Help needed solving problem running ProjectPier on Uniform Server!

Installation on latest Uniform Server fails

In regard to this bug report:  http://www.projectpier.org/node/124

A short excerpt:
“The installer showed a success message on step 4 but didn’t asked me to create an account on step 5  - the screen was blank.“

editor's note: I realize I've used a lot of file names in the text without giving the path to the file. If you don't already have a tool to locate files quickly (I use Agent Ransack), it is suggested you get one to speed things up a little.

I took two approaches to determine where the problem was originating, I susptected either (1) something was going wrong during the initial database creation or (2) a problem with the php functions that display that particular page.

Next was a process of elimination through experimentation.

1. I made two installations, one on Uniform Server (called USVR from now on) and one on a hosted account where I had installed PP several times without fail (called HOSTED from now on). I stopped both installations on the 'create an account' page which follows installation step 4.

2. I moved the database from the known good HOSTED account onto USVR and pointed the config file on USVR to the newly imported database. This had no effect, USVR 'create an account' page still would not load.

3. I moved the database from USVR to the HOSTED account and pointed the config file on HOSTED to the newly imported database. This had no effect, HOSTED account's 'create an account' page still worked just fine.

4. I then loaded activeCollab 0.7.1 on USVR and it had the exact same problem.

5. First Conclusion: This is NOT a problem with the initial database load or configuration, it is not a problem introduced by PP. It must be a problem with the php functions that display that particular page.

6. I set out in search of the point of failure. I determined that it was not failing in application.php or AccessController.class.php, although those initially looked like good suspects. The failure point seems to be in \application\models\CompanyWebsite.class.php

7. Line 62 of CompanyWebsite.class.php, begins the function initCompany(). When this function executes, $company is empty and the “if” statement fails and thorws the error OwnerCompanyDnxError.

private function initCompany() {

$company = Companies::getOwnerCompany();

if(!($company instanceof Company)) {

throw new OwnerCompanyDnxError();

} ...

8. So why would be even be at the function initCompany if there are no companies in the database yet? I believe this is the problem. So where in the code did it check that at least one company existed? Where does it decide to call complete_installation.php?

9. Look at AccessController.class.php. On line 160 we see the function complete_installation(). OK, this throws up the “Complete the Installation” screen, but where is it being called from?

10. complete_installation() is being called from application.php, line 41 to be exact. How interesting. Look at this code:

// Owner company or administrator doen't exist? Let the user create them
} catch(OwnerCompanyDnxError $e) {
Env::executeAction('access', 'complete_installation');

8. Oh boy, does this look familiar? Yep, this is indeed the error that I've already confirmed was being thrown in CompanyWebsite.class.php! So, this is the real point of failure, right? No, the code never makes it this far. It truly dies when the error is thrown in CompanyWebsite.class.php. So what is happening on USVR that things seem to stop processing right when the error is thrown? Hmm...

Well, that's as far as I've gotten with this problem. Any help would be much appreciated!! Having PP run on Uniform Server is very important as it will give us a much broader base of users.

Where can you learn a little about try/throw/catch?

http://www.phpfreaks.com/phpmanual/page/language.exceptions.html