if you want to update / migrate to new version: i would use the live-update over backup-old-version and restore-on-new-version.

But test this first on a local php xdebug test-server! (manually ftp / mysql copy all files / databases to your local installation, don’t forget to change we database-access inside:

webEdition/we/include/conf/we_conf.inc.php

credentials or your local test-server will use the original remote and online-live-database!)

webEdition live update

to backup a webEdition installation you simply klick on File/Datei->Backup->create Backup/Backup erstellen…

webEdition backup

 

It can also backup bigger installations (my last backup was 190MB in gziped size!)

If the backup becomes too large (binary files) you can uncheck the “backup binaries” checkbox under Backup-Options and manually FTP backup binary files (e.g. pdfs) stored in /webEdition/site

webEdition backup without binaries

also make shure to check this checkbox (download backup to local computer) or your backup will only be saved on the server in the directory /webEdition/we_backup/data/

This is also the folder where you can FTP-Upload backups to restore them on fresh/new webEdition installations.

webEdition backup download to local computer

According to their book, restoring backups of old version on newer versions should not be a problem and should (!!!!!!) work without altering the templates.

BUT (!!!!!) when i tried this the rebuild “hangs” at 23%.

One problem was that there were php short open tags like this “<? ” and like that “<?//”

The old parser (prior to 6.3) and most servers don’t care about this… but it can cause problems, replace these tags with the long open tag “<?php”.

My advice is: FTP-download / phpmyadmin-mysql-dumb the whole webEdition installation that you want to update to a local php xdebug test-server  like an

VirtualBox Linux XDebug PDT LAMP-Stack test server (like one you can download here (upload speeds suck in germany sry for that))

PDT + XDebug lets you search and replace the whole webEdition installation (all templates) for short-open tags.

search for short open tags

The php xdebug test-server also allows you to

1. turn php errors on in php.ini (will be shown directly in the browser) or will be logged to php_error.log file.

2. to step debug all php files inside /var/www (web-root for lighttpd) which can show you “where it hangs” where php throws an error and interrupts execution because e.g. a required(file.php); include(file.php); was not found (this is where the webEdition rebuild hangs/stops/chokes!)

3. virtualbox allows you to snapshot the whole thing at any given step – and roll back the snapshot with a few mouse clicks. very handy if you are unsure if the next step takes you to your goal or away from it.

It’s not an easy peasy process… but i managed to successfully migrate a 6.2.7 webEdition installation to the latest 6.3.8 (latest in 03.2014) this way.

On chrome / sware iron you may get a “Page(s) Unresponsive” during backup – you can / need to safely click on wait… until the backup/download process is done:

sware iron unresponsive pages

 

I really like that atari-stlye “your computer is sick of the cold and needs a scarf” Logo 😀

your computer is sick

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