cannot get localhost working

Start over. You are following different guides meant for different installations. Uninstall MAMP.

Pick a guide, I recommend Etresoft's guide. Then follow this one guide through to completion. If you are compelled for some reason not to use the built in apache server then use MAMP but follow only the MAMP instructions.

mattp1981 wrote:

Hi, after upgrading to Catalina yesterday, I can no longer connect to local host.

i use safari, I also use mamp and have been trying to finish my website. i've followed a few bits I found online such as....

https://coolestguidesontheplanet.com/get-apache-mysql-php-and-phpmyadmin-working-on-macos-sierra/

but it's still not working

in terminal when I run config test it brings up the following...

AH00526: Syntax error on line 244 of /private/etc/apache2/httpd.conf:

Invalid command '192.***.1.70.#', perhaps misspelled or defined by a module not included in the server configuration

Can anyone please help me

It is recommended your local host not be stored in the MAMP folder itself—any upgrade of the application would loose the local host.

If you are using MAMP— I do not remember this requiring the Terminal (?)

The set up is through MAMP>Preferences and setting the path to your localhost

Are the servers up and running?

mattp1981 wrote:

So following your guide, i've got as far as running the apachectl configtest and I am getting the below message

apachectl configtest

AH00526: Syntax error on line 244 of /private/etc/apache2/httpd.conf:

DocumentRoot '/usr/Users/mattp/Documents/Website' is not a directory, or is not readable

That doesn't look anything like my guide. /usr/Users is not a valid path.

I've now tried to go back in time by amending everything I changed whilst following this guide

https://tech-cookbook.com/2019/10/07/setting-up-your-local-server-on-macos-catalina-2019-mamp/

and then I just check everything from your guide again and now on config test I get...

You can't mix and match these things without understanding how it works to begin with. If you want assistance with some random guide on the internet, you'll have to contact the author. My guide assumes you are starting with an unadulterated version of the config files. Otherwise, all the line numbers will be wrong and the file could be invalid before you even start, which appears to be the case. You can delete the files you have modified and then re-run the Catalina installer to get back to a factor setup.

What does line 244 say?

mattp1981 wrote:

it looks very similar to some of the other things I have found online to be honest

I’ve seen similar things on the internet too. Sometimes, they are even correct! But I build my guides with a fresh install of the OS in a VM with no extras.

It looks like you have the same file open in two different vi editors. You’ll need to quit them both. If you have somehow killed one of your vi instances without closing the file, you’ll need to delete your “.swp” file.

mamp (and similar) is a self-contained installation of Apache will all of the goodies you could possibly need. It is good because it has all the goodies you will ever need. It is bad because you may not have all of those goodies when you go to install for production. Since you aren’t learning how it all works underneath, you don’t even know the different between mamp and Apache. When something goes wrong, or you update the system, you’re lost. Homebrew will do the same thing.

When you update the operating system, this can interfere with things like mamp and Homebrew. They are deeply tied to a particular version of the OS and they don’t like it when you change that from underneath them. If they have modified any system files in /etc, then the operating system may not update them and then your config files may be out of date with the new software that the OS had installed. In Catalina, can find the conflicts on your desktop in a “Relocated Items” folder. (I think that is the name).

mattp1981 wrote:

Hi, the server was up and running, but i've been following this to try and resolve

https://getgrav.org/blog/macos-catalina-apache-multiple-php-versions

now in mamp I get an error saying apache couldn't be started.

I was using the terminal as I was checking apache. On my settings on mamp, they are still set to users/mattp/documents/website which is where the website bits are. I can't seem to change mamp to point to localhost though - I can only choose options on my drive

It seems you are being funneled in a different direction...

As my parting shot I will add—MAMP does not require that Homebrew Installation from your link above.

mattp1981 wrote:

Hi, ok thanks everyone for all your input. I shall try and un-install mamp and also homebrew and then try to follow Etresofts guide. I will keep you posted

Well— I can say I have never had any issues upgrading my macOS and using MAMP over the last 7 years or so.

I'm sorry, but you will have to be able to create and edit configuration files owned by root. If you can't do that in Visual Studio, you will have to find another text editor that can. Use vi, nano, BBEdit, or maybe a dozen more.