Installation & Migration issues

[charles-marion]

I tried to migrate an instance and I wasn't able to login (because of the secure cookie flag).
I also tried to install Midas and it didn't work. A folder was not writable and I didn't get a message.

I fixed these issues.

[zachmullen]

This smells of needing a reusable function.

[cpatrick]

@zachmullen You're right about that 😄

@charles-marion @jamiesnape In terms of the default value of the secure cookie field, I'm torn. If the server is running over HTTPS using secure is almost certainly what they want, but it does add an extra step to the upgrade of old systems.

[jamiesnape]

The secure cookie setting is not a bug. I will update the documentation before the release.

[jamiesnape]

The permissions issue needs to be fixed in an alternate way. This fix breaks App Engine support.
Actually this is not a bug either.

[jamiesnape]

I think the issue for both this issues is that it just needs documentation, and I will work on that when I have time. The simple fact is that the installation and upgrade process is not identical to how it was in the previous version, and that is deliberate for security and cloud compatibility reasons.

[jamiesnape]

Issue #88 created for documentation.

[charles-marion]

Right now, if you install MIDAS on Linux. It tells you "Your system is Ok". You click on Next and nothing happen.

If you migrate (still on linux) your instance, you cannot log in and you don't know why.
Also if you were using the developpement mode, your instance became very slow and you don't know why.

In my opinion these are major issues and should be fixed...

[jamiesnape]

@charles-marion Hence why I need to update the documentation.

[jcfr]

@charles-marion Thanks for your contribution 👍

@jamiesnape Could the user be notified with a meaningful message ?

While discussing the secure cookie setting, could the commit 3ffe103 be integrated ? Seems this one is not subject to controversy.

[jamiesnape]

@jcfr No, it will break App Engine support.

[jamiesnape]

@jcfr Not really. You are checking whether a folder is writeable, but there is no concept of folders on Cloud Storage. The only solution is to document the pre-installation steps.

[jcfr]

@jamiesnape I see. Do this mean such check should be done on a per asset store basis ? Midas should check if the given asset store is writable etc ...

[jamiesnape]

@jcfr It should, but that would not help, unfortunately, as Midas handles configuration files differently to other files. The problem is that configuration files are copied to another location altogether during installation (not an asset store).

The correct solution, I think, is to move the configuration (other than of the database connection) to the database. I have a prototype of that (I demonstrated it in a tech tip), but it is some way from being ready for testing. That also has the side effect of significant performance improvements.

[jcfr]

@jamiesnape Thanks for the detailed explanation. Look like there are some exciting changes on the way. I like the idea of having the database being the only entity representing the state of a server.