<whimper> I broke my website.
 

I know, I know, I posted this on www.vbulletin.com as well but this is sort of an emergency.

I added a one line piece of code to hook login_login_success. I got an error when logging on that implied I had something seriously wrong just in that one line. And I couldn't log on to take the plugin out. So I deleted the plugin entry on the database level. Now when I try to log on to my website, I get this:

Unable to add cookies, header already sent.
File: /home/sapsuper/public_html/forums/includes/functions_login.php(176) : eval()'d code
Line: 1

The actual file generating this error is in functions_login.php by statement:

I seriously screwed something up - did I miss re-setting something in the database? Have I seriously destroyed anything? Can someone who is brilliant take pity on me and tell me how to fix this?

Fixing this is a 2 part process. First upload tools.php (it's in the do not upload folder of your package) to your admincp.

Log into tools using your customer number. Under mySQL click "Run Query". Run this query.

Now under "Datastore Cache" click on "Options Cache"

Your plugin system should now be switched off, disabling your plugin and allowing you to log into your boards.

You will have to delete tools.php before you will be permitted to log back into the admincp though.

BTW, it would be VERY useful if Jelsoft would provide a 'switch off plug ins' tool in tools.php to make this process simpler.

EDIT2: BTW, if it's only one plugin, why not just comment out the hook line using //

Thank you very much - that resolved my issue. I actually had already changed the plugin setting entry but did not know about rebuilding the cache.

But I won't be testing my lack of php skills anytime in the immediate future. In fact, this seems like a good time to take backup. Thanks again.

And since we are doing a "Things it would be useful for vBulletin to provide" list: 1) allow the storing of an SQL query in under Maintenance -> Execute SQL Query like MS SQL Server allows the creation of stored procedures, and maybe an extension of that like canned queries like "Queries that Could Save Your Butt in an Emergency".

I'm really not as incompetent as I seem most of the time, I've actually been a DBA for around 25 years. I've written a dozen or so queries I use to help manage my website, most of them in order to control duplicate users and user accounts. I bet many others have done the same - do we have a Knowledge Corner or Repository where everyone can pool these resources?