URGENT: Database Data Type Changed Without Warning

No idea what's causing it. For some reason the XML files are reporting back as if there is no database information in them. This causes it to fall back to generic varchar(255) as it can't find a type. It's possible this is a conflict. Please create a clean Joomla + CB install on the same host and confirm if issue persists to help rule out 3rd party conflicts.

How is this XML file generated? Where is it? I set these fields up years ago, way back when Joomla 1.5 was still the norm. I've since upgraded to Joomla 1.7 and then 2.5. When I upgraded to Joomla 1.7, I followed CB migration guidelines that were described to me on this forum, and no-one ever said anything about any XML file. Is it possible that the database information for my custom fields was never migrated over?

The XML that determines the column type is cb.core.xml. I checked it and it's fine though. So something is acting on an API level and overriding it (this is possible). I've no idea what is doing it though. I suggest creating a clean install of just Joomla + CB and see if issue persists on it to rule out conflicts. Then slowly start adding more information to it until it breaks and you'll then know what caused it.

ugh, but that's a VERY tedious and slow chore... this is a very complex Joomla installation, and I remember very well how frustrating it was to upgrade to J1.7. What you're recommending sounds even more annoying than that. I was hoping to diagnose it a little more efficiently than that. After all, it's only the custom fields that are affected, none of the core ones.

The only way to rule out conflicts is to create a clean install of Joomla + CB then that only leaves either a bug in CB or a server related issue. The clean install needs to be on the same host. This could be a subdomain or just a subfolder of your existing domain. Purely for testing purposes. You've too much installed for me to isolated where it's coming from. As there is no actual error there's no lines of code to begin from.