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Database not necessary?


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I had always assumed that a database was necessary to store and manage all the products' files, but recently I found out thats not the case. I just moved from windows to linux hosting, and did not notice that the database I had in my previous hosting package was deleted. The shop has continued to function without the database for a few weeks now, and I don't notice any slow loading issues or anything like that. Then I read this line in the installation wiki:

"While not necessary, we strongly recommend you create a database for your store, or use the database designated by your hosting company."

I am confused as to why a database is needed, as my store seems to work without one? What are the benefits of a database exactly? I only have 26 products in my store, is that perhaps the reason?

Sorry if this is a noobish question...

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My website www.dura-tex.co.uk currently has no database (according to my host's control panel), and all the products are displaying, and I can edit products and add new ones. Perhaps I am wrong, and the database is only scheduled for deletion but is still there. But I switched hosting package nearly 3 weeks ago, would have thought it would be gone by now.

2 Patric Codron- Ok, but can you explain why my site is working without a database? And why does it say in the installation wiki that the database is not necessary ?

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Ok, but can you explain why my site is working without a database? And why does it say in the installation wiki that the database is not necessary ?


Your admin panel has a bug, contact your host, they will tell you.

Could you please give me the wiki link where you read that. :)
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It is here in the first article: http://www.prestashop.com/wiki/Installing_And_Updating_PrestaShop_Software/#Install_PrestaShop

Are you sure the control panel has a bug? Do you think that I still have the old database, but it is not displaying? My host tells me that the database is definately gone and that all the products are probably stored in the cache of my shopping cart. But if that was the case, I wouldn't be able to add/edit them right? And why would it be stored in the cache for nearly 3 weeks? I'm very confused :S

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Thanks for the responses, but I have already checked the config file and the database settings in the BO, and they both point to my old database, which according to my host has been deleted... The reason I am going on and on about this is because my host tells me I should get a new database, and I'm wondering : if it ain't broke, why fix it? If the website works apparantly without a database, why would I buy one?

2 Ruilong- if it is a database that I don't know about, how could my store be using it? By what process could someone else's database details have been put into my config file? No one has access to the website BO or any files except me...

To be honest I am very new to databases and website creation in general, and it is possible that I have just really confused myself, but I have described the problem to my host and on this forum and have not had it satisfactorily explained...

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PrestaShop can NOT work without a database.
We are not on your site, so we can't explain what happens. If datas you submit and modifiy are saved, so there is a database somewhere. No alternative.

If your host can't explain this, so this is really worrying...

And a problem you'll meet is to back up your database. Backups are really important when managing an e-store. So, you should really understand what happens. But we can't explain you more than that as we are not your host.
But according to what you say, THERE IS a database.

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