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Troubleshooting Common Problems

Most problems have a simple cause. Find your symptom below.

The site shows a blank page or an error

Set $DEBUG_MODE = true; in config.php to see the message, fix the problem, then set it back to false. Typical causes are a PHP version that is too old or a missing extension (pdo_mysql, curl, mbstring, gd).

"Database connection failed"

Check $DBHost, $DBUser, $DBPass and $DBName in config.php and that the user has rights to the database. On some hosts the database name and user have a prefix such as account_.

The installer says the tables already exist

A previous installation is in that database. Use another database or the prefix setting, or tick Overwrite existing tables on a test site (this deletes all data).

E-mails do not arrive

  • Configure SMTP in General settings and use a sender address on your own domain
  • Check the spam folder, and test with another mailbox
  • Without SMTP the PHP mail() function is used, which many hosts block or mark as spam
  • Alerts, follower e-mails and reminders also need the cron job

Images cannot be uploaded

  • Make uploaded_images and thumbnails writable
  • Only JPG, PNG, GIF and WebP up to 8 MB are accepted, and the PHP limits upload_max_filesize and post_max_size must be at least that large
  • The PHP gd extension must be enabled

Event pages show 404 after enabling friendly URLs

Friendly URLs need Apache mod_rewrite, the .htaccess file in the main folder, and AllowOverride All for the site. On other servers switch the option off in General settings.

An event is not visible on the website

Check in Manage events that the status is Active (not Draft, Pending or Rejected), that the event has not ended, and that the listing has not expired.

Stripe payment is taken but the order stays pending

The webhook is missing or wrong. In Stripe add the endpoint https://your-domain/stripe_webhook.php for the event checkout.session.completed and paste its signing secret into Payment settings. A pending paid order can be fixed with Mark as paid.

Stripe or PayPal buttons do not appear

The method must be enabled and the keys filled in. Use matching modes: PayPal Sandbox credentials only work with Sandbox mode, and live credentials with Live mode. A live site needs https.

"Connection error" or SSL errors when paying or using AI

The server could not verify the provider's certificate. Ask your host to update the CA certificates. As a last resort on a private test server, switch off Verify SSL certificates in the Technical tab of Payment settings.

The AI buttons show an error

Read the message: a missing key, wrong key, no credit or an unknown model name are the usual causes. Use Test connection in AI settings.

I cannot log in

  • After 8 wrong attempts the login pauses for 10 minutes
  • Accounts that need e-mail activation cannot log in before the link is clicked
  • The administrator can reset or activate accounts in Users. A forgotten administrator password can be reset in the database table ep_admin_users with a new hash created by PHP's password_hash()

"Invalid or expired form token"

The page was open for too long or cookies are blocked. Reload the page and submit the form again.

Categories or languages do not save

The folders categories, locations and languages must be writable. See The configuration file.

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