Donations thermometer module, converting to 5.x from 4.7

Hi all,
Firstly, some background. I am a relatively experienced php programmer, I can usually get things done simply. I don't have much experience coding php with drupal though. I have never made a custom module, but I have added some things to an existing module.

I am currently trying to convert a 4.7 module to 5.x, and eventually 6.x. But I am having some issues just getting from 4.7 to 5.x. I did a search for all the things listed on the upgrading modules to 5.x page from drupal.org. I found some, fixed some, but still having some issues.

One of them is an issue with the database, apparently the install function didn't work properly, I get errors because the tables don't exist. Did anything actually change that would prevent working 4.7 install code fromworking? I didn't notice anything. Here is the install function:

function thermometer_install()
{
$db_table_sold_trans = variable_get('db_table_sold_trans',"stellar_ipn_trans");
$db_table_sold_item = variable_get('db_table_sold_item',"stellar_ipn_item");
	
$db_build_trans = "

CREATE TABLE `$db_table_sold_trans` (
  `id` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `invoice` VARCHAR(127),
  `custom` VARCHAR(255),
  `test_ipn` INTEGER UNSIGNED DEFAULT 0,
  `memo` VARCHAR(255),
  `business` VARCHAR(127),
  `receiver_id` VARCHAR(13),
  `receiver_email` VARCHAR(127),
  `first_name` VARCHAR(64),
  `last_name` VARCHAR(64),
  `contact_phone` VARCHAR(24),
  `address_city` VARCHAR(40),
  `address_country` VARCHAR(64),
  `address_country_code` VARCHAR(2),
  `address_name` VARCHAR(128),
  `address_state` VARCHAR(40),
  `address_status` VARCHAR(12),
  `address_street` VARCHAR(200),
  `address_zip` VARCHAR(20),
  `payer_business_name` VARCHAR(127),
  `payer_email` VARCHAR(127),
  `payer_id` VARCHAR(13),
  `payer_status` VARCHAR(12),
  `residence_country` VARCHAR(2),
  `txn_id` VARCHAR(17),
  `txn_type` VARCHAR(24),
  `transaction_entity` VARCHAR(10),
  `tax` DECIMAL(6,4),
  `auth_id` VARCHAR(64),
  `auth_exp` VARCHAR(64),
  `auth_status` VARCHAR(12),
  `auth_amount` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `num_cart_items` INTEGER,
  `mc_currency` VARCHAR(3),
  `exchange_rate` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `mc_fee` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `mc_gross` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `parent_txn_id` VARCHAR(17),
  `payment_date` VARCHAR(64),
  `payment_status` VARCHAR(24),
  `payment_type` VARCHAR(12),
  `pending_reason` VARCHAR(16),
  `reason_code` VARCHAR(16),
  `remaining_settle` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `mc_handling` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `mc_shipping` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `settle_amount` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `settle_currency` VARCHAR(3),
  `case_id` VARCHAR(64),
  `case_type` VARCHAR(12),
  `case_creation_date` VARCHAR(64),
  `handling` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `shipping` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `receipt_id` VARCHAR(24),
  `time` DATETIME,
  `method` varchar(20) NOT NULL default 'paypal',
  PRIMARY KEY(`id`)
)
TYPE = InnoDB;";

$db_build_item = "CREATE TABLE `$db_table_sold_item` (
  `id` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `parent_id` INTEGER UNSIGNED,
  `sequence_id` INTEGER UNSIGNED,
  `test_ipn` INTEGER UNSIGNED DEFAULT 0,
  `item_name` VARCHAR(127) NOT NULL,
  `item_number` VARCHAR(127),
  `mc_gross` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `option_name1` VARCHAR(64),
  `option_selection1` VARCHAR(200),
  `option_name2` VARCHAR(64),
  `option_selection2` VARCHAR(200),
  `quantity` INTEGER,
  `mc_shipping` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `mc_handling` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `shipping` DECIMAL(10,2),
  `tax` DECIMAL(6,4),

  `time` DATETIME,
  `method` varchar(20) NOT NULL default 'paypal',
  PRIMARY KEY(`id`)
)
TYPE = InnoDB;";


  	$result = mysql_query($db_build_trans);
	$result = db_query($db_build_item);
			

variable_set("db_table_sold_trans","stellar_ipn_trans");
variable_set("db_table_sold_item","stellar_ipn_item");
variable_set('thermometer_type',0);
variable_set('thermometer_itemNumber',"donation");
variable_set("thermometer_goal",0);

}

Next: I am getting field offset errors. My searches yield results, that seem to point in the direction of wrapping things with curly braces {}. This was a fix for a certain module at least. I am hoping there is a more logically explained fix for this. So I can actually see what needs to be changed. I'll list the reported function here, but there are probably others that need changed as well.

Fatal error: Cannot use string offset as an array in /home/rizen/public_html/drupfive/modules/system/system.module on line 1077

The actual line number is way off, theres only 829 lines in the module.

function thermometer_menu() {



drupal_add_css(drupal_get_path('module', 'thermometer') .'/thermometer.css');

  $items = array();

  $items[] = array(
    'path' => 'admin/settings/thermometer',
    'title' => t('Donations Thermometer'),
    'description' => t('This is where you can change the settings for the donations thermometer module.'),
    'callback' => 'thermometer_admin',
    'access' => user_access('administer thermometer'),
    'type' => MENU_NORMAL_ITEM
   );
  $items[] = array(
  'path' => 'thermometer_admin_index',
    'title' => t('Donation Thermometer'),
    'callback' => 'thermometer_admin_index',
    'access' => user_access('administer thermometer'),
    'type' => MENU_NORMAL_ITEM
  );
$items[] = array(
  'path' => 'thermometer_DeleteDonations',
    'title' => t('Delete Donations'),
    'callback' => 'thermometer_DeleteDonations',
    'access' => user_access('administer thermometer'),
    'type' => MENU_SUGGESTED_ITEM
  );
$items[] = array(
  'path' => 'thermometer_EnterMailed',
    'title' => t('Enter Mailed Donation'),
    'callback' => 'thermometer_EnterMailed',
    'access' => user_access('administer thermometer'),
    'type' => MENU_SUGGESTED_ITEM
  );

$items[] = array(
  'path' => 'thermometer_viewDonations',
    'title' => t('View Donations'),
    'callback' => 'thermometer_viewDonations',
    'access' => user_access('administer thermometer'),
    'type' => MENU_SUGGESTED_ITEM
  );

$items[] = array(
  'path' => 'thermometer_Delete',
    'title' => t('Deleted'),
    'callback' => 'thermometer_Delete',
    'access' => user_access('administer thermometer'),
    'type' => MENU_SUGGESTED_ITEM
  );

  return $items;
}

Any help and suggestions would be much appreciated. Feel free to just modify the code as you see fit. Is there any actual tutorial for upgrading somewhere on the web? I certainly have not been able to find one. I assume there were lots of common problems people had when upgrading their modules, and I would love to learn from the people who have already been fixing them.

Thank You!