Upgrading to latest version

Is it possible to upgrade from v 1.6.1 to 1.8.16 in one step? I.e. is there a need to go up in increments e.g. 1.6 to 1.7 & then 1.8 etc. or is it OK to go from my current 1,6.1 version by upgrading to the latest 1.8.16 version?

Thanks,

G.

  • Thanks Steve. That helps! I'll just wait for confirmation that I can leap a few versions without too much danger, & then I'll get stuck in (fingers crossed).

    Thanks again,

    G.

  • I'm not sure there's a huge number of people who've done such an upgrade, so if you've got a backup sorted out just go for it and report back!

  • @Matt I did an upgrade from 1.7 to 1.7.16 and it gave me errors. I had to upgrade to 1.7.10 first, then to the latest.

    Rodolfo Hernandez

    Arvixe/Elgg Community Liaison

  • Hmmm - I feel a bit nervous now! I need to get a cast iron insurance policy before I attempt it. Will someone give me DETAILED instruction on the backup & restore process? I know everyone says "backup code, database, data directory", but as this is my first attempt at a backup I need to be sure of what to backup, where the directories are and how best to do it.

    A little bit of help with pointers, in doing this would be greatly appreciated. My other anxiety is, will the site look & feel the same? I'm using the old Buddy Talk template - will that work the same in 1.8 as it does in 1.6.1? The author of the original Buddy Talk is no longer contactable, or at least I can't track her down.

    You can view the current site at: http://gardenerschat-shed.net/

    Thanks,

    G.

  • Your cast-iron insurance policy is doing the upgrade on a test server first, fixing any problems, then migrating it to production.

    We can't tell you which specific directories to back up as they can be different between installations/servers.  Look in your elgg settings for the path and the data directory - those are the two directories you need to back up.  Easiest way is to zip them from the command line.

    The database can be dumped with mysqldump - or phpmyadmin if it's not too big.

    http://docs.elgg.org/wiki/Duplicate_Installation

     

    Try a one-step upgrade first as that is theoretically possible, let us know how it goes

  • I will! THANKS Matt.

    Excellent documentation link. I've copied the contents & saved it for a bit of bed-time reading!

    The fog is clearing slowly! I'm sure this duplicate installation method is the 'insurance policy' I was after. It makes good sense to have a test bed site. It also helps to learn the finer intricacies of how it's all put together. It won't go on a seperate server but in a dark little corner within an unused sub domain on the same server.

    Still don't know if the theme I use in 1.6.1 will work with later versions of the engine. A job for the test bed! (Unless anyone knows the whereabouts of the BuddyTalk author!).

    I really appreciate your help fellas!

    G.

  • It's nearly impossible that you theme will continue to work on Elgg 1.8. Most likely you will need to completely rewrite the theme plugin. Maybe it's even easier to take an existing Elgg 1.8 theme as starting point and modify it to reflect the look and feel of the BuddyTalk theme.

    Depending on what other 3rd party plugins you use you will need to upgrade them more or less to continue to work on Elgg 1.8. The test site is the place to find this out. I would suggest to thoroughly test all 3rd party plugins. Check out if Elgg 1.8 version of the plugin you use are available. If you made you own custom modifications to plugins it might be easier to add these modifications again in an already existing Elgg 1.8 version of such a plugin instead or porting the plugin completely on your own.

    Don't expect the upgrade of your site to Elgg 1.8 to be a quick job. If you would only use the bundled plugins and the default theme this would be true. But with a custom theme and 3rd party plugins the job gets more complicated. Elgg 1.8 changed quite a lot on the front-site / theme side. Therefore, you need suitable versions of all additional plugins and your theme first before starting the upgrade process of your site. Otherwise, you will be stuck with a site that will work with the bundled plugin but not with any additional plugins enabled.

  • I now feel depressed! :-(