[Split] Upgrading/Updating and extensions

[WWu777]

Thanks for all your help everyone.

I got another question. I'm about to upgrade to 3.3 now and I was wondering:

1. Do I need to deactivate all styles and themes besides prosilver, before the upgrade? I am using the automated update package method. Not the manual method.

2. When I update the styles with the 3.3 compatible versions, so I just upload the files and overwrite them? Is there a way to merge the changes? Otherwise, since my style files contain edits and ad codes, I'll have to make the same edits in the updated versions as well right? Is that the only way?

Thanks again.

[warmweer]

1. Do I need to deactivate all styles and themes besides prosilver, before the upgrade? I am using the automated update package method. Not the manual method.

You should follow the instructions from Upgrading from 3.2 to 3.3
If you do want to use the update then test it on a copy first, but I can almost guarantee there will be errors as this is an upgrade and your edits were specifically for 3.2.

2. When I update the styles with the 3.3 compatible versions, so I just upload the files and overwrite them? Is there a way to merge the changes? Otherwise, since my style files contain edits and ad codes, I'll have to make the same edits in the updated versions as well right? Is that the only way?

No, it's not the only way. File edits can be transferred with diffing but again there is no guarantee these will still be functional in 3.3.

In the end it's you who decides how to upgrade, but just reading the support topics, it should be clear that there are more failed upgrades than successful upgrades using the autoupdate.

[WWu777]

But I thought the auto update package was designed for those who have file edits? Are you saying the jump from 3.2 to 3.3 is bigger since the code in 3.3 is completely different? The auto update package was designed merge all that right? That's what it say son the download page.

[warmweer]

But I thought the auto update package was designed for those who have file edits? Are you saying the jump from 3.2 to 3.3 is bigger since the code in 3.3 is completely different? The auto update package was designed merge all that right? That's what it say son the download page.

There's also something else on the download page

Code: Select all

[ Automatic Update Package ]

If updating from phpBB 3.1.x or 3.2.x then please see our guide for the recommended updating method.

That message isn't there for the Patch files, but there is

Code: Select all

This update package provides .patch files containing changes made from previous versions of phpBB. This package should only be used if you are familiar and confident with patching.

I read this as: use at your own risk and in case of problems: you did agree that you were confident, so you should be able to fix the problems yourself.

Final point: autoupdate or patching tries to keep previous edits which is fine when staying within the same major version (and only performing minor version updates). But an upgrade is moving to a higher major version, implying code changes are more drastic and the code for a lower version is more likely to NOT be compatible anymore.

[WWu777]

But I thought the auto update package was designed for those who have file edits? Are you saying the jump from 3.2 to 3.3 is bigger since the code in 3.3 is completely different? The auto update package was designed merge all that right? That's what it say son the download page.

There's also something else on the download page

Code: Select all

[ Automatic Update Package ]

If updating from phpBB 3.1.x or 3.2.x then please see our guide for the recommended updating method.

I clicked on that and got here:

https://www.phpbb.com/support/docs/en/3 ... upgrade32/

Upgrading from 3.2 to 3.3

Upgrading to phpBB 3.3 may cause some styles and extensions to no longer work. If you have a custom logo, it might need to be redone after the upgrade. See Knowledge Base: How to Change your Board Logo.

phpBB 3.3 should be backwards compatible with 3.2, however some extensions and custom edits may no longer work. The easiest upgrade method is to remove all existing files prior to upgrading and re-applying custom changes after verifying their correctness.

Are you saying I should delete all files and upload a full version of 3.3 with all changes made in 3.3? That would take a very long time, much longer than the quick automatic update package. Why would you suggest that? The common wisdom here is that automatic update is best right?

[david63]

Are you saying I should delete all files and upload a full version of 3.3 with all changes made in 3.3?

That is the recommended procedure which has been tried and tested many hundreds, if not thousands, of times and is known to work.

At the end of the day it is your board and you can do the upgrade whichever way way you want and just as long as you have all the appropriate backups that you can restore when it goes wrong then you will be OK!

[WWu777]

But that will take many hours. I don't have time for that. Why not the automatic update package? It usually works. Also if the automatic update doesn't work then why is it available on the official download page as the option for those who have changed some of the core files?

[Mick]

You’re performing an UPGRADE not an UPDATE so the ‘auto-UPDATE’ method is irrelevant. Making ‘mods’ and core code changes has not been recommended and even discouraged for many years hence the development of extensions. You are, of course, allowed to do as you wish with your board but with that comes a caveat. If you want to upgrade using the ‘auto-updater‘ feel free but make sure you have everything backed up properly in the first place.

[WWu777]

What's the difference between and upgrade and update? How is this update or upgrade different from past updates or upgrades? Isn't it just semantics?

Ok well I finished the update process. It says everything went ok, but I can't access my forum. It comes up with a 500 page error.

This page isn’t working www.happierabroad.com is currently unable to handle this request.
HTTP ERROR 500

But when I try the update or check files again, it says this:

Your version is up to date. There is no need to run the update tool. If you want to make an integrity check on your files make sure you uploaded the correct update files.

What's going on? Why won't anything load?

[Mick]

What's the difference between and upgrade and update? How is this update or upgrade different from past updates or upgrades? Isn't it just semantics?

Yes, of course there are semantics involved but those semantics actually mean something:

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 - Upgrade guide

[WWu777]

The upgrade guide says:

phpBB 3.3 should be backwards compatible with 3.2

So in theory it should be compatible right? That's why the auto update tool is available to the public for this upgrade. If it didn't work, why allow it then? That confuses everyone.

Also when I upgraded from 3.1 to 3.2 I also used the automatic update package and it worked ok.

[Mick]

It actually says:

phpBB 3.3 should be backwards compatible with 3.2, however some extensions and custom edits may no longer work. The easiest upgrade method is to remove all existing files prior to upgrading and re-applying custom changes after verifying their correctness.

[WWu777]

But I already removed the edits that conflicted or weren't compatible that were marked in red. So all conflicts that it listed should have been resolved. Even so, why is the forum coming up now with a blank page and a 500 http error?

[Mick]

A blank page is often indicative of a suppressed PHP error which should be reported in your server error log.

[warmweer]

Ok well I finished the update process. It says everything went ok.

Well, you said:

The common wisdom here is that automatic update is best right?

And it says everything went ok, so ...

@ the mods, this topic can closed since everything went ok