Upgarde to 1.3.9 on test site - Live site still up with 1.3.8 DB but with new DATA..

Ok after reading all the forms they tell us to shut down the store front when we get the update working..

But this update took me some time to get working.. About 6-7 hours after applying all the new mods and other stuff.. (:cry:)

So after TESTING out the new 1.3.9 a bit.. i think it will work for us..

But now i see that the client has some users signed up with new accounts and maybe a purchase or 2 ...

So how to I merge the LIVE DB (1.3.8) with the New 1.3.9...

WIll this be a nightmare.. or is there a simple way.. to migrate the old data over.. as I don't want to do the whole db as i have implemented new Updates for Canada post, lightbox, google, revocer cart, email archive, Ceon CC.. And that might mess up the new DB..

Just don't want to wait to long to get the new site up..

Naturally you don't want to lose any data from your live site.

That's why the BEST next step is to actually upgrade your live site directly, now that you've got all the kinks of your upgrade sorted out:

a) now, set your live store to down-for-maintenance
b) RE-DO the entire upgrade on your live site (which will be very easy, since you've already done it all once, sorted out any conflicts, and have made good notes about any settings changes so you can do them all in a couple minutes again on the new site):

• i) upload the new files to the old site
• ii) delete obsolete files from the old site
• iii) upload the zc_install folder for the new version to the old site
• iv) run zc_install to update the live site database
• v) delete the zc_install folder
• vi) do any admin configuration/settings updates as needed
  c) take the live site back online again by turning off maintenance mode
  d) delete your TEST site, since it's no longer needed (unless you want to keep it for additional testing activity)

You WILL NOT use your TEST site as the LIVE site. It was for TESTING only.

Naturally, this whole process is easiest if you've already got a good clean reliable set of files on your new test site, and have made good notes about any special configuration changes or SQL Patches etc that were required when you were testing and readying the test site to be sure it works as desired.
Doing it this way means your live store will only be in maintenance mode for a brief period of time.

Just the thread/info I have been looking for. I did not build my current site properly, due to not quite understanding it all and now that I am attempting to upgrade, it has caught up with me. The only add on is the "flexible_product_listing" which I'll install on the new site.

This has made me a nervous wreck trying to figure it out and try not to mess it up.

My site is in the root, I am planning on installing my test site at mydomain.com/store, once I get the testing done, would I be better off deleting my old site instead of overwriting it? Just uploading the same set of "original" files that I uploaded to my test site, doing the regular "install" as it were a completely new site, and doing the data base upgrade? I have noticed where some mistakes where made in uploading templates.

Is it better to have your store not in the root level?

Does it make it easier to update/upgrade?

Thanks
donnyb

If you re-read what I posted above, I don't really recommend using the "test" site as an eventual "live" site.
Not that it can't be done, but it's usually better saved for when you've got a thorough understanding of the files and database and websites and servers.

That said, if you have really good backups of your database, you can try it if you like.

As for having your store at the root level or in a folder, it really makes no difference, because you never need to move your store between folders just to upgrade.

A "test" site is a test site. A "live" site is a live site. Never mix them up. Never "trade" places.

donnyb:

once I get the testing done, would I be better off deleting my old site instead of overwriting it?What do you mean by "deleting"?
donnyb:

Just uploading the same set of "original" files that I uploaded to my test site, doing the regular "install" as it were a completely new site, and doing the data base upgrade?If you delete the obsolete files from the existing live site, and upload the new customized upgraded files from the test site onto the live site, and run the new zc_install on the live site to upgrade the live database, then you're basically doing a similar process to what I described to the other person earlier. Follow what I'd already posted.

Shortcuts just bring you back asking for help to fix what you skipped or did differently.

DrByte:

What do you mean by "deleting"?

DrByte, I did not know if after I tested my new site and backed up the new site and my live site, if I would be better off deleting my entire live site from the server before I uploaded my new and improved site.

Do you need to put your "renamed admin" folder back to "admin" before the upgrade?

That said, I will follow your advice from the above post and thank you for your help, these forum are a real asset to those of us who are not quite sure of what we are doing.

Thanks again
donnyb

Some people like to do a complete delete of the files on the live site before uploading the new ones. It certainly makes it easier to ensure there's no leftover old stuff there. But on large sites it can take a very long time to re-load the images folders and other supporting folders. It also changes the date/time stamp on all the files to the date of the new upload. Sometimes that's a desirable effect. Sometimes not. It kinda depends on your own preferences.

As for renaming the admin folder, if you're using an automated compare tool to compare all the PHP files, it'll want matching foldernames, so in that case it's good to make sure both folders match. Doesn't matter which name you give them, as long as they're the same.
But, as for uploading to the server and running the zc_install app to upgrade the database, it doesn't care about the admin foldername to just upgrade the database data.

OK and thanks for the help, as I am still trying to learn and figure this all out. Now I just need to pick a time to do this.

donnyb

YES!! I finally had success updating my site!!

THANK YOU DrByte, without your advice, I'd be like the last time I tried to update, I spent 8 1/2 hours and ended up putting my old site back up.

My site is relatively small, it only took me 2 hours start to finish.

Now my next task is to move hosts, hope that goes as smoothly as this upgrade did.

Thanks again for your advice/help DrByte.

donnyb

donnyb:

Now my next task is to move hosts, hope that goes as smoothly as this upgrade did.
Glad you got the upgrade working.
Here's the tutorial on moving hosts: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=100

DrByte:

Glad you got the upgrade working.
Here's the tutorial on moving hosts: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=100

Thanks again DrByte. I now have an up to date version of Zen Cart running on a new host with zero problems/errors encountered. The DNS change only took about one hour to take effect.

Thank you
donnyb