Testvb to live/forum advice

[Gimmick]

I have my live forum running 3.6.8 patch 2. But I am experiencing problems with an addon when installing there. So I created a testvb forum and have been working on that instead of disrupting a live site.

My problem is I now have my testvb running the way I want it, and want to import my users and posts into it as a final test sort of thing, to make sure an error doesnt occur. (the test forum is totally password protected and not live to anyone bar me)

If the user integration is successful I would really love then too somehow copy my testvb forum to my live forum to replace it?

I guess most of that sounds a bit n00b but its the best I can explain.

Basically I think I have messed some code on the live forum so when I add a certain supported addon it kills the forum. But now I have sorted that in the testvb Id feel better using that as my live that trying to upgrade the live and readd the addon for the code I broke to come back and haunt me ...

What would be the best way too do this? Is it legal? Can it be done!?

Thanks for your patience reading!

Gim

[markbolyard]

I guess it depends on "what" is messed up on your live site. If it's just a matter of template code errors, then you could simply download the template and upload it on the new site. If it's a modification, then disable it (or all modifications and see if you still have the error). Worse case, you can use impex to import users, posts, threads over to your test board, but if you have a database problem, the import may not go well. Thats what the test board is for though. Just be sure to back up bother before going any further in case something goes wrong. Or, you could always get a professional to do it.

As far as legal.... nothing illegal about having a test board... not sure what legalities you are thinking of...

[Gimmick]

thanks I will try that impex now to bring my user and posts into the test and see if that is stable if so, then I will be a bit closer to getting where I want.

I think it is template edits, but I am not sure which ones! I was mod crazy when I first got vb and now I wish i had the fresh install again with just my posts etc, so I can do it logically this time...

thanks for your advice Mark, ill keep you updated.

[Lynne]

I think it depends on what you did to 'fix' the issue. If you changed some templates, then export the style from the test site and then import it to your live site. If you changed a product or plugin, then export it from the test site and then import to your live site. I have had to do this many times when trying to get something to work right.

[Gimmick]

It was more a case of taking my time and reading through the install files correctly etc

and understanding vb and addons a bit better. I was a bit trigger happy at beginning.

The addon is running fine on testvb and has been test thouroghly. But when I install it again on the live it causes the error

So my thought was too bring the users and posts into testvb and then swap them around, make testvb live and live testvb.

the impex looks complicated! I jsut read through it....

Lynne what would you advise? Export the templates for testvb and import them into live?

[Lynne]

This is what I would do (and what I usually do on my site):
- export the style from the test site
- export the products and plugins from the test site
- backup the live site database
- import the live site database onto the test site
- change necessary info in vboptions > site info and avatar/picture/attachments locations
- (run the upgrade script if they are running differnt vb versions)
- import the style (from the backup above)
- import the products and plugins (from the backup above)

After those steps, you will have a test site with what you hope are working templates and products. Test it out and see if it works. If you are getting the error, fix it in the correct style and plugins/products, but this time write down what you did!!! Then, export the style and products/plugins from your test site, import them to your main site and see if it works.

[Gimmick]

I didnt have much success with this last night ... Only had a few hours though to give.

Can you tell me the best method to make an exact duplicate of the live forum on the testvb?

I have tried coping the whole contents of my forum to the testvb folder, then manually uploading a backup of the mysql databases through mysql admin.

I can then see the testvb is exactly the same but I cannot log in then. It saying logging me in, but just takes me back to the you are not logged in screen?

I thought it might be the passwords cannot be imported, so tried to change my password on the testvb, but it changed it on the live forum ?

Do I need to configure the config.php file to show it for testvb?

If I can gete a working copy of my live forum, that will allow me to work on the errors, and document it, so I can over the weekend, turn the live board off for a few hours and make the nessecary upgrades and changes etc

Thanks for reading and your patience again...

Gim

--------------- Added [DATE]1210145185[/DATE] at [TIME]1210145185[/TIME] ---------------

Step by Step here

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252648

I will give this a go tonight....

Also read some nice backup posts.... So glad I did more digging....

Will update the thread as and when

[Lynne]

You absolutely *need* to change the config.php file to point to your test database! If you simply copy the config.php file from your live site, you will be pointing to the database on your live site. Also, once you change the config.php file for your test site, login to your admin cp and then change the details for your site url and attachment/avatar/etc file locations as I wrote above.