My first time upgrading

CosmosK:

Yes, I redid the web install of zc and pointed it to the new database which is a copy of the currently used one. It had me setup a user and password. Both the new configure.php files have the new database indicated.

I'm not sure what I should see, but it seems completely blank. I was hoping something would carry over, but nothing seems to have. Thanks

A more probing set of questions is, when starting that "it" appears blank, by what method is that identified? Looking in myphpadmin, going to the site, looking in the Zen Cart admin, etc.?
What log files have been generated in attempting this operation?
Info helps track down the issue(s).

mc12345678:

When you look at the files of your old/live store. Look in the file includes/configure.php. what does the line look like where there is: DB_PREFIX?

Same as my current one:

define('DB_PREFIX', '');

Ok, so again, how will I shoot my eye out if I ditch the old database? I have 22 products. About half I don't care about. A handful might have hyperlinks out there in the ether.

I can manually figure the handful to have the right #'s in the url:

...index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=61

This is the 4 and 61, category# and product# it seems.

If return customers have to re-enter their address and recreate an account, it seems a minor inconvenience. I'm seeing a tradeoff between time I spend screwing around with the old database vs. recreating categories and products from scratch (I'm still not sure I wouldn't have to do that anyway considering my ignorance on databases). Thanks for the help.

Please address this post before going the other way. It may be that the database didn't get loaded to the right place, that the incorrect credentials are listed or some other yet to be discovered issue.

I did the database backup per those instructions if that's what you mean. I followed them as best I could.

I did not see these options:

Tick “Complete Inserts” (helpful during upgrades if you have many custom fields added by modifications made to your site)
Tick “Extended Inserts” to help keep the file smaller, especially if you are just making backups for safekeeping and not for troubleshooting something.

I get the options here in the picture below

Looking the the phpadmin, it does look like the new database did not populate correctly. It has one entry in address book and zero customers. The original has hundreds of each.

Can you speak to my question though. What else am I'm going to be losing if I ditch it? I don't have a ton of time, if I'm just sitting here stuck on database, it's creating other problems for me.

Ok, edit for the above.

I just googled "copying database" Turns out, there is this options under "operations" in myphpadmin. I created yet another new database and it appears to have all the stuff. I will now try installing ZC into another folder using this db and see how it goes.

If it works, I assume I can use those subfolder files and the db when I install at the top level.

Thanks

Ok, I redid the install with the new database that has all the data. Didn't work, still blanks. I go back into myphpadmin and the database is mostly empty! Customers zero, addresses zero, etc.

Ok, now I'm trying these instructions:

https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/upgrading/db_only_upgrade/

Setup

CRITICAL: Back up your site
CRITICAL: Backup your database
Create a new directory called “test” and put the **latest version of Zen Cart** into it. We’ll call this your test site.
Then create a new database and load your old database in it
Do any database conversions necessary - only necessary if you have custom date fields
Next, change the** two configure.php** files to utilize the new directory and database This way … when you attempt to upgrade you are “practicing” to see where the problems, if any will happen
Run the installer at <https://www.YOURSITE.com/zc_install>
Choose the Upgrade option

Use the upgrade button!

Now you have an up to date copy of your database with an up to date copy of the Zen Cart files.

Does latest version mean the 1.57d files I've downloaded? They do not contain any configure.php files!!! What's the deal?

ok, some progress. Uploaded 1.57 files PLUS 2 old configure.php files. Upgrade button magically appears! Database brought in, install done! Next will try modifications and see if the site actually wants to work. Thanks

CosmosK:

ok, some progress. Uploaded 1.57 files PLUS 2 old configure.php files. Upgrade button magically appears! Database brought in, install done! Next will try modifications and see if the site actually wants to work. Thanks

And status/functionality of your live site now?

As reported my guess is that it isn't fully operational. But perhaps some detail was left out of the above posting.

I haven't touched the live site yet. Just working on the trial run. Had to stop working on it, will resume tomorrow.

