How do I Test Mods & Hacks without Messing up my Live Site?

[NashChristian]

Lynne,

I backed up the live site database through my vB AdminCP>Maintenance>Database Backup. Is that ok?

I'm on hold with my ISP right now. They're phpMyAdmin control panel is not allowing me to import a file over 8mb to restore the database, and my file is 13 MB! So they are having to import it via the SSH option for me, as I don't have SSH permissions on my account.

I need to find a new host for this site. 1&1 only allows a max database size of 100MB. They will allow me multiple databases, but their max. file size is still 100MB per data base, which is not going to be enough.

I've heard that SiteGround.com has awesome prices for forum sites, so I've been planning to look into making the switch once my site got up and running. I was just trying to hold off on getting another monthly expense, since I already had the shared hosting package through 1&1.

I was thinking that without the data, I would still get my site looking like the day I purchased it from vB, just without content. I was forgetting that vB uses the database to store a lot of settings and internal data besides just the threads and posts.

So I have to run the upgrade script after this database gets restored? I wasn't anticipating this step. What will the upgrade script do in this instance?

I'm also curious, if later on, I want to update the data in my TEST site, how do I OVERRIGHT the data that I'm currently importing into the test database tables?

Also, how do I know which settings I change are stored in the database? So basically, if you make changes on your test site that are stored in the database, you have to go in and manually make the same changes again to your live site, since there is no way of automating this process once you like the changes, is that correct?

So do you just use this for modifying templates and installing mods? If I go in and edit phrases and things like that, a test site really won't help much will it?

I'm a little confused. I was hoping that a test site would be as simple as testing all changes and functions, then once you work the bugs out, upload it to the new site. It seems that there is a bit more to it than that. Can you give me an idea of what you realisitically use it for, and what types of changes are more a pain than their worth in a test environment?

Thanks a bunch!
Jeff

--------------- Added [DATE]1203412348[/DATE] at [TIME]1203412348[/TIME] ---------------

It's been a long day, but I think that I've got this all worked out now. (Thanks to all your help!!!)

After I got my database restored to the new test database, and the config file setup correctly, the two sites (live and test) now seem to be operating independantly.

Once this was done correctly, I was able to reinstate my .htaccess password protection on my test site, without it affecting my live site anymore.

I still have a couple of outstanding questions which I would like to understand, if anyone would be so kind as to answer:

First I did not run the upgrade.php, and I want to ensure that is OK. The reason I didn't run it, is because I am not wanting to modify my site version prior to 3.7 going gold. I'm simply wanting to setup a test site at the moment for any mods/hacks. Did this need to be run for some reason, even without actually upgrading to a newer version of vB?

Am I correct in thinking that any settings which I change, or hacks that I implement are stored in the DATABASE except for the templates for each style? Or maybe the templates are too, but they can be downloaded and then imported into my live site?

I'm confused about what changes I should try to make on my test site, and what I shouldn't bother trying to do because I will still have to go manually make the same changes on my live site afterwards. Can someone please explain this to me? What changes are worth making in a test environment?

Initially I thought that I could test ALL changes, and then simply FTP overwright my live site with my test site after I work out all the bugs. This seems to NOT be the case though, for two reasons: First with an online test site some of the pathing would be different. Surely I could try to minimize this, but still SOME would be different. This may be avoidable with an OFFLINE/LOCAL test environment, if the .htaccess file will allow ALL site variables to remain the same, however there still is another problem: any settings or changes stored in the database will not upload along with the test site when I overwright my live site. I don't see any way around this, since there is no way for your test database to stay current in Real Time, with the data that has been entered via posts & threads, since the time when the test environment was created. Unless there were some sort of a mirroring of the data, which I'm unfamiliar with in this application.

Do Admin's who use local test sites find it more helpful to do so? Do they really NOT have to modify any site variables? Can they simply FTP overwright their live site with their test site once the work is done? How is it better and why does it help?

So, how do admins really and truly get the MOST out of a test site? Do they typically only use it for template modifications and upgrades? How can I use this to my best advantage?

I'm also curious, if later on, I want to update the data in my TEST site, how do I OVERWRIGHT the data that I've just imported into my database? Is there some way to flush out the database and reload it? Or must I create a new database and simply delete the old one, forcing me to redo a bit of configuration work?

I have one last question I mentioned earlier, for Marco or another vB staffer:

With my entire test site directory .htaccess protected, how do I request help from others on public forums such as this one and vbadvanced? I have a lot of situations where I post a link to demonstrate the problem I am encountering, for whoever reads and responds to my post. (This could be anyone.)

Is there a work-around for this with .htaccess, or do I need to temporarily disable it in times like this, or do I need to publically post a temporary User Name and Password, or what do most admins do to facilitate this?

Thanks again for everyone's help! Thank you especially Lynne for all the time you took to help me today!


Jeff

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Originally Posted by NashChristian

I have one last question I mentioned earlier, for Marco or another vB staffer:

With my entire test site directory .htaccess protected, how do I request help from others on public forums such as this one and vbadvanced? I have a lot of situations where I post a link to demonstrate the problem I am encountering, for whoever reads and responds to my post. (This could be anyone.)

Is there a work-around for this with .htaccess, or do I need to temporarily disable it in times like this, or do I need to publically post a temporary User Name and Password, or what do most admins do to facilitate this?

As per the License Agreement you are not allowed to have public access to a testboard. Giving out the access details to a few in order to test/bugfix is within this definition.

