# chown -R :www-data /var/www/html/player/

This was done after I had used:

# chmod -R 775 /var/html/player/storage/*

And:

# chmod -R 775 /var/html/player/vendor/*

If I had earlier stumbled upon this exact configuration in the Laravel 5.0 documentation where this is written (even though I was working with 5.2), I would have saved a lot of time and not (learn the hard way) to check the simplest of information.

Laravel may require some permissions to be configured: folders within storage and vendorrequire write access by the web server.

I was although able to finally hit the nail on the head to break the deadlock when I navigated through some Stackoverflow‘s questions and answers searching the above sentence on Google, but was able to find it here and just at the end of this.
Okay, not to give the scenario of what happened, what I faced and how I was able to get it done:

The /player directory is the directory where the Laravel boilerplate and directives are for the music player project idea I conceived and since I just began with Laravel, I find it interesting to never do a normal php project again therefore, I chose to do it again. What am I doing again? It is to create a new Laravel project.

Having gone through the rigor of getting out of my comfort zone of writing php without frameworks, I realize I could have learnt a lot of things and made my development life easier and fantastic with using a good framework like Laravel (even though I had a taste of this with Ruby on Rails). Much has been said about this framework already by friends and so I decided to try it out.

To cut the story short, I managed to get my first Laravel project running which I named blog because I was following the courses Introduction to Laravel 5.2 from a Udemy tutorial I found on Youtube. Now it was time to unleash the beast and simply make my office period more interesting with my own personalized and customized music player after I had followed the Laravel 5.2 documentation to install using Composer and had created an Apache configuration file as well, then to access my new http://player.mine URL became a bit of work. What here did I do wrong?

Even though I had done an update with composer update and had set my configuration for Apache to use my Laravel’s project /public directory, yet it would not work. The next thing I tried was setting the same server name in my /etc/hosts file with:

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 player.mine

This resulted in a blank page (testing on Mozilla Firefox). Even though I checked if there were errors in my Apache configuration and also ensure I enabled with a2ensite player.conf yet It was to no avail. The major mistake I did was to not check the log. I came to my senses then checked Apache’s error log: there I found this error being thrown the last times I had loaded the page:

HP Fatal error:  Uncaught exception 'UnexpectedValueException' with message 'The stream or file "/var/www/html/player/storage/logs/laravel.log" could not be opened: failed to open stream: Permission denied' in /var/www/html/player/vendor/monolog/monolog/src/Monolog/Handler/StreamHandler.php:107\nStack trace:\n#0 /var/www/html/player/vendor/monolog/monolog/src/Monolog/Handler/AbstractProcessingHandler.php(37): Monolog\\Handler\\StreamHandler->write(Array)\n#1 /var/www/html/player/vendor/monolog/monolog/src/Monolog/Logger.php(336): Monolog\\Handler\\AbstractProcessingHandler->handle(Array)\n#2 /var/www/html/player/vendor/monolog/monolog/src/Monolog/Logger.php(615): Monolog\\Logger->addRecord(400, Object(UnexpectedValueException), Array)\n#3 /var/www/html/player/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Log/Writer.php(202): Monolog\\Logger->error(Object(UnexpectedValueException), Array)\n#4 /var/www/html/player/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Log/Writer.php(113): Illuminate\\Log\\Writer->writeLog('error', Object(UnexpectedValueException in /var/www/html/player/vendor/monolog/monolog/src/Monolog/Handler/StreamHandler.php on line 107

So I realized that the issue was file permission for the Laravel project.

I wouldn’t say this is the perfect solution to this issue because I have seen some other several suggestions of how it could be fixed but by this experience it is most likely one of it. If you have any supposed better way out you can help suggest in the the comment.

Thanks for reading

This is #tobisoft #omisakinoluwatobisamuel

I started this journey to begin with, Codeception php testing framework. First of all I would conclude before I go on to share my experience that this is one of the best testing framework around now – you can talk about the simplicity and versatility it ensures, and easy integration with other PHP frameworks (Laravel e.t.c) and using different web drivers (Selenium etc) almost seamlessly.

My own tale of this adventure started when I had to use it on PHP 5.3.3. Yes, it was succesfully installed using:

Of course strangely it got installed and it was time to try out some example at first from Codeception Web Services testing docs. If the whole system was configured properly and the installation goes as expected then simply writing:

codeception

Expectantly, there was no error response, after a further trial to no good signal to tell whether it works or not, I got to know that the installed version of Codeception was higher version and so the 1.8.7 version was later installed, and now this seems to look good, however this is where the adventure starts.

Most of the documentation on Codeception’s page consists of those commands and configurations that would mostly function on their 2.X versions, this made a serious challenges on my side as I delve to search for writing my first Web Service test with this framework.

Earlier I had installed and even written the API tests on my local computer, and everything works smoothly because I was using the latest version of the testing frameworks, therefore as described on the website there was no cause for concern. But when I had to do it on the development environment I was later working on, here the problem ensure.

It is notable that I had figured out one of the major concern that I had to look out for. Number one is the fact that it is of different version and by the way what are the differences I found out?

There was more of *Guy* kind of bootstrap result when an attempt is made to bootstrap a boiler plate for the implementation of other tests. This is done with a simple:

codecept bootstrap

So simple as it is yet powerful, by this command necessary configuration and some codes and files needed to get started are auto-generated into a directory called tests: these includes some folders and yml files for functional, unit, and acceptance tests. The basic example of the above result is like this (one on the latest version of codeption and the one on the version 1.8.7):

Version 2.2.4

Version 1.8.7

As you can see that there is a difference between the two, one has _data, _support, and _output directory. The support directory under the newer version is where the tests helpers files are placed while in the version 1.8.7 there is a helpers folder directly under the main test directory. So having attempted the test with the newer version without an itch, it became a bit of a challenge to understand the structuring under the old version.
This my experience may be more useful for those working on the older version of Codeception.

The version 2.X uses the type of test actions in the generated folder under _support folder, also the helpers as earlier said are under the _support > Helpers directory given the name of the test or suite(s) themselves. In contrast, the test actions stays in 1.8.7 under the suite directory itself and commonly have the word Guy with it.
It is in these kind of files you will find this text:

// This class was automatically generated by build task
// You should not change it manually as it will be overwritten on next build
// @codingStandardsIgnoreFile

Finally, since I was trying to test API I had to generate a suite for it with:

 codecept generate:suite api

According to codeception’s documentation this should create new test suite which requires suite name and actor name. An example is given: codecept g:suite api which should give api+ApiTester. But in 1.8 it doesn’t work that way, you have to specify the two arguments therefore no matter how hard I tried to rerun the codecept generate suite command without the second argument it tells me Missing argument.
The above works normally on the latest version but not on the version I am on. So at the end of the day, in order to start the process of testing the API I had to run the following:

codecept generate:suite api ApiGuy

I used ApiGuy just to following the Guy kind of convention though.

Now that the ApiGuy is created for me, then the big difference here that is worth the mention now came up and that is the configuration of api.suite.yml. The basic configuration of the Helpers, dependencies, and maybe the url for the test suite is done here and for the newer version of codeception, it requires each dependencies on different itemized line while for the older version it has to be in a group together as though an array. I attempted to follow the documentation by using this format:

class_name: ApiGuy
    modules:
         enabled:
              - REST:
                  url: http://localhost/api/v1/
                  depends: PhpBrowser
                  part: Js

On running codecept build then errors came up that I needed an array. I tried several means of understanding the problem until I checkout out the Question posted on PHP Test Club about an issue with Php fatal error REST::_inject() then I started understanding the wide margin for the old and new configuration and the good news is that this is the way it should actually look like:

class_name: ApiGuy
modules:
    enabled: [ApiHelper, REST, PhpBrowser]
    depends:
          REST: PhpBrowser
    config:
         PhpBrowser: 
            url: http://localhost/apis/
         REST:  
            url: http://localhost/apis/v1
    part:
        REST:
            Json

So with this, after codecept build everything went so well and the ApiGuy.php was bootstrapped successfully under the api directory for new test.

4. The next thing was to create my first Cept (scenario-driven) test for this purpose, even though there is Cest (scenario-driven object-oriented) test. But in my case I wanted to begin with Cept test so generating a starter php file for the test unlike others had no difference when using:

$ php codecept generate:cept api ListUsers

My ListUsersCept.php file was generated as expected in the api sub-directory, but I noticed a difference after I had copied the test I wrote on the newer version to this version with this code:

$I = new ApiTester($scenario);
$I->wantTo('list users via API');
$I->amHttpAuthenticated('service_user', '123456');
$I->haveHttpHeader('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded');
$I->sendGET('/users',['username'=>'omitobisam']);
$I->seeResponseCodeIs(\Codeception\Util\HttpCode::OK); // 200
$I->seeResponseIsJson();
$I->seeResponseContains('{"result":"ok"}');

This $I->seeResponseCodeIs(\Codeception\Util\HttpCode::OK); gave an error that it couldn’t trace the HttpCode so this broke down, therefore my final code after I had stumbled upon this post written since June 19, 2016 is:

$I = new ApiGuy($scenario);
$I->wantTo('list  users via API');
$I->amHttpAuthenticated('service_user', '123456');
$I->haveHttpHeader('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded');
$I->sendGET('/users', array('username'=>'omitobisam'));
$I->seeResponseCodeIs(200); // 200
$I->seeResponseIsJson();
$I->seeResponseContains('{"result":"ok"}'

Now, that I have analysed some differences I found out, I have to really say my major negligence for going through the stress for like 2 days to solve my problem was that the version of PHP I was on is 5.3.3 and on Codecepion builds page It was stated that from 2.0 and above requires PHP 5.4 and above to run. So my main point of search should have been from the point of the version of codeception and the limitations that exists with using the version that suites the environment I am working on.

Isn’t it challenging and yet inspiring? I believe, on my own side it is. So if you stumble upon codeception with old php version, you might want to update your PHP version or just come down to enjoy the things the older version of Codeception can offer.

This is #tobisoft #omisakinoluwatobisamuel

No one actually could explain it better than I could.

After enduring a long week of decision trouble and toggle to go for the (Garage48’s e-Residency) hackathon or not; At the night of Thursday, I finalized the decision. Assignments were quite huge, and tiredness grew to the face, but the most dreaded challenger of my decision to go was fear, although I had a bible study, a birthday, and a church service to attend before Monday morning. Fear of WHAT ON EARTH DO I KNOW? But at last I summoned courage and was ready to break out of that shell  – I resolved: Whatever would happen should happen! I can’t remain like this –timid and mediocre.

So the early morning of Friday came as expected, had only two hours of sleep because of preparation as I dashed out after calling Meya – My coursemate from Nigeria. I waited a few minutes for him as it took us some minutes of deliberations on our way about being left behind by the bus that should take us from Tartu. We were early to locate the bus, waited for some few minutes and we set for the journey to Vormsi Island.

Amazing sights on the way I saw and took some nice pictures, some selfies, and just played with my internet.

Not long the coordinator said we were going to take a ferry. It never occurred to met that we need a ferry to take us there especially because the Lagos Island (in Nigeria) only needs a vehicle to get there through the roads from the mainland, not until I followed up with my Google Earth app.

So we embarked, and got to the ferry station. I thought we were late for the ferry, but, alas we are about one hour earlier. So many of us had to get down and occupy their time with whatever was in their mid. Meya, Vostan, Anton, and Etibar were the first set to come out as I waited in the bus because of the cold. Later I joined them, had a walk around, played some games, made a song and it was time, the ferry came.

It was my first time on a ship. I took some pictures and got on board.

Meya being the man to excite us made a recording and uploaded to facebook with tags on all of us – it was a great fun. We got just within some 30 minutes to the island. It was nothing short of my expectation if I had one – It was old but yet fresh.

We joined our bus on the island and made our way to the main building. After the announcement and directions, we registered. We got out luggages into the bus, dashed to the restaurant to catch our lunch – the first meal on the island. It was rice, and some vegetables which looked very strange to me. I ate it and my eyes were enlightened; it was very delicious. If there was anything I could miss more, then it is the wonderful meals I had throughout my stay except for one weird liquid food I couldn’t eat much of it.

The opening ceremony began in the hall which is located at some few minutes walk from the school building where we were meant to sleep. Pitching was the major event of the day. So after all thanks and announcement. The pitchers were coming out.

The pitchers were pitching with some tensions, passions, and hopefulness. It looked like the main event though but I was having another set of feelings different probably from everyone’s: I was getting tensed at WHAT DO I HAVE TO OFFER TO ALL THESE IDEAS at this hackathons? I started trying to fight this strange feelings. I was bordered about “Can I really help some guys win?” “I could be the only front end developer in a team at last, what if I don’t know how to implement many things since it looks like big projects? They would want to rely on me at the front end………… Tension grew but was still hoping for the best.

I therefore in the middle of these conflicting thoughts, remembered that I could have sent my idea to Garage48 also. I thought if there is ever a possibility of presenting my idea for pitching, because it was one of the reason I know Estonia would help me realize the many visions I had, “Perhaps this is one of the golden opportunities I have”,I resolved, although it seemed quite late as it looks.

Pitch went on and on, at last there was an opportunity for those who didn’t send their slides for pitching before the deadline. I resounded with joy as I prepared my slides and later went to pitch without the slides I had prepared. I was given a slot to work on my idea. A cardboard where all the expected member parts of the team to be must place their sticky papers on their choice of idea where they wished to work on.

