Test version of my shop

[gcap]

can someone tell me in plain terms how i would set up a test version of my shop - i would imagine it is easy but still learning

[♥mdtaylorlrim]

can someone tell me in plain terms how i would set up a test version of my shop - i would imagine it is easy but still learning

Create a new directory off the root of your site.

Password protect the directory using your cPanel Directory security feature.

Install osC to that directory taking care to use a different database name. You can use the same username and password.

Copy all the files from your working osC installation over the top of your new installation.

Delete the newly created database.

Use phpMyAdmin to copy your existing database to the new database.

 

 

That should do it the easiest way. Before you do it let others tell you what I missed or did wrong. No matter what way you do it there will be caveats. Like, be sure you don't delete the wrong database. Duh..

 

I have never done it this way...so others opinions would be a plus.

[gcap]

Create a new directory off the root of your site.

Password protect the directory using your cPanel Directory security feature.

Install osC to that directory taking care to use a different database name. You can use the same username and password.

Copy all the files from your working osC installation over the top of your new installation.

Delete the newly created database.

Use phpMyAdmin to copy your existing database to the new database.

 

 

That should do it the easiest way. Before you do it let others tell you what I missed or did wrong. No matter what way you do it there will be caveats. Like, be sure you don't delete the wrong database. Duh..

 

I have never done it this way...so others opinions would be a plus.

[gcap]

thanks!!

[♥geoffreywalton]

You could also run a test version on your local pc.

 

Install XAMPP, see url below for download, and then install osc on that.

 

With that installed and frequent refernce to www.w3schools.com it will be amazing how much you can do.

 

HTH

 

G

[♥mdtaylorlrim]

You could also run a test version on your local pc.

 

Install XAMPP, see url below for download, and then install osc on that.

 

With that installed and frequent refernce to www.w3schools.com it will be amazing how much you can do.

 

HTH

 

G

The problem with that is, something always works different on Xampp than it does on the production server, and, we spend an awful lot of time answering support questions about XAMPP. I won't even attempt to help anyone using XAMPP... maybe that's wrong of me, but I see time spent on XAMPP as wasted.

 

But, that's just my opinion.

[MrPhil]

I see time spent on XAMPP as wasted.

Yeah, I have to mostly agree. People who are not top-notch programmers should not be fooling around with XAMPP, WAMPP, LAMPP, etc. local installations. First, it takes more skills that working with a commercial hosting service, where someone else takes care of installing and running the server itself. Second, as stated, there are usually enough differences in the configuration that when you move over to a real server, you have to largely start over. There's really no advantage to making a local installation (as opposed to a hidden installation on the server), unless you're in the habit of getting into infinite loops and you've disabled process time limits!

[♥geoffreywalton]

Hmmm, interesting.

 

Apart from redirects in htaccess not working on windows boxes the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

 

It doesn't take a top notch programmer to install and configure xampp to be used as a local test-bed system (not production).

 

Having a local configuration file in /includes/local and admin/includes/local avoids most of the configuration problems in osc.

 

Two things I make use of are changing between php4 & 5 by simply running a batch file, which is good for those about to upgrade and, after installing svn, keeping copies of sites between installing add-ons. Saved me more times than I want to remember.

 

I prefer to make the mistakes on my local PC rather than on a hidden site on a live server.

 

Still it is horses for courses.

 

HTH

 

G