We have simplified the update instructions here to cover what is needed to upgrade your website. We can also assist with Installation | Update Services should you need this.
Update Instructions
1. Turn your site “off”: In the admin panel, at Site Setup > General Settings, change the setting Site On/Off Switch to off and save the changes.
2. Turn Geo cache off (if currently turned on): In the admin panel, at Site Setup > Cache, change the setting Cache System to off if it is currently on, and save the settings.
3. Create a full DB backup, and a full File backup.
- Be sure to “set aside” any built-in files that you have customised.
- Un-zip the file to your PC.
- Upload the files to your site.
- Run the update script on your site at yoursite.com/upgrade/index.php.
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7. Turn your site “on”: In the admin panel, at Site Setup > General Settings, change the setting Site On/Off Switch to on and save the changes.
8. If you wish, turn Geo cache “on”: In the admin panel, at Site Setup > Cache change the setting Cache System to on, and save the settings.
9. Delete the upgrade/ directory folder (with its contents) if you have not already.
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Are you worried you will have to re-apply your settings? Or wondering if your site design will be reset when you update? Below we answer some of the most asked questions about what an update will affect.
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[Not Changed] : Most existing settings set in the admin pane (2)
[Sometimes Changed] : BETA settings (3)
[Not Changed] : Existing Users
[Not Changed] : Existing user groups/price plans, and category specific pricing.
[Not Changed] : Categories & any category specific settings.
[Not Changed] : Existing Listings are left intact
[Not Changed] : Existing Module settings (4)
[Not Changed] : Extra Page contents under Pages Management > Extra Pages
[Not Changed] : Logged In/Out HTML Module Contents as set in admin panel.
[Not Changed] : Existing text placed within the “mainbody” of the system. Any extra languages or translations to the text within the system is not changed. But note that almost every version update adds new text to the system. This new text is added to all languages currently in the system but is not translated within any “non-English” languages. You may need to go through the language export to find any added text and translate it there. Any new text added to the system will be at the end of the export.
[Changed] : Template files in the default template set under geo_templates/ directory. This will not be an issue if you did not overwrite any of the files in the default template set, like it instructs in this user manual.
[Not Changed] : Template files in a custom template set under geo_templates/ directory. (5)
[Changed] : Images in the default template set under geo_templates/ directory. This will not be an issue if you did not overwrite any of the files in the default template set, like it instructs in this user manual.
[Not Changed] : Images in a custom template set under geo_templates/ directory.
[Changed] : PHP files (6)
For anything not in that list, the general rule of thumb is this: If it is a file, it will most likely get over-written in an update. If it is something you change in the admin panel, it will most likely not change in an update.
Version Release Numbers
History of naming conventions:
Geodesic Solutions, went through different policies as far as how to name a release. Beginning with 3.0.0, they started a standardized method for the version numbers, to make it easy to know the nature of a new version just by looking at the release number. Below are the latest release naming policies. Note that these may change over time, so a “beta” release may have meant something different for a release in the past than what is defined below.
The Number
Each normal version will have 3 numbers in it, separated by dots, for instance 5.6.7. For the sake of illustration, below uses a made-up version, 5.6.7. This is what each part of the number signifies:
5.6.7: what the numbers mean:
5 (first number)- Major feature release - If this number changes, it signifies major changes in the software. Upgrading to a new major release is only recommended if you want one of the features listed in the new version. If you have highly “customised” code, keep in mind it will be a lot of work to re-do all of the changes on the new version. Upgrading may require additional steps that the upgrade script is not able to do automatically for one reason or another. It is especially important that you have backed up your existing database and files before you start (7). For example, for version 6.0.0 the change to use 6 was mainly because the 3rd party library Smarty was updated to a new version, that could potentially break a lot of custom designs, and for some it would require adjustments to templates to continue to work correctly.
6 (second number) - Minor feature release - Think of this as a “stair-step feature release”. If this number changes, it means the release will have new features. To decide if you want to upgrade, read the changelog for the new version. If any of the new features sound like something you want to use, then get the upgrade. Most likely updates will be very easy, and usually not require many extra steps beyond the normal update instructions.
7 (third number) - Maintenance Release - If this number changes, it means the release will have “bug fixes” and/or changes to make the software works under new circumstances (as an example, a while back Authorize.net changed something so that transactions failed, so we released a new maintenance release to accommodate the changes). Upgrading the software for a maintenance release is always recommended if it fixes anything that affects your installation. To find if you should update, read the changelog for the release, and if any of the changes fix something that applies to your installation, then do the update. These updates will usually be the easiest, but as always, make sure to back up your current files and database and follow the rest of the normal update procedures.
