Upgrade strategy ... (and server move)

So, now comes the part in the upgrade process where you inspect the template and language (and really all) files to understand what things you'd customized on the old version so you can re-customize them on the new version.

That comparison process is documented in the main upgrade instructions.

In a nutshell it's this:
a) on your PC make 2 folders: 1 containing all the files in the old site, and 1 containing all the files for the original ZC for that old version. Earlier you mentioned that you're upgrading from v1.3.8a, so on your PC you'll have a folder of the original v1.3.8a files, unzipped, and another of your old "live" site's files.
b) use a tool like WinMerge (free) or Beyond Compare to compare the two, and make note of the things you'd added, changed, removed, etc
c) re-make relevant changes in the new version.

When doing the compare, you may have added additional folders for your custom template and language overrides, etc. You'll need to compare that custom template against template_default to identify things that need doing in the new version. Same with language files, since the new version will have some new language things that you'll need to merge with your customisations.

If your old template is something you're thinking of retiring, you could use a newer template already updated for v1.5.4 and then tweak it as necessary.

I have decided to tweek the new template rather than carry forward old stuff. I am pretty close to standard any way.

It is going quite well.

Couple of challenges.

How do I get rid of that test "Sales Message goes here" from all pages? I have removed it from the header.php file but it seems stubborn.

Also - how do I make the header image box deeper for a larger image ... I have already changed the width to 1000pxl.

I have followed these instructions without success:

http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?165

It must be picking this up from elsewhere ...

OK ... this is how it looks now:

If I could get rid of that "Sales Message Goes Here" text and the green bars at the bottom of the Categories, Info & Currencies Box I'd be pretty much done ...

ANy ideas?

Sounds like you're editing the wrong version of the affected files.

If your active template is "classic" then if you've got something in the "classic" version of the language files, those will take precedence over the "default" version.

Same with template files themselves. If you've got "classic" selected as the active template, then any files under the /includes/templates/classic folder will take precedence over template_default. (As they should).

So, in keeping with proper templating practices, all your customisations should be in the files/folders under "classic" and if you're tempted to edit a file from template_default, copy it to classic first (using same folder structure) and make your changes there. Same with languages: copy the original to the corresponding subdirectory under classic and make your changes there.

montello1984:

OK ... this is how it looks now:

If I could get rid of that "Sales Message Goes Here" text and the green bars at the bottom of the Categories, Info & Currencies Box I'd be pretty much done ...

ANy ideas?
Remember: you've got your IP address pointing to a different server than the rest of the world, so none of your images on the new server are visible to any of us. The images you've posted here are broken-links, so aren't useful to us for helping you.

I have just found another problem :-( ... when I try and checkout I just get a blank screen ... on this URL

http://www.petticrows.co.uk/catalog/index.php?main_page=checkout_shipping

Could this be to do with the fact I am operating on a staging server and the paths are not correctly resolving?

The cause of a blank page is documented in the /logs/ folder as a myDebug-xxxxxxxx.log file, as explained here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?124-blank-page

DrByte:

Remember: you've got your IP address pointing to a different server than the rest of the world, so none of your images on the new server are visible to any of us. The images you've posted here are broken-links, so aren't useful to us for helping you.

Doh ...

Sales-message-goes-here -- see the FAQ article you mentioned earlier. Change the define from 'Sales message goes here' to just ''

the green on the sideboxes is CSS. If you right-click on that green bit and choose Inspect Element, it'll show you which things are affecting it, and that will inform you what to change. At the very least it'll show you the colour number creating the green and you can change that in your stylesheet to whatever alternate you want.

Thanks for your help so far ... I am going to make this live to help finish it as I think some issues may be being caused by IP confusion in browsers.

It will also allow you to see where I am at ...

Almost there ...

DrByte:

The cause of a blank page is documented in the /logs/ folder as a myDebug-xxxxxxxx.log file, as explained here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?124-blank-page

Just looked at those log files: here is the message:

[28-Jan-2015 16:47:21 UTC] PHP Warning: include_once(includes/modules/shipping/petticrows.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/dragon/public_html/catalog/includes/classes/shipping.php on line 58
[28-Jan-2015 16:47:21 UTC] PHP Warning: include_once(): Failed opening 'includes/modules/shipping/petticrows.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/dragon/public_html/catalog/includes/classes/shipping.php on line 58
[28-Jan-2015 16:47:21 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Class 'petticrows' not found in /home/dragon/public_html/catalog/includes/classes/shipping.php on line 59

This file: includes/modules/shipping/petticrows.php does not exist ... I guess I need to create it ... no such directory or file in the old install ...

