WP and one refereed to as WPMU which was capable of managing user blogs. Eventually WPMU was merged into regular WP. One install, one application, you choose whether it runs as Multi Site or in single blog version.

[@mercime]

@whitbyglennk codebases of WP single and WPMU were merged in version WP 3.0. You can now enable multisite (create a network) from WP 3.0+ installation. If you are considering going multisite, you must fix any path or permissions problems you have in single WP install (at WordPress.org forums) before Creating a Network. And, you must Create a Network and test it per link I gave you above BEOFRE installing BuddyPress, otherwise it’s going to be a bumpy ride

EDIT – too slow posting

[Glenn Kilpatrick]

Ok,

What to do ?

Delete everything and start again, or deactivate buddy press and get the multi site working, then reactivate buddy press.

[Glenn Kilpatrick]

Ok. Ive reinstalled.

Ive managed to set up a sub blog at : http://www.community.real-whitby.co.uk/whitby-whites/

Trying to upload an image I get

“leeds-united-whitby-whites.jpg” has failed to upload due to an error
Unable to create directory /var/www/vhosts/real-whitby.co.uk/subdomains/www.community/httpdocs/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files. Is its parent directory writable by the server?

I have manually created the folder and given write permissions and still get the error. Your help would be greatly appreciated

[Glenn Kilpatrick]

This issue is now resolved,. The problem was with the hosts.

[Alex Cragg]

@whitbyglennk – What was the issue in the end? I’m having the same problem. What did the hosts need to change?