Migrating elgg to a new server

Can anyone provide pointers for migrating elgg to a new install on another server? I tried using the information found at (http://docs.elgg.org/wiki/How_do_I_move_my_site%3F#Search_and_replace_on_database_dump_file) only it doesn't work.

I have tried performing this after setting up a new elgg susyem using the setup Wizard and by editing the settings file directly. In both cases it's almost like elgg ignores these settings and creates new stuff anyway.

Anyone ever done this?

Thanks, John

  • Many people have followed the instructions found in the docs without any problems. I've done it multiple times.

  • Huh, them maybe you can answer this. The docs don't specfiy if you should create a new site, then migrate over, or should you  modify the settings file first before launching the site?

  • Sure the docs do - step 1 is setting up a clean Elgg install on the new server.  You shouldn't have to modify the settings file created by the clean install if you follow the instructions.

  • OK, so since I have followed the directions the only thing I can come up with is that I am missing something on step 3, search and replace. How do you go about doing this effectively. (I have been using Notepad)

    Any pointers on a more bullet-proof way to do this?

    Thanks Cash

  • I've always done it with sed but I guess you are using Windows. For general text/php editing on Windows, I recommend Notepad++.

    Also after you edit the database dump and import it on your new server, you can use phpMyAdmin to check the values. Check your datalist and sites_entity tables. If those aren't correct, you know you did not edit your dump file correctly.

  • Excellent, thank you for the pointers. I will try this now.

  • Cash,

    Thank you for the help! I am hoping I have one final question. As you can probably tell I am Windows minded, this is my first real PHP experience.

    Can you help me decipher the 'dataroot','/home/content/k/i/b/kibbis/html/twg/data/' path?

    I want the data root to be C:/twg_data_pri which is outside of the scope of the elgg system. Any pointers?

     

  • I'm not quite sure what you are asking. If C:\twg_data_pri\ is the new data root path (and notice the trailing slash), you should be able to do a find and replace of '/home/content/k/i/b/kibbis/html/twg/data/' with 'C:\twg_data_pri\' in the database dump.

    If you're concerned about Elgg having access to the C:\twg_data_pri directory, that depends on your php configuration. Some servers are set so that php cannot write outside of the html root for security reasons. That can be changed in php.ini

  • If you've found this helpful, please consider giving back to the project by joining the Elgg Documentation group. We need feedback from users (especially new users) on how the Administration FAQ can be improved. See this thread.

  • I will Cash, it's the least I can do. I plan on being heavily involved in elgg from now and on to the future, it is the backbone on of my new venture.

    Thanks!