Building Store Offsite

[CheapStairParts]

I have been reading a few threads on this, but some are really old and I just wanted to clarify a few things.

I am rebuilding a site for a customer, which already has an up and running site.

I want to build the new one, on a different server, then transfer the DNS from the domain to the new hosting when ready.

I know how to transfer stores to new hosting by exporting and re-uploading, but building one off-site I have not done before.

What would be the correct way to do this? Do I build it under a test domain and then its just a matter of changing the DNS and then changing the settings in the config file to reflect the new domain?

[gjh42]

So once you have the new store built you would just point the original domain name to it? I believe you would just need to alter the configure.php files for the DIR_WS_whatever constants, but not for DIR_FS_whatever constants, as those would not be changing (still on the same machine/folderpath).

[CheapStairParts]

Something I just thought about...

When installing ZenCart you enter a domain name. Would I just use IP Address instead?

[gjh42]

Not sure about that. What address do you use to get to the development location now?

[DrByte]

You can use the temporary DNS name that your host gave you.
If you use an IP address you might have session problems, ie: inability to login or keep things in shopping cart.

[CheapStairParts]

You can use the temporary DNS name that your host gave you.
If you use an IP address you might have session problems, ie: inability to login or keep things in shopping cart.

Ahh that's awesome. You are right. They do have that funky dns name its something like ip.address/~folder and it works fine