3.4 MU Clean Install fails

You’re missing some lines I suspect. Do you still have

define( 'MULTISITE', true );

Just to make sure, you did everything on this page first right?

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Create_A_Network

Thanks, all for your suggestions.

Mika, I think you are recommending a setting that has been deprecated. Instead of
define ('MULTISITE', true);

It should be
define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);

Yes, Robert, I attempted to follow the steps in the Create a Network page. I think I have figured out what is wrong.

My hypothesis is that there are steps in the Codex that are missing.

I think steps should be: https://www.onextrapixel.com/2011/07/07/the-ultimate-wordpress-multi-site-network-management-guide/

I still need to test this theory. It seems like the Migrating Multiple Blogs into WordPress 3.0 Multisite page and the Create A Network page could be correctly combined and updated. If I figure this out, who do I talk to about updates to the Codex?

Mika, I think you are recommending a setting that has been deprecated. Instead of
define ('MULTISITE', true);

No. I’m not. I know exactly what I’m saying.

You need to re-read: https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Create_A_Network becuase you’re not following the directions ?? No steps are missing. I have tested them multiple times. In fact, those directions tell you, outright, to add the MULTISITE define. If you don’t, Multisite will not ever work.

Delete these:

define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);
define( 'SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL', true );

Add
define ('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);

You’ll be able to set up Multisite.

ok. I got it running.

Mika, thanks for pointing the way… sorta.

The WordPress installation has to have the WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE variable set to ‘true’ in order to activate the menu that will modify the database settings after a standard WordPress installation. After that you are walked through by WordPress to add several more params to wp-config.php depending on whether you are using subdomains or subdirectories.

Step 1 of the Codex should include the following:
— Install WordPress as you would normally for a single site using the instructions at https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Installing_WordPress

Step 2 is correct. You have to add the line:
define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);
to wp-config.php as specified.

Step 3 should be re-written for clarity as it is really confusing to have to go to another page and come back.

Simply adding instructions that state:

• If you are going to create a MU site using Sub-domains do this

blah (maybe add a screenshot of the settings for a sub-domain setup)

• If you are going to create a MU site using Sub-directories do this

foo (maybe add a screenshot of the settings for a

Step 4 is where the line you talked about should be added
Step 4a: Create a directory inside wp-content and make it writable
Step 4b: Update wp-config.php with the lines that are returned after specifying a subdomain or subdirectory installation
Step 4c: Update .htaccess with the lines that ae returned after specifying a subdomain or subdirectory installation

I’m wondering if anyone thinks that Step 5 and Step 6 seem out of place. It seems to me that there should just be a “Now you are ready to setup your other sites,” with a link to more detailed instructions around creating a sub-site and on that page a link to administering sub-sites.

Given that step one says :

Your WordPress site will be updated when creating a network. Unless it is a fresh install and you have nothing to lose, please backup your database and files.

(bolding mine) we thought it was self evident.

Step 3 should be re-written for clarity as it is really confusing to have to go to another page and come back.

Step 2 ends with ‘You will need to refresh your browser to continue.’ and then, yes, click on a menu item. We can’t auto-direct you to a page because you have to leave that code alone and keep it forever in your wp-config, so there’s no easy way to verify you have Multisite setup without doing a server check every time, and that’s silly and will make your site slow.

You’re not going ‘back’ to another page, you’re staying on the one. You get all the directions on that one page. There are multiple different presentations of that setup screen, depending on your server’s set up, the age of your site, etc etc. So we went for basic vs too many details.

5 and 6 are … well, we used to have it all on one page, and it got too long. We’re still juggling how best to phrase it. But the reason we don’t add on to step 4 is because WordPress tells you what to do as you upgrade. By leaving it out, we make it easier to keep the doc current.

“Follow the on screen directions” ??