If it helps ... this site never completes a sale.

Because of the complexities of the products and shipping issues people just put stuff in their cart then check out. No shipping fees are calculated and no payment is taken.

Once Petticrows receive the order they then contact the customer and do the rest by hand as usually there are complex tax, currency and shipping issues.

Could I disable the shipping parts of the site?

The new site is now live for all to see ... it is almost there ...

Although the check out issue detailed above is of concern....

http://www.petticrows.co.uk/catalog/index.php

montello1984:

Just looked at those log files: here is the message:

[28-Jan-2015 16:47:21 UTC] PHP Warning: include_once(includes/modules/shipping/petticrows.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/dragon/public_html/catalog/includes/classes/shipping.php on line 58
[28-Jan-2015 16:47:21 UTC] PHP Warning: include_once(): Failed opening 'includes/modules/shipping/petticrows.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/dragon/public_html/catalog/includes/classes/shipping.php on line 58
[28-Jan-2015 16:47:21 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Class 'petticrows' not found in /home/dragon/public_html/catalog/includes/classes/shipping.php on line 59

This file: includes/modules/shipping/petticrows.php does not exist ... I guess I need to create it ... no such directory or file in the old install ...

This module is something that was installed under the previous site. The transfer of the database carried over it's "existence". The files would be in your old set of files, but you would need to copy over not only the includes/classes/shipping files but also the equivalent language file(s) under includes/languages/YOUR_LANGUAGE/shipping

Once transferred over, should be able to disable the extra module(s) from within the admin panel under shipping.

To "disable" shipping for all products, they would have to basically be identified as virtual products... At least that would bypass the shipping aspect; however, ZC is written to require at least one shipping module be active if I am not mistaken, so would still need to have some shipping module active (free shipping supports having one present, but with no cost).

I have just enable "Free shipping" in the admin panel which seems to have moved things on ...

I can now get to step 1 of 3 of check out but it says "Sorry we are not shipping to your region at this time" how do I make it accept orders from anywhere?

Also - I'm guessing on the next screen I will be challenged for payment ... I want to accept the order and take payment later over the phone.

There will be no on-line payment on this shop.

mc12345678:

This module is something that was installed under the previous site. The transfer of the database carried over it's "existence". The files would be in your old set of files, but you would need to copy over not only the includes/modules/shipping files **(that don't already exist on the new site) **but also the equivalent language file(s) under includes/languages/YOUR_LANGUAGE/shipping

Once transferred over, should be able to disable the extra module(s) from within the admin panel under shipping.
A couple corrections to the above post, for clarity.

montello1984:

I have just enable "Free shipping" in the admin panel which seems to have moved things on ...

I can now get to step 1 of 3 of check out but it says "Sorry we are not shipping to your region at this time" how do I make it accept orders from anywhere?

Also - I'm guessing on the next screen I will be challenged for payment ... I want to accept the order and take payment later over the phone.

There will be no on-line payment on this shop.

How exactly did the old store do shipping and payment? Why not use those same strategies on the new one?

DrByte:

How exactly did the old store do shipping and payment? Why not use those same strategies on the new one?

I wish I'd made another purchase test before I flipped the DNS servers to remind me.

Basically you completed the order without payment.

SO we just got an email from the zencart shop with the customers order which we then process manually due to the complexities of shipping as the items in the shop are often large and bulky and going to overseas locations.

Currently I get to step one and it says:

Sorry, we are not shipping to your region at this time.

How do I change it to ship to any region?

DrByte:

How exactly did the old store do shipping and payment? Why not use those same strategies on the new one?

I wish I'd made another purchase test before I flipped the DNS servers to remind me.

Basically you completed the order without payment.

SO we just got an email from the zencart shop with the customers order which we then process manually due to the complexities of shipping as the items in the shop are often large and bulky and going to overseas locations.

Currently I get to step one and it says:

Sorry, we are not shipping to your region at this time.

How do I change it to ship to any region?