So far, loading 1.57 files, then adding (correction) 1 configure file (admin directory doesn't exist in 1.57 files) gave me a repair php option (I assume this creates the admin configure file), then upgrade option appears. It seems to have worked as it brought in old customers and stuff. I haven't looked through it fully. Next would be to install template and whatever else.

Makes me wonder if I can just load in the 1.57 install directory only and run it on the 1.54 files. Maybe I don't need to redo all the template mods?? Probably wishful thinking. I appreciate the help.

CosmosK:

I haven't touched the live site yet. Just working on the trial run. Had to stop working on it, will resume tomorrow.

So far, loading 1.57 files, then adding (correction) 1 configure file (admin directory doesn't exist in 1.57 files gave me a repair php, then upgrade appears. It seems to have worked as it brought in old customers and stuff. I haven't looked through it fully. Next would be to install template and whatever else.

Makes me wonder if I can just load in the 1.57 install directory only and run it on the 1.54 files. Maybe I don't need to redo all the template mods?? Probably wishful thinking. I appreciate the help.

Should really at least visit your live site as a customer. The way you have described what has been done is that the live store's database got updated because both the live site and new demo site are pointing to the same database. Again that's based on what has been said here.

mc12345678:

Should really at least visit your live site as a customer. The way you have described what has been done is that the live store's database got updated because both the live site and new demo site are pointing to the same database. Again that's based on what has been said here.

Negative. I copied the db in myphpadmin. You select the db, hit operations tab and there is a copy option. This made a copy that looks identical. The export then import actions yielded a garbade db. Test site is pointing to a copy of the live site's. They are not sharing.

Sorry, additional detail is the configure file i used was an existing one but i edited the db info and added the subfolder suffixs where needed to the urls. Thanks

CosmosK:

Sorry, additional detail is the configure file i used was an existing one but i edited the db info and added the subfolder suffixs where needed to the urls. Thanks

Whew... good to hear. Thanks for the extra detail. FYI, not sure I understand the latest question about file/folder moves. Perhaps after some rest can ask a different way?

I was reading another similar thread, where GoldBuckle says:

“I started over and copied the old running site into the test directory then the 1.5.7 files into the same….”
Later he says:

“The one thing I wasn't previously doing was copying my old site to the new test site before uploading the new zc files. I did this the last go round and still no upload button but I tested the old site in the new test folder before installing the new zc files and the site worked minus the PayPal button in the cart/checkout….”

https://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?227078-Installer-Problem-with-Upgrade-button

So, when he says “copy my old site to the new test site” and “copied the old running site into the test directory” this seems to indicate you can install on top of the old files.

My impressions was I need to install on top of brand new 1.57 files, then spend lots of time going back through and picking through all the little things I changed, like banner images, etc.

To retain my customers, my impression is I start with blank 1.57 files, throw in a configure.php and point to the populated database and do repair (this is what happened yesterday)

If I can install 1.57 on top of my existing files and not upload all the 1.57 or Westminster new template images, etc., that seems like it would save me lots of time. So, that’s what I’m asking.

Another question is when he says “copying my old site to the new test site before uploading the new zc files” does he mean the entire 1.57 folder or just the zc_install folder?

Well, I tried and it did not work. The only thing that works is upload all 1.57, add one configure (with new db info) and then the install will show up. It will do php repair and then offer upgrade option. Bad news for me is the template install does not work. The default one looks pretty good however. Product pages all show up, categories, customers..

Considering installing on top of 1.54 files is a nogo. I wonder if I can install on the 1.57 files, make a bunch of changes (images, text, logo), then re-install on those files. Thanks

Yet another question.

reading this on moving directories: https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/installing/move_cart/

When my test site is all fixed up and looking good, can I just remove the files at top level, move the test files up, tweak the configure files for the new location and be done? This would be vs redoing everything done on the test site again on fresh 1.57 files at the top level. Thanks

Please read the docs carefully, it WILL save you a lot of grief.

https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/installing/move_cart/