Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 49
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    99
    Plugin Contributions
    0

    Default test site for upgrades

    Hi Sorry if this is in the wrong place, seems relevant a little,

    I said in a previous post that i was running 1.9h, It's not it's only 1.39d, So really need to get move on and get upgrading,

    Before i could attempt it, i would like to go for a test site, so i can see if i'm upgrading it correctly, and not destroy my live site,

    Could someone tell me how to set up a practice site that won't interfere with the live site at all, (without techy terms if possible),

    I reckon on even my capabilities i could upgrade my live site to at least 1.39h without much of a problem, I've upgraded Ceon mapping from the originally installed module (probably 4 or 5 upgrades away from the new one out now),

    So i have some capabilities, but would like a practice site first (Just in case)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Cumbria, UK
    Posts
    10,262
    Plugin Contributions
    3

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    You could create a SUB-FOLDER on your current install (call the folder "testsite"), and create a CLONE of your current site that runs out of that folder.

    You will need to create copies of:

    1. The FOLDERS and FILES
    2. The DATABASE.

    All of this can be done in C-Panel (assuming you are with a host that runs a proper C-Panel).

    MAKE A BACKUP OF EVERYTHING FIRST... AND THEN...

    In the C-Panel FILE MANAGER, COPY the current zencart installation into your new testsite folder.

    Create a NEW database (name eg: testsite) and apply the SAME database user and database password to that database, as you have on your current database.

    In phpMy Admin, you can COPY your existing database to the NEW one you just created. (I think the copy function is under the OPERATIONS tab).

    Now you have your CLONE.

    Final steps are to EDIT the two configure.php files (you may need to change the CHMOD permissions to 644 in order to edit them) to show the new SUB-FOLDER in the path locations, and the new DATABASE NAME. (remember... the USER and PASS should not need changing, as you have assigned the same user to the cloned database.)

    After editing, change their CHMOD back to 444.

    You should be able to login to the copied site's admin panel using the same username and password as the live site. REMEMBER the admin login for the clone will be in the sub-folder location!

    After logging in you need to adjust the SESSIONS path (Admin >>> Configuration >>> Sessions)...

    ... and the LOGGING path (Admin >>> Configuration >>> logging)...

    This just requires that you insert the name of the subfolder (testsite) into the paths.

    I then set the testsite DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE, so nobody can access it (including search engines).

    What I do... IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ABOVE, is give the cloned site a NEW HEADER LOGO that says in bright red text "YOU ARE IN THE CLONED SITE". I do the same for its ADMIN PANEL, so I immediately know I am in the TEST SITE and not the LIVE SITE.

    What you don't want to do, is think you are in the testsite, when in fact you are in the LIVE site...

    REMEMBER... the test site is a SNAPSHOT of the database as it was the minute you made a copy of it. After you have played around on it and tested things, you SHOULD NOT turn it into a live site... Its database will be very different from your LIVE site, and "merging" the two later on will cause huge problems.

    SO... you will make DETAILED NOTES of everything you do in the test site, because later, some of thie things you do will have to be done again when you modify or upgrade the LIVE site.

    When you are done with testing and practicing, and you are ready to upgrade and reconfig your LIVE site. you should DELETE COMPLETELY the test site and its database.

    Refer to your DETAILED NOTES for procedures you can now apply to the live site.

    We routinely create test sites, and the whole process (above) should take no longer than 20 minutes.
    19 years a Zencart User

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    99
    Plugin Contributions
    0

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    Thanks Schoolboy, Appreciate the detailed reply, my site sits at www.mysite.co.uk so the test site would be www.mysite.co.uk/testsite and not a seperate folder on it's own (testsite).

    Seems a dumb question, but even in the the year i've been playing with websites, i've realised the slightest wrong detail , even as little as a missing (comma) somewhere, like i found in my meta tag file, can take a website down and can completely baffle a "newbie" like me lol

    I'm sure i can follow your details ( i hope lol)

    I've brought a wordpress back to life by replacing databases, so i'm sure i can do this (he says) lol

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Cumbria, UK
    Posts
    10,262
    Plugin Contributions
    3

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    Quote Originally Posted by sash View Post
    my site sits at www.mysite.co.uk so the test site would be www.mysite.co.uk/testsite
    Correct

    Quote Originally Posted by sash View Post
    and not a seperate folder on it's own (testsite).
    Er... the folder "testsite" is separate... www.mysite.co.uk/testsite
    19 years a Zencart User

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    99
    Plugin Contributions
    0

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    Quote Originally Posted by schoolboy View Post
    Correct



    Er... the folder "testsite" is separate... www.mysite.co.uk/testsite


    Knew it was a dumb question lol,

    Make a new folder www.mysite.co.uk/testsite
    not just a folder "testsite"

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    99
    Plugin Contributions
    0

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    Create a NEW database (name eg: testsite) and apply the SAME database user and database password to that database, as you have on your current database.

    Schoolboy, It won't allow me to have the same username as my original database??

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Cumbria, UK
    Posts
    10,262
    Plugin Contributions
    3

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    You are probably trying to CREATE a NEW USER with the same name. All you need do is associate the new database with the EXISTING user. (The existing user for the original database).

    If you are using proper C-Panel, scroll down to the bottom of the MySQL manager screen. There you will see a dropdown with the existing user and another dropdown with the databases. Your NEW database should appear. Simply SELECT the existing user, and associate that user with the NEW database. You need to give ALL PRIVILEGES to the user, for the new database.
    19 years a Zencart User

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    99
    Plugin Contributions
    0

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    Quote Originally Posted by schoolboy View Post
    You are probably trying to CREATE a NEW USER with the same name. All you need do is associate the new database with the EXISTING user. (The existing user for the original database).

    If you are using proper C-Panel, scroll down to the bottom of the MySQL manager screen. There you will see a dropdown with the existing user and another dropdown with the databases. Your NEW database should appear. Simply SELECT the existing user, and associate that user with the NEW database. You need to give ALL PRIVILEGES to the user, for the new database.
    My Bad , that did it, thanks

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    99
    Plugin Contributions
    0

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    Final steps are to EDIT the two configure.php files (you may need to change the CHMOD permissions to 644 in order to edit them) to show the new SUB-FOLDER in the path locations, and the new DATABASE NAME. (remember... the USER and PASS should not need changing, as you have assigned the same user to the cloned database.)

    Came unstuck at the bits in bold , Can you tell me the exact places to change in the file/ obviuosly i done it wrong

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    99
    Plugin Contributions
    0

    Default Re: test site for upgrades

    Got further, I can access admin on test site , but if i type in the url of the test site, it gives me a 404 page not found message?

    I added the test site url into ht.access to see if it would help, but it didnt??

 

 
Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. v151 Configuring SQL Database for test site
    By narata in forum General Questions
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 10 Mar 2014, 10:10 PM
  2. Module for site wide attributes/upgrades?
    By makenoiz in forum Setting Up Categories, Products, Attributes
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 21 Jul 2008, 04:06 PM
  3. Problem Moving Test Site - Switches to test site folder
    By bullseye in forum Installing on a Linux/Unix Server
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 1 Jan 2008, 10:47 PM
  4. Best setup for test and live site on same server?
    By sjg0526 in forum Installing on a Linux/Unix Server
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 24 Oct 2007, 06:53 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
disjunctive-egg
Zen-Cart, Internet Selling Services, Klamath Falls, OR