Step by Step Guide - 1.2.5.0 to 1.3

[abetts]

From the last stable release to the new stable release, can someone please post a step by step guide.

My previous experience of upgrades of Prestashop hasn't been great!

Thanks.

[pb4sc]

Hi,
It is pretty hard, but it can be done. Using WAMP, I did some practice runs on a local host. Follow the Wiki update guide to the letter. (Look under Wiki, and install and update guide)

The couple of issues I had were....

1. Transfering of the img/p folder. This is the folder where all the product images are stored. For some reason, Filezilla did not transfer all the files. So when I did the upgrade, alot of my products images were missing. The second time I used my cpanel to transfer the files, and it got them all.

2. Before you transfer files disable any custom theme, and make sure you have the original prestashop theme active. Follow the wiki directions for transfering your custom theme to the upgrade.

3. Any modules that you added, disable them also. The original modules are OK to leave active, but any add on's I would recommend disabling them before doing the upgrade.

4. Do not transfer the whole module folder, but only the modules you added. (I did not read the wiki well enough and transfered the whole folder, and got a module error when going into the BO module area)

5. It seems that the upgrade makes a change to the database, so make sure you have the old database, and not a upgraded changed database. For example. I did the upgrade where the images did not work. I tried to upgrade again, but did not reload the old database. The upgrade failed. The third time, I deleted the database, then uploaded the old database. The third time was the charm and the upgrade worked.

Practice on a localhost. It took awhile, but I finally got it down.

Hope my trials and tribulations helps you and others

pb4sc

[abetts]

Thanks, that's good advice.

Is it just me or are the current 37,000+ shops using Prestashop going to have to struggle with this upgrade. I understand the principle behind Prestashop but expected the upgrade to be incorporated in such a major release, it's shocking that it's such hard work.

[pb4sc]

I agree, I hope the upgrade process is something the developers work on. I do recommend doing the upgrade though. I had version 1 and it got hacked. It is vulnerable to XXS. Still even with the upgrade hassles, Prestashop is a great ecommerce software. My clients are not very tech savvy, but once it is up, they pretty much can handle everything. Even my kid is now building sites for people. I also think that it is only going to get better with time.

pb4sc

[torsdag]

Thanks, that's good advice.

Is it just me or are the current 37,000+ shops using Prestashop going to have to struggle with this upgrade. I understand the principle behind Prestashop but expected the upgrade to be incorporated in such a major release, it's shocking that it's such hard work.

I agreee with you 120%. I have over 10 years of experience as a developer and this upgrade process is about the crappiest I've ever seen. Have these guys EVER had a look at what Wordpress is acomplishing? It's 2010 for christ's sake.

[MikeMc68]

Agreed, why not a simple update button like Wordpress.

[abetts]

To be honest, I'm sticking with 1.2.5 until there's an easy upgrade route.

I can't risk causing problems which may take hours and hours to solve. I'd rather upload a bunch of files, navigate to an install folder and click next a few times like almost every other software package (open source and paid!)

[rocky]

You already can do that with PrestaShop. Just upload all the PrestaShop v1.3 files (except the ones you modified like modules/editorial/editorial.xml and img/logo.jpg), then run the installer and choose the "Update" option to upgrade your database while preserving your existing data. If you've only modified the theme and added modules, then this should be easy. It is only if you've modified core files or installed modules like one-page-checkout that upgrading becomes complicated.

[gray]

Is it more feasible to do a new v1.3 install and then copy over your template files.

But then how do you get the database imported ??

[rocky]

That's why it is easier to choose the "Update" option than doing a clean install, since it automatically converts your database from v1.2.5 format to v1.3 format. To manually copy data from a v1.2.5 database into a v1.3 database is more difficult.

[MikeMc68]

Rocky would you mind posting a step by step guide for the less techy of us please. Thanks.

[rocky]

I'll try to write an installation guide and add it to my website. There is lots of information on the forums, though it is scattered everywhere. Does this topic help much?

[MikeMc68]

Those instructions are OK but still presume a lot of knowledge on behalf of the person upgrading. A simple UPGRADE button like Wordpress that does the lot would help sooo much. As there isn't one, a simple, step0by-step guide that explains EVERYTHING would be a massive help. Thanks.

[rocky]

I've started writing a PrestaShop installation guide here. It is far from complete, but I've finished all the images. I'll continue to add more content when I have time. Let me know what you think of the format and whether you have any ideas for content.

[PS User]

Well, due to many questions and problems on upgrading issue, can you please just let us know, is it possible, or is it/can it be done as the following:

Extract the 1.3.10 zip file, then, copy all the contents WITHIN the folder prestashop (NOT the folder prestashop itself) and OVERWRITE the contents within the OLD prestashop folder?

I believe, honestly, there is an English language issue that causing people don't understand how to upgrade the PrestaShop version...

[PS User]

People keep using the word "install" and/or "add" that's causing other people to think otherwise...

