many questions

isn't exporting the sql data either way without bringing the site down a hot backup?
don't know much about this, I am not a DBA
anyway, don't really care about the term, I just want to know if doing so this way is safe

And DrByte has answered both of those questions in the last few posts. No and Yes.

sorry if I sounded a bit paranoid on this backup thing
just that, you know, all the information are in the DB, can't afford to have any chance of screw it up, and potentially affect the business

Another question!
As i haven't successfully set up my template yet, which i thought i had copied all the files into my template.#
I have discovered I had been working from the original classic, I made everything according to the graphic file structure though cocked up some place.

I moved pages in the module file structure into mytemplate and messed up all my website, it took away all the right sideboxes and all my ez pages. I thought it would make a copy on drag and drop, not move the damn folder, another hard lesson learnt :smile: How can i set the pages back in its original position, has it wasn't a folder in the structure, it was inbetween and marked with a dotted lines

I have since recovered everything except my ez pages 1 to 4, any idea how i can get them back?

If it's too difficult to get back, I will kick start the backup, and hope that will solve the problem. Though if there is a way to recover the 5 pages, i'd like to try for the experience. I've no idea if more damage is caused yet, though I think only the links are broke.

EZ-Pages are not files, but stored in the database, so all you could have done is break the links to them from the files you moved. You will have to study the original file structure (from an untouched fileset) and the mods you have added to find out if there is anything else still out of place; we can't tell you anything from here. If you have a recent backup, you could probably restore the files only and the ez-pages would still be in the db.

Thanks, Just had a look at the pages folder structure and it effects 73 folders. I'll take a little time out to figure this one, and how to repair it.
So one can drag and drop a file, to copy, but you cannot drag a folder to copy?
Or maybe I was clumsy and didn't hold the ctrl down, while moving the folder! It's more likely a sign of old age and time to give up.

So one can drag and drop a file, to copy, but you cannot drag a folder to copy?That's down to your own computer and host setup... there is not a universal answer:)
It's not a Zen Cart issue.

by the way, is there a way to schedule the sql backup plugin to run at a certain time?
backup is usually run at the lowest traffic time, but I am not going to wake up at 3am in the morning to run it

kmcheng:

by the way, is there a way to schedule the sql backup plugin to run at a certain time?
backup is usually run at the lowest traffic time, but I am not going to wake up at 3am in the morning to run it

You would have to set up a cron in your server's control panel to do an automated backup. Honestly, it doesn't matter if it's the busiest or slowest time on your site when you backup, I do it at any time throughout the day. I always do a backup through the Backup module before making any changes to any part of the site. Been burned before and learned my lesson: ALWAYS backup before making any DB changes like product details, etc. Some days I might do 3 or 4 backups if making numerous changes, and this is during very busy times, it won't affect your site or your customer's experience so really, don't worry about it!

gjh42:

EZ-Pages are not files, but stored in the database, so all you could have done is break the links to them from the files you moved. You will have to study the original file structure (from an untouched fileset) and the mods you have added to find out if there is anything else still out of place; we can't tell you anything from here. If you have a recent backup, you could probably restore the files only and the ez-pages would still be in the db.

So are you saying there is no way to reconnect the files to the database ez pages?
I have run the debug in explorer and it picks nothing up, the developer tool kit brings up all the pages, but doesn't appear to show any break in links that i can see, why is this? I need the data ID from the database but can i fix the links?
The links between file and database is the problem, so there is no real fix?
If not I need to do a clean reinstall!

All of the ez-pages information is in the database; no file has information about any one ez-page. If the ez-page handling files are corrupted, you will get access back when the files are restored to their original condition (this could be from a fresh set of files).

ksl1:

Another question!
As i haven't successfully set up my template yet, which i thought i had copied all the files into my template.#
I have discovered I had been working from the original classic, I made everything according to the graphic file structure though cocked up some place.

I moved pages in the module file structure into mytemplate and messed up all my website, it took away all the right sideboxes and all my ez pages. I thought it would make a copy on drag and drop, not move the damn folder, another hard lesson learnt :smile: How can i set the pages back in its original position, has it wasn't a folder in the structure, it was inbetween and marked with a dotted lines

I have since recovered everything except my ez pages 1 to 4, any idea how i can get them back?

If it's too difficult to get back, I will kick start the backup, and hope that will solve the problem. Though if there is a way to recover the 5 pages, i'd like to try for the experience. I've no idea if more damage is caused yet, though I think only the links are broke.
I'm completely confused about whatever it is you're trying to say. "dotted lines" "pages" "module structure" "took away all my ezpages" "drag and drop" "order" "pages 1-4" "the 5 pages" etc etc

gjh42:

EZ-Pages are not files, but stored in the database, so all you could have done is break the links to them from the files you moved. You will have to study the original file structure (from an untouched fileset) and the mods you have added to find out if there is anything else still out of place; we can't tell you anything from here. If you have a recent backup, you could probably restore the files only and the ez-pages would still be in the db.

After further investigation I have found the problem wasn't the pages folder.

While copying to mytemplate, I have somehow moved the english folder into itself, causing an obstruction of the html files, hence the reason the disconnection between pages and the database.

My structure goes Language, English, classic English which is wrong, and the html is sitting in the 2nd english folder with extra_definitions. I need to delete the English folder, without deleting whats inside. So that it reverts back to the original structure. I cannot seem to delete the folder, any suggestions.

Okay fixed the problem, by renaming the english folder and transferring what was inside, back to the main english folder! I have no idea how i got in that mess, but it was to do with copying the master template into mytemplate. Anyway the file structure is back to normal, after i deleted the renamed folder. Though I am still working on the original classic and not mytemplate, which i cannot see in Admin to change from classic.

lankeeyankee:

You would have to set up a cron in your server's control panel to do an automated backup. Honestly, it doesn't matter if it's the busiest or slowest time on your site when you backup, I do it at any time throughout the day. I always do a backup through the Backup module before making any changes to any part of the site. Been burned before and learned my lesson: ALWAYS backup before making any DB changes like product details, etc. Some days I might do 3 or 4 backups if making numerous changes, and this is during very busy times, it won't affect your site or your customer's experience so really, don't worry about it!

so you only backup the DB, not the whole site?

The db in an active store changes constantly, while files only change if you change them, so a regularly scheduled file backup is often sufficient. If you make multiple sets of file changes, backing up the fileset after each successful, tested modification may be warranted.

ok, thanks

kmcheng:

so you only backup the DB, not the whole site?

I always make file changes on a clone of the site on a local test server. Once everything is worked out and any bugs or format issues are taken care of I upload it to the live site. So I don't need to backup files from the live site since I have an identical copy on my local server. I am starting to dabble with subversion to keep track of my changes since I do a lot of customizing and tweaking.

I think you have to do a lot of customizing and tweaking to fit your need, BOTH the configurations in the admin control and directly editing the php codes, since zen cart is so powerful
and yes, this part took A LOT of time, I tasted what it is like in the previous week or two
I think I need some kind of local server also for testing. My company does have more than one domain to do so, but they have no security feature whatsoever (like SSL and SFTP) that cost extra, so it is only the newly ordered host that has

Oh, I have a follow up question I forget to ask
now that I don't need to bring down the site to backup the DB, what else would be the reason I need to bring it down?