Working on upgrade - SQL syntax error

[Three Sisters]

OK - cleaned the junk away and the import went fine. No error message.

Did the upgrade and now there are no products or orders. The categories and customers are there, but no products or orders. Sigh. Any thoughts right off? Figured I ought to do some research first and then start a new topic for the new problem if I still need to.

[RodG]

OK - cleaned the junk away and the import went fine. No error message.

Did the upgrade and now there are no products or orders. The categories and customers are there, but no products or orders. Sigh. Any thoughts right off? Figured I ought to do some research first and then start a new topic for the new problem if I still need to.

Since you've imported a V1.3.8 database into a V1.5.1 version of Zencart you'll now need to update the database.

1. Run the http://www.your_domain_name.com/your_new_site/zc_install
2. Choose the Upgrade Database option

Cheers
RodG

[Three Sisters]

....you'll now need to update the database...

Thanks, Rod, but I did the upgrade. And there are no products or orders. The last time I tried this I was missing things, too - I don't remember what.

I'm concluding that my backups must be loosing data somewhere. I opened the sql that I used for the import and tried to find the products that should have been there. No luck.

In a help file on my host's site (BlueHost) I saw that you shouldn't use phpMyAdmin to export/import if the database is over 50MB. So I went to check the size and the last export was 48.7. But what was even more interesting is I noticed that of 6 backups (all done within the last week) they vary in size from 32 MB to 48.7. So I brought them into a BeyondCompare and - they are all different - some drastically.

I found instruction on using SSH to backup databases larger than 50mb. But they just jump right into the command lines to enter. Can anyone tell me where and how to enter these command lines? I've search like crazy so I could avoid asking what must be a really basic question, but I can't find it.

Or - do you think I am off on my conclusion and I actually have other problems?

Thanks a million for your kind help!

[RodG]

Thanks, Rod, but I did the upgrade. And there are no products or orders.

Although you apparently have another/different issue to resolve, please do keep in mind that you will need to repeat this database upgrade any time you've imported the V1.3.8 files.

I'm concluding that my backups must be loosing data somewhere. I opened the sql that I used for the import and tried to find the products that should have been there. No luck.

This could very well be related to all the 'junk text' that you've been reporting. (in fact I'd almost bet on it).
The 'junk text' being a *symptom* of the export issue, but not the cause.

In a help file on my host's site (BlueHost) I saw that you shouldn't use phpMyAdmin to export/import if the database is over 50MB. So I went to check the size and the last export was 48.7. But what was even more interesting is I noticed that of 6 backups (all done within the last week) they vary in size from 32 MB to 48.7. So I brought them into a BeyondCompare and - they are all different - some drastically.

It sounds like the server is timing out or aborting whilst exporting the data. All is not lost though.

I found instruction on using SSH to backup databases larger than 50mb. But they just jump right into the command lines to enter. Can anyone tell me where and how to enter these command lines? I've search like crazy so I could avoid asking what must be a really basic question, but I can't find it.

This is a rather drastic measure, that doesn't really assure success anyway. I suggest you forget about this for the time being.

Or - do you think I am off on my conclusion and I actually have other problems?
Thanks a million for your kind help!

It seems that you are on the right track, still, and I can think of two possible approaches for you to take from here.

The 1st thing I'd be trying is when you go to do the phpmyadmin export, select the 'Custom' options, and look for the dropdown menu for 'Compression'. By default this is set to 'None'. Change it to 'gzipped'. Whilst on this screen it is worthwhile selecting the option for 'Add Drop Table' (this will avoid the need to manually delete the 'old' tables when you go to import into the new server).

Click the 'Go' button, and wait. It could take a minute or three for the DB to be exported and compressed before it starts downloading to your computer.

The ~50Mb file will be reduced to around ~5-10Mb (at a guess) when it end up on your computer, and although it will have taken a little while to start, the download will be a *lot* quicker, and this will/should mitigate the timeout issues that I'm assuming is causing the problem.

Although you won't be able to view the contents of this file with a text editor you probably won't need to anyway. Simply import it 'as is' with phpmyadmin which will automatically decompress it for you.

I fully expect that you won't have any problems or errors.

If you *do* have any errors I'll go over the other approach with you.

Cheers
RodG

[Three Sisters]

Will try it, Rod! (Tho - must confess - I found the PuTTy thing and managed the mysqldump just before you posted. 'Twas fun to learn, but I'll try it your way now.)

[RodG]

Will try it, Rod! (Tho - must confess - I found the PuTTy thing and managed the mysqldump just before you posted. 'Twas fun to learn, but I'll try it your way now.)

PuTTy is a handy tool to have and learn. I always carry a copy of this on a USB stick for when I'm working on customers machines that don't have a SSH client installed and I need to access my home servers remotely.

If you do/did happen to overcome your problem using the SSH method, it is because SSH doesn't timeout in the same way that HTTP (web) does, so the 50Mb+ files are no longer a problem. However, I always go for the compression method 1st simply because it does reduce the filesize (and therefore the transfer time) quite significantly.

Cheers
RodG

[Three Sisters]

And the good news is - It worked! "It" was several things, but it worked and all looks great now.

I tried and tried the phpMyAdmin thing and it timed out and gave me errors constantly.

I ended up using PuTTy to do a mysqldump to a gzip file - it was so fast and so easy. Then tried to import with phpMyAdmin. It stalled and stalled and errored. Finally, I switched browsers. And everything went perfectly smooth. So simple. I fought with this for years, honestly. This is where I have always thrown my hands up.

I love Firefox - most of the time. I am finding that there are a few things it chokes on and I can't get around it. So I switch browsers for those few things and all is fine.

Thanks again for your help. Off to finish the customizing and add-on stuff. Then will re-do this whole database thing before finally going live, I hope. The rebuild really isn't that hard, but boy will I be glad when it's done. :)

[RodG]

And the good news is - It worked! "It" was several things, but it worked and all looks great now.

Regardless how you solved the problem (Theres always more than one way to solve any given problem), Well done, and thanks for the update.

Cheers
RodG