Automatic Update from 3.2.8 to 3.3.0 = is it possible?

[cecofuli]

Hello,

sorry for my stupid question but I'm a newbie and I don't want to to destroy my small forum.

My forum is very simple, with a custom theme (CleanSilver) and a three extensions

• Advanced BBCode Box 3.2.1
  Collapsible Forum Categories.
  Forum Icons v1.0.3

Plus the ITA language package

These are some infos:

database: 20.2 MiB
PHP: 7.1.33
PhpBB: 3.2.8

If I remember, I used the Automatic Update feature from 3.2.3 -> 3.2.4 -> ... 3.2.8
Can I use the same method for the v3.3.0 update?

thank you

[cecofuli]

Ok...
I did it and it seems to work fine.. Cross the fingers!!

[warmweer]

Ok...
I did it and it seems to work fine.. Cross the fingers!!

The terminology you used is correct : it seems to work fine.
3.2.8 to 3.3.0 is an upGRADE and the upgrade instructions are in Upgrading from 3.2 to 3.3
The automatic update is not recommended for an upgrade.
plus: did you check the extensions and styles before upgrading (compatibility with phpBB 3.3.0)?
If I were you I would restore the backup and then upgrade the correct way.

[cecofuli]

Hi warmweer,

I update also the Style to 3.3.0, the language pack (ITA) and it seems to work.
The three extension are not available for the 3.3.0 but they works.

I can restore the siteground backup I did and come back to 3.2.8, but.. is it really necessary?
Why do we have the Automatic Update package if it's so bad solution?
Maybe it's better to not allow to download it

www.francescolegrenzi.com/forum

It's almost inactive forum, just for fun.

I only had a problem.
the Automatic Update told me to remove these files, and I did it.
However, some files (inside the orange rectangular) don't exist on my server...

Is it a big problem?

[warmweer]

I only had a problem.
the Automatic Update told me to remove these files, and I did it.
However, some files (inside the orange rectangular) don't exist on my server...

Is it a big problem?

Probably not since according to the updater they shouldn't be there anyway.

The page https://www.phpbb.com/downloads/3.3/update does mention If updating from phpBB 3.1.x or 3.2.x then please see our guide for the recommended updating method.

[cecofuli]

HI warmweer,

I see the recommended method but, as you can see with your eyes, my forum works.
I tried many different things and everything seems to work.

also I read in this forum -- LINK --- that some people did the 3.3.0 automatic update from 3.2.8 successfully

[janus_zonstraal]

I always use the autoupdate and it works fine, no idea why warmweer is against it
In fact it is easier and faster than the full package method.

[warmweer]

I always use the autoupdate and it works fine, no idea why warmweer is against it
In fact it is easier and faster than the full package method.

I have nothing against the autoupdate, when used when in circumstances which warrant the use.

One of the reasons I would not use the autoupdate is that this is an upGRADE and a lot more files have changed compared to an update, implying there's a lot more file-diffing and no matter how small the probability that something could gone wrong, the more actions, the higher the risk.
Also the recommendations for an upgrade (as instructed in https://www.phpbb.com/support/docs/en/3 ... upgrade32/) include:

Code: Select all

4. Deactivate all styles except for prosilver
5.Deactivate any extensions which are not compatible with phpBB 3.3. Check with the extension author to find out if an extension is compatible or not.
6.Set British English as the only language pack

Then there's the small matter of custom edits, which are not guaranteed to function as expected with an upgrade (neither are they guaranteed to work after an update but in the case of an update, the code changes are a lot smaller and the risk of the code being incompatible is likewise a lot smaller).

[Mick]

I think the main issue is with the semantics:

Going from 3.2.0 > 3.2.6 is a minor UPDATE within the same version.
Going from 3.2.0 > 3.3.0 is a major UPGRADE to a new version.

There is no auto-upgrader.

Looking at the documentation can also cloud the matter as the words ‘update’ and ‘upgrade’ are used incorrectly in a lot of cases and are occasionally used within the same document.

If you search this site you’ll see many problems using the auto-updater for upgrading and, in the main, is fixed by going back to the previous version and using the file replacement method.

IMHO there should be a warning when an upgrade is attempted using the auto-updater:

USING THE UPDATER FOR UPGRADING IS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.

[cecofuli]

Oook...

I restored the Siteground v3.2.8 backup and I UPGRADE to 3.3.0 =) with full installation
Back in the day, I edited some CSS in the prosilver style and I had to remember what I did.
By using the Cpmpare Notepad++ plug-in it was not so complicated.

I don't see any differences, but I think it's better now )

[Swanny]

I used Auto-update to go 3.2.8 to 3.3.0 on 4 of my forums. It is the recommended method of updating your board only in case core phpBB files have been modified. In my case I have modified a few files and took the risk.

The only problem I ran into is that I had to copy the new .htaccess file back over after the upgrade completed "successfully". The upgrade ran fine but when I went to the ACP immediately after I got the 500 Server error message.

I dream of a day when phpBB upgrades will be nearly one-click like Wordpress. Recommending to update all files is possibly more problematic for newbie users.

I've been using phpBB for nearly 19 years now and it has improved so much, but there is always room for improvement. Updates are one of the big areas where things could be smoother.

[AlexandrBu]

Auto-update from 3.2.8 to 3.3.0 worked for me, but all none phpbb extension does not work after update...

[72degrees]

Auto-update from 3.2.8 to 3.3.0 worked for me, but all none phpbb extension does not work after update...

Thanks, that's answered a question I was about to put.

The takeaway from this topic I suppose, is don't neglect updates and tread carefully with upgrades.
I could tell you a horror story about another update.upgrade neglected forum system and a PHP version end-of-life event.

[warmweer]

I used Auto-update to go 3.2.8 to 3.3.0 on 4 of my forums. It is the recommended method of updating your board only in case core phpBB files have been modified. In my case I have modified a few files and took the risk.

As I have mentioned before: custom code which worked on 3.2.x cannot be guaranteed to function as expected (= work) on a 3.3 board.
As long as you stay within the same major version (implicitly performing an upDATE) it's reasonable to expect the code to function as before, but with an upGRADE it's not something to be taken for granted.