[Lynne]

Jeff, you asked about the purpose of a test board. I use it to test out anything prior to putting it on my live site. But, besides that, the major thing I use it for is upgrades. For instance, in December I finally upgraded my board from 3.0.12 to 3.6.8. I started in November by taking a copy of my live database and putting it up on my test board along with the 3.6.8 php pages and running the upgrade script. Then I installed all the hacks I needed and rewrote the ones I had originally written. After I had it running how I wanted, I took down my live site for an upgrade. Then, I knew I had a couple of other mods to write, so I did them on the test board, exported the product and then imported the product onto my live site. The product/plugin system makes it very easy to move a mod from the test site to your live site. Currently, I have upgraded my test site to 3.7 (only beta 2 at the moment). I am now rewriting some more of my hacks to take advantage of some of the changes made to 3.7. I would never install a hack directly onto my live site without first checking it out on my test site. Of course, I am also one of those that rarely uses a hack as-is. I always seem to want to tweak it a bit for my site.

[NashChristian]

Originally Posted by Lynne

Jeff, you asked about the purpose of a test board. I use it to test out anything prior to putting it on my live site. But, besides that, the major thing I use it for is upgrades. For instance, in December I finally upgraded my board from 3.0.12 to 3.6.8. I started in November by taking a copy of my live database and putting it up on my test board along with the 3.6.8 php pages and running the upgrade script. Then I installed all the hacks I needed and rewrote the ones I had originally written. After I had it running how I wanted, I took down my live site for an upgrade. Then, I knew I had a couple of other mods to write, so I did them on the test board, exported the product and then imported the product onto my live site. The product/plugin system makes it very easy to move a mod from the test site to your live site. Currently, I have upgraded my test site to 3.7 (only beta 2 at the moment). I am now rewriting some more of my hacks to take advantage of some of the changes made to 3.7. I would never install a hack directly onto my live site without first checking it out on my test site. Of course, I am also one of those that rarely uses a hack as-is. I always seem to want to tweak it a bit for my site.

Hello Lynne,

So just to make sure I understand, say you are upgrading your site to the latest and greatest version, after you get your test site setup, hacks and mods to your happiness, everything running smoothe, how then do you move these changes onto your live site? You said that you did it all with just a couple of hours of downtime, which is impressive! Do you delete your live site folder and then recreate it by copying your test environment via FTP?

Then you would just have to reconfigure the database to use your live data. And you would likely have to redo any changes done in your test environment which were stored in the database.

Or do you simply run the upgrade script on your live site, import the templates from your test site, individually import each plug-in from your test site, and manually make any other changes that you've made where the settings are stored in the database? You manually write these in your notebook as you implement them on your test site, then you manually implement them on your live site as well during this process?

Which would best describe how you actually do this? I just want to understand how best to take advantage of a test site myself. I don't want to do something the "hard" way if there is an "easier" way that most of the world is doing it.

Thanks ever so much!
Jeff

[Lynne]

Originally Posted by NashChristian

Hello Lynne,

So just to make sure I understand, say you are upgrading your site to the latest and greatest version, after you get your test site setup, hacks and mods to your happiness, everything running smoothe, how then do you move these changes onto your live site? You said that you did it all with just a couple of hours of downtime, which is impressive! Do you delete your live site folder and then recreate it by copying your test environment via FTP?

Then you would just have to reconfigure the database to use your live data. And you would likely have to redo any changes done in your test environment which were stored in the database.

Or do you simply run the upgrade script on your live site, import the templates from your test site, individually import each plug-in from your test site, and manually make any other changes that you've made where the settings are stored in the database? You manually write these in your notebook as you implement them on your test site, then you manually implement them on your live site as well during this process?

Basically, once I have my test site running how I want it, I export my styles and my modifications from the test site to my computer and then shut down the main site, replace all files with copies of the ones from my test site (that I keep on my computer), run the upgrade script, import all the hacks and the styles (I only have one main template edit style, the others are just css, so I don't need them imported) and then turn back on my main site. Of course, nothing is quite that simple, but I've done it a couple of times now and I've learned what needs to be done. I've also done test runs before - gotten the test site set up how I wanted, exported all modifications and styles and then completely replaced the test site with a copy of the live database and done the upgrade all over again.

[NashChristian]

Thanks again for the feedback Lynne!

You have really helped me a lot, through this learning curve!

Jeff

[goxy63]

Ok I installed new testvb on to my server, right next to my live forums

1.How exactly to copy php database ?
I got 'PUTTY' SSH program, can connect to my server but not shure about that codes
Iam afraid to do some demage and mess up thing...so I was thinking its better to ask first you guys

My live forums are in mydomain/forums
and my testvb is installed in mydomain/test/testvb (pasword protected for general public)

2.Which files except php database I should copy from my live forums to my test ones ?
Customavatars,customprofile pic,images,signature pic....maybe its easyer to say which one I should not ?

3.How about blogs and my VBADynamics(VBA is installed outside of my forums, in a root)
Will I be able to test everything good cuz VBAD, I use this mod just for a my front page!?

4.Through Admin CP, I should download styles, and upload them to my testvb
something else through admin cp, plugins, products and stuff ?
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Iam having Vb just about two months, nothing is that hard to do but for guys as me can be real pain in.... cuz Iam not familiar much with HTML CSS and...
Menaged a lot to do for these 2 months but I need real bad this testvb
When I have this copy of my live board I will do more things by myself and will not bother Vb stuff and Vb.org guys that much in future
Tanks in advance for help
Details will be highly appreciated