mistral7-wporg

@andrea_r – The answer to the question of subdomains is yes – I set it up for subdomains. wp-config.php entry:
define(‘WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE’, true);

define( ‘MULTISITE’, true );
define( ‘SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL’, true );
$base = ‘/’;
define( ‘DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘sweetblogspot.com’ );
define( ‘PATH_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘/’ );
define( ‘SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1 );
define( ‘BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1 );

I have put a request to my ISP to confirm the wildcard issue.
Link is https://sweetblogspot.com – this is setup as an addon domain
In the admin area the “my sites” drop-down menu gives the same result as network admin/mysites – no access to dashboard. I am happy to send you access to admin via separate email if you require it.

@ipstenu – I will ask the question. As I understand things, WP does not need any code in the .htaccess file to redirect the https://www.domain.com to domain.com when set up for subdomains – correct me if I am wrong, please. However, it will be of interest to confirm or otherwise the sever-side issue (ha!- now I understand something of what server is ?? )
Regards
Ken

@andrea_r. Hi we meet again. Glad to know I am in good hands.
I have already trawled the db. I found references in wp_options were aimed at www for the main url, but then went a bit deeper and found references to the previous website. Changed all and bingo the permalinks page showed the website as domain.com, rather than https://www.domain.com. Thought |I had been such a clever thingy. In celebration I changed the permalink to a simple /%postname%/ and bam – there it was.
Now to final checks – openned network admin/sites. Clicked edit on a site and I got the site edit screen. Aha – so I clicked the dashboard – and I am still grinding my teeth…same problem – failed to open.
Somewhere there is a switch that needs a change. Whether that is in the main wp_… area or in the individual post I am not sure – all my looking came up with nothing obvious.

Last piece – your “Now make sure that on the server side, any requests for www goes to domain.com” leaves me in that sure location of “huh” – What is “the server side” (now you know how little I really know)
Appreciate your help.
Regards
Ken

Sequel. The ISP finally got the subdomain wildcard fixed. The error of wp-config.php vs the WP install domain settings is still there, but with WP3.1.3 it does not seem to matter.
We shall see what future versions do to keep this crossup of settings under control.
Just a final word, if the ISP says they have fixed the *wildcard issue and things still don’t work, keep going back – eventually they will get someone who can “fix the switch”

@andrea_r – so what is the answer?

If I remove all but the contents folder, (backup the DB) re-install the WP, go through the re-install/network setup for sub-domains and point it at the existing DB, will this work? It would be good to have the site2.site1.com setup.

If we run this road, are there other files I need to protect in the existing install?

I would be sad to lose the existing blogs but I do have the information copied (screenprints) to re-install if all alse fails.
Regards

I have a note i to my ISP asking for confirmation.

Subdomain True means that the sites show as site2.domain.com I understand.

The base entry is still https://www.domain.com, correct me if I am wrong.

What I see is a problem resulting from a mis-match of domain.com and https://www.domain.com. That is why I wonder if the:
wp_sitemeta:
metakey: subdomain install, metavalue: 0
metakey: global_terms_enabled, metavalue: 0
has relevance. I always thought the 0 meant not, and the 1 meant yes.

I wondered if changing those values might solve the problem of the missing server.

@ipstenu – It is set as:
define( ‘MULTISITE’, true );
define( ‘SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL’, true );
$base = ‘/’;
define( ‘DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘www.sweetblogspot.com’ );
define( ‘PATH_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘/’ );
define( ‘SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1 );
define( ‘BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1 );

@andrea_r – frankly I am now a little unsure – can I specify one at this stage? ie-if I specify folders, then the https://www.domain.com is valid, and I think the subdomain will still show as site2.domain.com/blog/etc.
Am I right? – or am I looking at a rebuild…

Love WP forum. OK do not put the https:// part in. OK

err, forget the https:// part and just put the https://ftp.etc in

Problem solved – https://ftp.domain.com:21

elegant!

Trawling through the database I found the following:

wp_blogs:
blog_id 1 Site_id 1 path:www.domain.com all else same but for Lang_id 0
blog_id 7 Site_id 1 path:www.domain.com all else same but for Lang_id 1
– should the lang-id be the same??

wp_sitemeta:
metakey: subdomain install, metavalue: 0
metakey: global_terms_enabled, metavalue: 0
– perchance this is where the problem lays??? I suspect the metavalues should be 1, but would like confirmation.

wp_site = https://www.domain.com

@ipstenu – Sorry but that is far beyond my understanding – but I can learn.

@andrea_r – the website is https://www.sweetblogspot.com

I am happy to send you user and pass info by email
[email protected]

Apologies if this breaches protocol.

@ Andrea_r, My sins run ahead of me – may I ask what is the fix, please?

Changed the browser – IE8 – no problem.

And I think of how much time I have wasted…
Thanks to the “Installation” section – read the meaasage, fixed the problem. Hooray!

Lessons learned:
1.Backup
2.Make a short list of requirements to send to ISP when setting up hosting
– ensure there is a /temp file to enable import.
Cheers
Ken
new sites include https://www.newinfo4free.com – just upgrading to 3.1.2: and network. I can feel a blog coming on.. mistakes made, lessons learned

Once again, from the edge of the black hole I am now heading into clear skies.
Many thanks for your considerate assistance. The problem rested with the ISP. I do not have access to the Apache engine.
Seems next domain I get them to host will have a short list of “do this also” attached.
Thank you @tim and @andrea_r