Special Releases
Sometimes you will see a release that looks like 4.2RC1 or 6.5beta1, these are “special” releases. Typically, a special release will only be made for major or minor feature releases, not for maintenance releases (see above). As such, many times the 3rd number is omitted, so that the “special” part of the version replaces the 3rd number. For example, 6.5beta1 rather than 6.5.0beta1.
Across the net, the terms may hold different meanings. Below is what each of them mean for Geocoremax Product releases:
Release Candidates
RC1 This signifies Release Candidate 1. It means we have done all the internal testing, and are ready to release the software, but are first releasing it to anyone interested in “trying it out”. Typically we will only have Release Candidates on major feature releases, but we might sometimes also have them on minor feature releases too. We especially do this if there is some reason that a particular release has a “high chance” of causing problems. If anyone finds a bug in a release candidate that was not caught in the internal testing, we will fix the bug, do all the internal testing again, and then release a second Release Candidate. Once a release candidate has been out for a long enough time, with no bugs found, we make the final (non-special) release.
Preview Releases
pre1 - Signifies Preview Release 1 - We rarely use this one. This is a release intended primarily for 3rd party developers, to give them a preview, or a “head start” on making sure their addons or code modifications are compatible with the next release. The “state” of the software for a preview release will vary, but typically the release will be considered “unstable”, since it is being released sometimes weeks or months before the normal release, and should not be used in a live environment.
Beta Releases
beta1 - Signifies Beta Release 1 - This is a beta release, for testing or feedback purposes, usually to test or get feedback on a specific feature or set of features. This is the most “common” type of special release.
Beta releases are not for everyone. It is provided for anyone that has the time and desire to try out new features we are working on and give feedback. They are not suitable for everyone, if you do not have the time or desire to do the extra work required to try out a beta version, we recommend to not use it. The point is that these are here as an added service for those that wish to use it, no one is forced to use a beta version.
A beta release may not be as stable as the normal releases. We do not recommend it to be used on a live site, at least not until you have tested it for yourself on a test location. The Geocoremax license is able to be installed on 2 locations, one for your live site and one for testing purposes so that you can create a test installation to try things out if you wish. If you do not have a test installation yet, you can find instructions for creating one using the Installation Migration guide.
These are available to anyone with GeoCore Classifieds, GeoCore Auctions, or GeoCoreMax, and have a current download access. If you aren't sure, just try to download the beta version, if it allows you to download then you have current access.
In the admin on the home page, where it lists the latest version available, beta releases will have their own checks and will show if there is a new beta version. When using a “normal” release, the latest version displayed will always be the latest “normal” release (non-beta release).
Troubleshooting
Progress data in database is corrupt error message.
Problem: When running the update, you get the following error displayed:
Code: Select all
Internal Critical Error (265):Progress data in database is corrupt (entries in `geodesic_upgrade_progress` do not match upgrades array). Please contact Geocoremax Support.Solution:
In 4.1.2 and above: In your browser, go to upgrade/index.php?resetProgress=1 - for example, if the software was installed at the location example.com, the URL you would go to: example.com/upgrade/index.php?resetProgress=1.
Or, remove the tables geodesic_upgrade_progress and geodesic_upgrade_queries using PHPMyAdmin.
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1) This is not typical, which is why it is not part of the quick update instructions, or even the full update instructions. If you have customised system, module, or addon templates, you should know already, this is just a reminder.
2) Note that there may be new settings you may need to attend to, but for the most part your existing settings will not be altered in an update. Also note that sometimes settings just go away, for instance if one feature is replaced by another, which can happen in feature releases.
3) Beta settings are beta for a reason. Any beta setting may become obsolete or not used any more, or we may move the setting to a “normal” page and keep the existing setting. If you use any of the beta settings, be sure to check the release notes as we will usually make a note of it when something like that happens.
4) But note that there are sometimes new modules added.
5) While they are not changed, if you have customised module or system templates, see Geocoremax Updates & Customised Templates about update procedures we recommend following in such a case.
6) If you have customised any PHP files, those customisations will be over-written any time you update the software. That is why we encourage developers to use the addon system so that no changes are needed to the “core PHP files” and updates are a lot easier because of it.
7) Although this is something you “should be” doing for every update!