It was time to form a team. Staying and advertising my idea as good as I can but NO SINGLE person came to join me to form a team. I was alone all along, not even my course mate had interest. Well, the cardboard with no or limited team parts were slashed out and left out of about 29 ideas were just 7 ideas.

I later joined a team MyLegacy which was only waiting for a front-end developer to their team else they get scrapped out. After some moments of thoughts on which team to join I was persuaded and also finally resolved to join them.

MyLegacy Idea owner managed to get his idea out of the red zone. We consisted of 5, 2 Pakistani designer and developer, an Estonian-greek marketer, and an Estonian Project manager, and me – the front-end developer After this we set out to discuss and commence all works within 48 hours to come out with something great.

Hey this is not all….We had a 48-hour rigorous but fun-filled hack…but I would love to make it in my next post Maiden Train, Vormsi Hack Trail.

Note: I lost my timidity after the hackathon, ya eh! I am a developer….try me out…lets code! 

>>>>>Next: Maiden Train, Vormsi Hack Trail.

This is #tobisoft #omisakinoluwatobisamuel

It was such a day to really witness, Estonia’s national day. I decided though to dedicate this blog and the entire post to my professional career path, although I must come up with exciting series about my steps and paths to my great vision.

It may be somehow funny I came up with this post way far from the Independence day but right even before that: 24th February, 2016, the day the Estonians calls Eesti Vabariigi aastapäev (Wikipedia), my mind had been like an empty bottle unstable on the water – panting after the day I would paint this blog with my writing about a cap of How Estonia had been to me.

From the Estonia’s Embassy In India to Tallinna lennujaam (Tallinn Airport), I had already started feeling the peaceful warmth of this country. I knew I was coming to the right place. Although I wouldn’t speak much about the A to Z of my trip to Estonia now, because I will soon make a post about that soon ( on By Road To Tartu). But its amazing that even though I could have enough in my chest about my experience so far, there were definitely two of those which were an Icing on the cake, just close to This great  Aastapäev.

I am a poor student of history, I only know Estonia was settled as a country from just some few centuries back, small in population, but close to Russia. But this day, is the day I was very much filled with Excitement and I couldn’t help but fell in love with Estonia.

As soon as I got there I was immediately handed my key tied with my distance card. Lumepark features a wonderful scene for recreation, taking advantage of the winter such a smart place to go sledging. We all (with my friends) only wanted to have fun as we ventured on that great day (a week before this day). Yeah we paid no dime, and had the fun to its full. But after the fun, for me, it was no longer funny because I had lost my room’s key and card.

I thought to call them, so my friend helped out. Hoping to get it back, yeah, in a nut shell I got a response to come and pick it the next tuesday – the eve of the independent day. Even though it was a long journey to Lumepark from Raatuse, yet it was one unforgettable experience I had.

Stepping through piled up snow pack, I made my way up straight to the small twin office. Soon, closely I had seen one of the officials who made no comment but went straight inside (as though he had anticipated my coming). In deed he was, in fact, they were expecting me as he handed the key over to me with a big smile: such as though I had never expected from a stranger, while he with his partner told me to be careful next time, as they waved a bye. Indeed, my joy was not containable.

It was indeed a special day for me. My confidence rose up more and my mind freed more from stereotype of racism and hostility I had been nurturing.  It wouldn’t have sparked much concern as this if this thread had not began with all the Effort Kaija Murasov (the International Student Coordinator of the University of Tartu) contributed to my coming here. I wouldn’t be more inspired than these, I wouldn’t possibly have thought about writing if facebook had not reminded me with that banner that Its Estonia’s day. 

I hope to put my best to the progress of Estonia while I am a temporary citizen…….
Happy Independence Day Estonia!

This is #tobisoft #omisakinoluwatobisamuel

This is Omisakin Oluwatobi Samuel. I will be making the blog a channel for conveying my ideas and experience in my career and chosen field (of Software developing). I will try to make post on various topics as much as I have laid hands on or I am anticipating.

I will check from different software development and programming language. Projects developments, and some key specific area as I have gone through starting from my personal research to my academics.

I will also as well tell about my experiences in different environments and some discovery I have, and would still make.

I will also be unveiling some thoughts about key aspects of life generally. The lesson learnt, and most especially my reflections about them.

I hope someone would find my work reasonable and useful for them one way or the other. And most importantly, a more experienced reader would find it exciting and to leave their replies to help me get a good grip in my career path as others as well gain from it.

“Despite not the days of humble beginnings…”

This is Tobisoft blog. #tobisoft #omisakinoluwatobisamuel