Database upgrade - will this wipe added tables from mods

We're getting ready to update our site to 1.3.9d from 1.3.8a.

We have decided the best way to do this for us is to rebuild from scratch - main reason being when we first started out a number of modifications were made to core files when installing add ons / customising the site. We therefore want to get a fresh install which will stand up to future upgrades etc.

We created a demo folder and ran the install script - all grand. We then backed up the database from our live site and threw the backup onto the new demo folder (so we can test and play with the demo site with a view to replicating our current one) This immediately propmpted a database upgrade which we have done.

My question is - what exactly does this upgrade do with additional tables created by add ons. Ultimately after testing we will be looking to take the then current 1.3.8a database from the existing site and slot it back into the 1.3.9d - which will prompt for a database upgrade again. Will this upgrade wipe any add ons / amendments to the database which we create in the mean time ?

It shouldn't affect any database changes made by mods unless there's an out-and-out conflict with them. And given how minimal the database changes were for 1.3.9, that's very unlikely.

i'm doing the same thing here with my site.
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demo site running off 1.39d test.gorillagear.ca -upgrade from 1.38a database (2weeks ago) with new mods and some mod upgrades that required database changes
live site running off 1.38a www.gorillagear.ca - old site but for the last few weeks keeps getting new orders and customers.

now i want to added the new info from the live and put it into the demo site before switching? how should i do this

MB1:

i'm doing the same thing here with my site.
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demo site running off 1.39d test.gorillagear.ca -upgrade from 1.38a database (2weeks ago) with new mods and some mod upgrades that required database changes
live site running off 1.38a www.gorillagear.ca - old site but for the last few weeks keeps getting new orders and customers.

now i want to added the new info from the live and put it into the demo site before switching? how should i do this

1. Put the site into maintenance.
2. Move 1.38a database to your test system.
3. Reconvert the database (including any db updates needed for your mods).
4. Retest.
5. Move the site including database to the live location (or repoint the live location to what was the test site)

ok so when i'm ready to go live i should

1. upgrade my current live site's database
   2.then add all the mod database changes that i've done on the test site.
   2.then test database on test site
   3.once ready point the url to the test site

sounds easy enough

You should put your live site into maintenance first, unless you're confident of not receiving orders during your conversion - though it's best to make sure.

You only need to apply database updates for mods that are not already in your live database.

Yes, pointing the URL to the tested site is my preference too. Most people seem to prefer the idea that the location of a site is fixed and the tested version moves to that location. I've always wondered why they would want to put themselves through the stress of moving a couple of thousand files and often the database too, when there's a tested version nearby that needs only to be pointed to.
:wink:

kuroi:

You should put your live site into maintenance first, unless you're confident of not receiving orders during your conversion - though it's best to make sure.

You only need to apply database updates for mods that are not already in your live database.

Yes, pointing the URL to the tested site is my preference too. Most people seem to prefer the idea that the location of a site is fixed and the tested version moves to that location. I've always wondered why they would want to put themselves through the stress of moving a couple of thousand files and often the database too, when there's a tested version nearby that needs only to be pointed to.
:wink:

Another big advantage of kuroi's approach is that you won't end up with old files left over from mods you may have installed at some stage but you won't be using anymore in the upgraded store. In other words, you re-start your shop with a 'clean' file system :cool:.

how about just inporting the tables for the customers and orders?

If you're confident that nothing else has changed, understand which tables go together (e.g. the address_book has to go with the customer tables) and are happy to do the 1.3.9 upgrades to the orders tables by hand, then that would be a viable path.

i think i will be tackling this in the next few days :(

I have upgraded my zen cart from 1.38 to 1.39 . Now this warning is showing :

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

Please help me how to fix this . Thanks in Advance...

atiqkhan:

I have upgraded my zen cart from 1.38 to 1.39 . Now this warning is showing :

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

Please help me how to fix this . Thanks in Advance...You have to follow all the steps in the upgrade process, I recommend going back over them step-by-step, as if you've skipped the database upgrade, you may have missed other steps too.

What if you're using a host that installs Zen Cart automatically for you? How can you get rid of the message in that case?

My host installed v1.3.8, which I'm going to upgrade to v1.3.9, and I imported my old db file into the new one.

The steps for upgrading are the same, whether you did the original installation, or it was done by your web host.