MediaWiki Error: “Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_NAMESPACE, expecting T_STRING in /usr/local/www/apache22/data/wiki/includes/Namespace.php on line 46”


After upgrading my PHP to 5.3.2, I received the following error when accessing MediaWiki (1.6.12):

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_NAMESPACE, expecting T_STRING in /usr/local/www/apache22/data/wiki/includes/Namespace.php  on line 46

There are three solutions:

  1. Downgrade your PHP from 5.3 back to 5.2
  2. Upgrade your MediaWiki to a newer version.
  3. Fix the codes.

In my case, the first couple solutions do not work for me, and therefore I choose 3.

  1. Backup your wiki file first.
  2. Access your webserver and go to the MediaWiki/includes directory.
    For example:

    cd /usr/local/www/apache22/data/wiki/includes
  3. Edit Namespace.php
    nano Namespace.php
  4. Go to line 46, change the following from:
    class Namespace {

    to:

    class MWNamespace {

    Save the file.

  5. Now, let’s create a script:
    nano wikifix.sh

    Copy and paste the following:

    for fl in *.php; do
    mv $fl $fl.old
    sed 's/Namespace::/MWNamespace::/g' $fl.old > $fl
    done

    Save the file.

  6. Change the file to executable by:
    chmod u+x wikifix.sh
  7. Search the keyword Namespace:: and replace it by MWNamespace:::
    ./wikifix.sh

    Warning: Don’t run the script twice!

  8. Delete the script.
    rm wikifix.sh

Try to access the MediaWiki again and the problem should be gone.

Enjoy Wiki.

–Derrick

Our sponsors: