With data directory outside www root, ”File does not exist: [OC root directory]/data” in Apache’s error.log
### Description
The Apache log file for my Owncloud site sporadically registers ”File does not exist: *[my OC root directory]*/data” errors from Owncloud; these go back to at least July last year (2014). To me this appears as if OC was erroneusly trying to access a hard-coded path for the data directory under the OC root, whereas my data directory actually resides elsewhere, entirely outside www my root, and there is no data directory under OC root.
The error timestamps indicate they only occur during daytime when I’m interacting with my installation (I’m the sole user), possibly only through the web interface, as I have the desktop client always on but the errors are rare relative to that. I use the web interface less and I think it corresponds to the timestamps better (but not all web interactions result in the error either, and I haven’t been able to pinpoint any specific action that triggers it).
Apart from those errors in the log my Owncloud installation appears work just fine, so the issue seems pretty harmless. I’ve considered creating an empty data directory under the OC root in case that might make the error go away, but then again it might just break something. Anyway, because it looks like a bug, I figured I’d better report it.
### Server configuration
**Operating system**: Debian Wheezy (I think; I’m a non-privileged user on shared hosting)
**Web server:** Apache/2.2
**Database:** MySQL 5.5.43
**PHP version:** 5.4.39-0+deb7u2
**ownCloud version:** 8.0.4.2
**Updated from an older ownCloud or fresh install:** updated
**List of activated apps:**
* Activity 1.2.0
* Deleted files 0.6.2
* External storage support 0.2.3
* First Run Wizard 1.1
* PDF Viewer 0.7
* Pictures 0.6.0
* Share Files 0.6.1
* Text Editor 0.4
* Updater 0.4
* Versions 1.0.5
* Video Viewer 0.1.3
**The content of config/config.php:**
”`
’datadirectory’ => ’/siilo/users/mummila/owncloud-data’,
’asset-pipeline.enabled’ => true,
’dbtableprefix’ => ’oc_’,
’dbtype’ => ’mysql’,
’forcessl’ => true,
’installed’ => true,
’logdateformat’ => ’l, j. F Y’,
’loglevel’ => 3,
’mail_smtpmode’ => ’smtp’,
’mail_smtpport’ => ’465’,
’mail_smtpsecure’ => ’ssl’,
’maintenance’ => false,
’max_filesize_animated_gifs_public_sharing’ => 5,
’preview_max_filesize_image’ => 5,
’session_lifetime’ => 60 * 60 * 24 * 15,
’theme’ => ”,
’version’ => ’8.0.4.2’,
”`
**Are you using external storage, if yes which one:** none
**Are you using encryption:** no
**Are you using an external user-backend, if yes which one:** none
### Client configuration
**Browser:** Chromium 37.0.2062.120 (build 281580)
**Operating system:** Ubuntu 12.04
### Logs
#### Web server error log
”`
[Sun Jun 14 13:57:52 2015] [error] [client 217.30.184.173] File does not exist: /var/www/use
rhome/mummila/sites/mummila.kapsi.fi/secure-www/oc/data
[Sun Jun 14 13:58:47 2015] [error] [client 217.30.184.173] File does not exist: /var/www/use
rhome/mummila/sites/mummila.kapsi.fi/secure-www/oc/data
[Sun Jun 14 14:29:18 2015] [error] [client 217.30.184.173] File does not exist: /var/www/use
rhome/mummila/sites/mummila.kapsi.fi/secure-www/oc/data
”`
#### ownCloud log (data/owncloud.log)
(No recent events coinciding with the log above. Last entry below, with my desktop IP address redacted, from two days ago)
”`
{”reqId”:”71513d1b6f44276a8cd6cad21bc98864″,”remoteAddr”:”[my desktop IP]”,”app”:”PHP”,”message”:”Undefined index: extension at \/var\/www\/userhome\/mummila\/sites\/mummila.kapsi.fi\/www\/oc\/apps\/files_versions\/lib\/storage.php#320″,”level”:3,”time”:”2015-06-12T04:37:22+00:00″}
”`