"database needs patching" message (upgraded via fantastico)

**dkessler** · 16 Mar 2007, 11:18 PM

I upgraded from 1.3.6 to 1.3.7, but on top of all screens I get the warning:

Your database appears to need patching to a higher level. See Admin->Tools->Server Information to review patch levels.

I went into admin-tools-server and saw:

Zen Cart 1.3.7
Database Patch Level: 1.3.6

But it is not clear from this what I have to do. Can anyone clarify?

David

**DrByte** · 16 Mar 2007, 11:32 PM

What steps did you follow to do your upgrade ?

**dkessler** · 17 Mar 2007, 12:27 PM

I upgraded through fantastico - it was one of those newbies' "one-click" installs.

David

**DrByte** · 17 Mar 2007, 05:26 PM

Fantastico is great for a fresh install. After that, it has a reputation of being unreliable.

In the /docs folder are several resources to explain things like installation, upgrading, and other things you'll find useful.

Your upgrade has only touched some of your files. It has not touched any of your customized files, meaning that they won't have any of the new features/fixes in them that might have been created during the 1.3.7 release. As such, you need to follow the upgrade instructions in the /docs folder of your Zen Cart folder.
You should also download the latest version of Zen Cart manually. See our home page for the link. You'll need the raw files in order to understand some things, and also in order to do upgrades.

Your upgrade has not handled the database side yet, which is why you're seeing the warning.
You need to install the zc_install folder from the Zen Cart distribution files (ie: the zip you'll download from our home page). Once you've uploaded it via FTP, you can click through it, choosing "Database Upgrade" instead of "Install" on the System Inspection page. Then just follow instructions.

Then go back and review your customizations, using the upgrade instructions from the /docs folder. You'll need to WinMerge the updates into your customized files or else you may end up with some odd behaviour on your site.

**dkessler** · 17 Mar 2007, 08:23 PM

Okay I'll try that, but I'm puzzled by one thing. You say that it has not touched any of my customized files. Yet it has deleted the content from my home page and put the default content there. Same for the conditions page. I also changed the names of pages 1,2,3 and 4 but these have gone back to the defaults.

David

**dkessler** · 17 Mar 2007, 08:28 PM

Oh I forgot, I'm running it on a Unix site, not windows. Will that make a differences to merging the customized files?

In any case, I think my customised files have vanished and the only content on the site is two downloadable items, one of which was just a test item.

David

**Kim** · 17 Mar 2007, 10:00 PM

If your customized work is gone then you have not used the override files properly. Check the FAQs for creating custom templates and the owner's manual would be highly recommended too.

**dkessler** · 18 Mar 2007, 01:33 AM

The only thing I did was the one click upgrade with fantastico. Up till then everything was fine. Once I did the one-click upgrade, I lost the customized pages.

I have ordered the manual, but I think it will be a couple of weeks before I get it.

David

**samad64** · 18 Mar 2007, 01:39 AM

basically, when fantastico upgrades, it will overwrite everything that was previously there - unless you added a new file or new directory yourself. thats why Kim was talking about the override system - you can add your own directories and own files, make your changes.. and the upgraders won't touch them

Once you've mastered how to use the override system (and not use the classic folders).. you won't have this problem anymore :) It might be a little confusing at first.. but trust me.. its well worth it

**DrByte** · 18 Mar 2007, 05:03 AM

When I said it didn't touch your customizations, I was of the impression that you had built a custom template.

This link is to the "What Every New Zenner Needs to Know" section of the FAQs:
http://tutorials.zen-cart.com/index.php?category=16
Take a peek at the articles talking about the overrides system.

Basically, it sounds like you've used the default "Classic" template, rather than duplicating needed components for your own template (see the FAQs for clarification on "duplicating needed components").
Thus, since Zen Cart contains default Classic files, and the fantastico upgrader replaces all the files, it overwrote your changes.

Lesson #1: Do manual upgrades. You have lots more control that way.
Automated one-click upgrades are not your friend.

In the meantime, until the book arrives, the FAQ section can be very helpful.
FAQs: http://tutorials.zen-cart.com
Wiki: http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki (for other categorized documentation)