Moving from one Host to another Host

The answer to this question is probably so obvious that I'm unable to see it.

Specifically, why is it not possible to move ZenCart from one Host to another by just copying everything over? Since everything on the destination Host would be identical to the source Host, except for the IP address of course, I thought it would be an easy matter until I started reading some of the threads pertaining to this issue.

Although those threads were all very detailed regarding the "how-to" but I don't remember seeing anything that explained why a simple copy would not work.

Can someone enlighten me as to why not?

Thanks.

I've moved MANY sites to a new server by copying all the files and then updating the nameservers.

Never had a problem doing it this way - if you aren't feeling confident doing this ask your new host to move the files for you ~ a good host won't charge for this service either!

Tina

The process is actually very straightforward, and summarized here: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=100

Although those threads were all very detailed regarding the "how-to" but I don't remember seeing anything that explained why a simple copy would not work.
As DrBytes link should illustrate, the overall reason is that the files are only part of the display of this cart. The bulk is contained in a database that the files only draw upon

Well, initially I had the new Host do exactly that (and you're right - there was no charge). However, when I tried to run the program on the new Host I got the following message -
1054 Unknown column 'p.products_id' in 'on clause'
on the Home screen. That's when I did a search on the Forum and came across all these seemingly more complex methods. That's what prompted my initial question.

But now you're saying you've successfully done copies from one Host to another Host (which I'm happy to hear) so maybe I can try to trace down what that message refers to. Do you have any idea? If not, I'll post that message on another thread and see if someone can help me with that.

Thanks for your help Tina.

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=662097&highlight=p.products_id#post662097

This may help.

Tina

Dr. Byte - that was one of the articles I came across and to which (don't get me wrong here - I'm not being critical) I said "Wow" followed shortly thereafter by my "Why?" question. My rational was that if everything is identical, why wouldn't a simple copyover work. And baically it does with the exception of that one message on the Home Page the first time the program is started.

Kobra - I do realize the files are what manipulates the Database and although it may not have been necessary, I did set up the initial elements of the Database before transfer of the Database was done. And, again, with the exception of that one message at startup, everything that I have tested so far works properly.

Do either of you have any idea as to what may be causing that message?

Thank you Tina. It appears to have something to do with MySQL5 and versions of ZenCart 1.2.7 and earlier. The only exception is that with the program I'm working on this message only appears once and that's at startup. At that point, I can choose to do anything I want and the message never re-appears whereas with the post you provided a link to Tina, they were getting the message on various pages.

Since this only happens at startup, it would be nice to think that, at startup, a message could be sent to ZenCart telling it not to be afraid of MySQL5 and to go on working as happily as it did in the past until a version upgrade of ZenCart can be made. If anyone can come up with something like that, it would be worth a couple of cups of joe!:yes:

Thanks everyone for all your help.:clap:

Yizit:

It appears to have something to do with MySQL5 and versions of ZenCart 1.2.7 and earlier. The only exception is that with the program I'm working on this message only appears once and that's at startup. At that point, I can choose to do anything I want and the message never re-appears whereas with the post you provided a link to Tina, they were getting the message on various pages.Zen Cart v1.2.7 is grossly incompatible with MySQL5.
Basically, don't mix them.
If you need to mix them, upgrade your Zen Cart version to v1.3.7 or newer.

You say it's only appearing once. Consider yourself overly lucky.
(Actually, I'd be very concerned since that's inconsistent with normal operation.)

Yizit:

Since this only happens at startup, it would be nice to think that, at startup, a message could be sent to ZenCart telling it not to be afraid of MySQL5 and to go on working as happily as it did in the past until a version upgrade of ZenCart can be made. If anyone can come up with something like that, it would be worth a couple of cups of joe!:yes:The thing is ... Zen Cart v1.2.7 SHOULD BE VERY AFRAID of MySQL 5.

The newer versions (1.3.8 to some extent, and even better in v2.0.0) do give clearer warnings of incompatibility, or a complete intentional halt where a known incompatibility exists.

Keep in mind ... Zen Cart v1.2.7 was built on architecture that existed before MySQL 5 was largely embraced. Thus, it was a little hard to write code to anticipate the incompatibilities. Much has been learned since then, and future versions will be much less painful to accommodate.

Keep in mind that Zen Cart v1.2.7 was released in February 2006, and there have been more than 8 new versions released since then, all with increasingly greater compatibility with PHP5 and MySQL 5.

You are VERY STRONGLY ADVISED to upgrade if you're using MySQL 5 or PHP5.

Sorry, I don't mean to rant ... just to be emphatic.

Dr. Byte, all of what you say I take very seriously because I have grown to trust your insight, your advice, and your abilities. You were tremendously helpful to me in a couple of sticky situations in the past and once even going above and beyond the call of duty by creating a few lines of code to help solve a certain situation (inasmuch as I am older than dirt, I hope you will forgive my not remembering what that was exactly :blush: ).

I totally agree with an upgrade being a necessity at this point and I would even go so far as to say mandatory in order to alleviate the possibility of some "not so obvious" incompatibility rearing it's ugly head. I had created this for a friend (what seems like eons ago) but with my disability worsening, I'm sure I will need to employ someone to do the upgrade. I must admit I am apprehensive about utilizing outside assistance, having read some of the horror stories depicted in this forum.

Incidentally, I wasn't aware there was a version 2.0.0 available and given the type of version number change, obviously it's a major upgrade. From an insider's point of view, would you consider it sufficiently stable and would it conveniently sustain going to that from version 1.2.5?

Again, thank you for your current as well as all your prior assistance. I can assure you they are all very much appreciated. :clap:

Please post a link to this cart

The currently running program is at http://walstore.com/

The program that comes up with the "message" is at http://76.76.5.111/~walstore/index.php

You have taken the time to create a custom template and I suppose that you have also adhered to the override system.
The design is simple enough that the upgrade should be an easy one.

The major hurdle will be matching the design from the table based 1.2.x series to the div based 1.3.x series but again yours is a simple design

I wish I could say I strictly adhered to the override methodology, Kobra, but by the time the simplicity of the override system sunk into my brain, I was perhaps about three-quarters of the way towards completion. With my friend breathing down my neck, I decided to continue on to completion using a combination of the override system and my mongrel method.

Knowing this would come back to bite me, my thoughts were to use something like WinMerge to fix my "mongrelization" and, perhaps, do an upgrade at the same time. But this was a time of turmoil for ZenCart with new releases being issued rather quickly followed by a bevy of bug reports and respective fixes along with a great deal of discussion regarding different approaches to the future structure of the program. However, what kept me the busiest was trying to keep up with fixing my friend's "experimentation" with PHP which, to my dismay, he kept doing on his live store!

Actually, Kobra, design will be the easiest part since I think the site could use a "fresh face". Time is the enemy here since the site has to be operational on the new Host in about a month. If there was some way to do a temporary work-around to that initial message, that would buy me sufficient time to find a capable person to do the upgrade and give that person sufficient time to complete the project.

Best regards, Kobra, and thanks for all your input.