[rocky]

Yes, that's what I do. Overwrite the files in your existing installation (after backing up, of course) with the new ones, but don't overwrite img/logo.jpg, img/favicon.ico, modules/editorial/editorial.xml, modules/editorial/homepage_logo.jpg or the default images, otherwise you'll lose some of your existing content on your website. If you've modified the English, French or Spanish translations, you shouldn't overwrite them either, though you'll need to revise your translations, since some of the strings will have changed. Then run the installer and choose the "Update" option.

The instructions on the wiki make it sound like you should copy all the new files into a separate directory, but then you are missing config/settings.inc.php and so you can't choose the "Update" option. Also, if you then copy config/settings.inc.php to other directory, the "PS directory" will be wrong, causing all paths to be broken when you upgrade.

[PS User]

Now THAT'S what I called good English and good instructions! I keep telling people that basically the upgrade instruction within the PrestaShop is dead wrong and people won't listen, seriously, we need people like you who are professional and good in English to do the translations!

Thank you
-Tyler

[PS User]

Now, problem, the front office is "blank" screen after the upgrade. Permission problem or what?

Thanks again in advance for the assistance. Greatly appreciated.

[rocky]

Check your PHP errorlog for an error message, or edit config/config.inc.php and temporarily change 'display_errors' from 'off' to 'on' so you get an error message instead of a blank screen. Post the error message here.

[PS User]

This is what I got...

Warning: require_once(/home/vol12/verwalten.ch/useri_5347437/htdocs/clsoftwaredistro/tools/smarty/internals/core.write_compiled_resource.php) [function.require-once]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/vol12/verwalten.ch/useri_5347437/htdocs/clsoftwaredistro/tools/smarty/Smarty.class.php on line 1433

Fatal error: require_once() [function.require]: Failed opening required '/home/vol12/verwalten.ch/useri_5347437/htdocs/clsoftwaredistro/tools/smarty/internals/core.write_compiled_resource.php' (include_path='.') in /home/vol12/verwalten.ch/useri_5347437/htdocs/clsoftwaredistro/tools/smarty/Smarty.class.php on line 1433

Thanks in advance...

[rocky]

Make sure that tools/smarty/internals/core.write_compiled_resource.php exists on your server and that it has the appropriate permissions.

[PS User]

Now I've jsut copied the missing files from the old site 1.2.5.0 to 1.3.10 and now I only got the PrestaShop logo...

[rocky]

Copying core files from PrestaShop v1.2.5 into PrestaShop v1.3 is not a good idea. Can you copy the files from the PrestaShop v1.3.0.10 archive instead?

[ysco]

Hello Rocky,

Thanks for the guide you made.
I have a different problem, i have done a clean install and imported the database from 1.2.4.
I have a problem with COD and iDeal when i place a order and finalize the order where the payment is i will get the error ( Order Creation Failed ) Zerlag told me that the database structure from 1.3 is different then the database 1.2.4 and that this probably give me those errors.
How can i make sure that the database 1.2.4 can be imported or changed so that it works correct with 1.3 final ?
I imported the database true Cpanel / PHP admin.
Hope you can give me advise on this one.

Best regards,

ysco..

[lp.boe]

Thanks alot for clarifying this rocky! Once again you shine light upon what might have turned into hellmarish-allnighters-of-coding, hehe. HUGE exclamationmark that we're all getting this info from you though. In the forums. This kind of thing usually is, and absolutely should be, blown up out of proportions all over the frontpage.

*Votes rocky for Community Correspondance Prez*

[mytheory.]

You already can do that with PrestaShop. Just upload all the PrestaShop v1.3 files (except the ones you modified like modules/editorial/editorial.xml and img/logo.jpg), then run the installer and choose the "Update" option to upgrade your database while preserving your existing data. If you've only modified the theme and added modules, then this should be easy. It is only if you've modified core files or installed modules like one-page-checkout that upgrading becomes complicated.

So if I have made changes to the core files... do I just overwrite them with the new ones from 1.3, and then re-modify them after the upgrade? Or do I NOT overwrite them (like your examples of editorial.xml and logo.jpg) when copying the new files to the existing (1.2.5) directory?

Also, I also using One Page Checkout... the new version is 1.3 compatible, so prior to the upgrade I can just uninstall the module and reinstall it after the upgrade is complete, right? The module changes to some of the core files, it changes existing (default) files to a file with a opbak extension, and place's its version in its place... but when you uninstall the module it reverts back to the original files (opbak).

Also, for the modules... is it best to uninstall all the "extra" modules prior to the upgrade? By extra I mean different, third party ones, that were not included as part of the default PS 1.2.5 install. What about the "default" modules that I modified... overwrite them and remodify them? Or not overwrite them and just keep them as is for the upgrade?

Thanks!

[rocky]

You should keep a log of the changes you've made, then overwrite your files with the ones from v1.3.1, then redo any of the changes you made.