Upgrading from version 2.3.3.4 to 2.3.4 is it necessary?

[natkris 0]

Hi, 

 

I was using MS 2,2  for many years. Five months ago I got it upgraded to the latest version, at that time,  2.3.3.4 

 

Now I find the latest version is 2.3.4. Someone please enlighten me, is it really necessary to upgrade my current version 2.3.3.4 to 2.3.4. If so what are the benefits?

 

Is it better to wait until the version 3.0 becomes available?

 

Regards,

 

Nathan

[Praful Kamble 26]

@@natkris

 

Yes, you must have to upgrade your store to latest version to keep your store updated and for security reason.

[♥14steve14 657]

I disagree with the above comment. There is no real need to upgrade if you are happy that your store is working, safe and secure. You may want to check what security updates have been included to see if any of them affect your store, but otherwise there is no need to upgrade. Its really a myth that you need the latest edition. Whilst iot may be ideal to have it, its not really necessary. There are still people using Windows XP even though microsoft have stopped support for it.

 

I also would not spend a lot of time waiting for version 3 to be released. Whilst it will happen, no one can say when it will happen.

[Mort-lemur 178]

@@natkris I agree with @@14steve14 No real need to upgrade, but having said that updating to 2.3.4 does add some cool features like log-in with paypal etc - and the update between the two is not so difficult.

[natkris 0]

I had my doubts about whether upgrade is really necessary that is why I wanted the opinion of  my fellow members.

 

I was using MS 2.2 version for over 6 years without any problems. Only May this year I upgraded to 2.3.3.4 version.

 

Though I value Praful's opinion, I totally agree with Steve's and Heather's opinion. I know about the new feature of  log-in with PayPal which I don't like it. In the current version I am using, I have not activated PayPal Express because I want to give my buyers choice of paying via Bank transfer and Paying by Cheque. In my opinion,  Fast Checkout with PayPal Express is a ploy by PayPal to get buyers to pay via PayPal. I will stick with my current version of osCommerce until the 3.0 version is available. 

 

Thank you very much for you replies.

 

Regards,

 

Nathan     

[burt 5,612]

There are good reasons to keep on top of updates (security, inbuilt addons and so on).

 

1 very good reason for updating:

 

2.3.4 introduces content modules and 2.3.5 will introduce hooks, which is going to be the way that good developers will be able to write quality addons that install with 1 click.

[natkris 0]

Hi Burt,

 

Thanks for your input. I have been using osCom for my store for about 7 years, never had an add-on installed. I always used the inbuilt features that are available. When I downloaded  and installed MS 2.2 version of osCom for the first time, I was able to change the look of the Home Page and other things with the help of the Manual. Now I find the latest version of osCom do not provide a Manual like in the old versions. That's why, I find it difficult to manage the new versions. Now, new versions are made available sooner than in the past, unfortunately they don't come with fully updated Manuals. As a result, from time to time, I have to depend on members for help. It's one of the reasons I prefer to skip new versions.

 

Regards,

 

Nathan

[burt 5,612]

If you got no addons, the update is not more than 10 minutes work.

[natkris 0]

Thanks for your reply Burt.

 

I will consider upgrading early next year. If there are any bugs, they will be fixed by then. 

 

Regards,

 

Nathan

[Jean12 0]

hi  can  somebody helpt me out with my queston , 

 

I am now on  v2.3.3.1

 

 

must i do   al the  steps  MANUALY ?     to   the next upgrade    ? 

 

v2.3.3.2

 

then

 

v2.3.3.3

 

then 

 

v2.3.3.4

 

and latest 

 

v2.3.4

 

 

or can i jump from  my  v2.3.3.1  to  the latest  version  v2.3.4   ? ?    whitout  change my Lay-out template 

 

 

its  many work to do this  manualy ,  

 

 

is there  a change that my  Store  lay-out   (template)   ( change ) ,   if i jump to the latest version,  ?  So can my Lay-out be affected or changed  by this Updates ? 

 

thanks realy  !!

regards Jean 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[burt 5,612]

You must do the steps manually from 231 > 232 > 233 > 233.1 > 233.2 > 233.3 > 233.4 > 234

[♥altoid 153]

I"ve found that by going through the updates I sometimes catch changes that I missed somehow previously, or errors in my own coding etc.  Plus for folks like me, by studying the updates you can get a better grasp of what's going on in the code.

[MrPhil 648]

I will consider upgrading early next year. If there are any bugs, they will be fixed by then.

 

That would be 2.3.4.1 or 2.3.4.2? That would be acceptable. Just don't wait too long -- these things don't come out on any fixed schedule. If there are any serious bugs known, it's generally no more than 30 to 60 days until the next patch.

 

It is a bit of a hassle to keep your store upgraded, but in the long run, you'll be better off. Every day in this forum we see pleas for help from people who never bothered to upgrade from osC 2.2 MS2 (and sometimes earlier). Now their host has upgraded PHP out of the Stone Age, and suddenly their store is very broken. The only advice that we can usually give is to do a fresh install and migrate the data over. If you stay no more than a release or two behind (or maybe no more than a year), you will reap many benefits. These include having up-to-date security fixes, compatibility with recent PHP releases, new features, and (usually) the ability to do a simple upgrade rather than having to do a new install and data migration. Even if you have installed many add-ons or have customized code, the discipline to keep track of what you've done will be imposed upon you, and you will have an easier time upgrading to a new 2.x or 3.x version.

[natkris 0]

Hi,

 

My suggestion is to install the latest version and transfer data from your current store to the latest version. That is what I did following advise from osCom experts. After migration everything looked same except that I had a new version with new features.  In my case migration made easier because I had no templates or add-on installed.

 

Regards,

 

Nathan

[yomama360 0]

... 2.3.4 introduces content modules and 2.3.5 will introduce hooks ...

Any news on when 2.3.5 will be out? 3.0?

What else will be between 2.3.5 and 3.0?

Are these dumb questions?

 

I'm sitting on the ticking time bomb that is 2.2 (MS2). I don't have the time or resources to upgrade. My cart is VERY heavily modded with a lot of customized hack mods I did myself (I'm not really a programmer). Some customized mods I had to pay good money for a programmer to get it working right. There is no cheap/smooth transition option for me, but I can't afford the downtime if it all blows up either.

 

My plan is jump to whatever is the most current option (with good add-ons available) in the next few months. Any suggestions?

[♥multimixer 325]

Any news on when 2.3.5 will be out? 3.0?

What else will be between 2.3.5 and 3.0?

 

 

To be honest, I don't understand the question. Why do you care about version 2.3.5 or about version 3?

 

I don't understand the logic, not to upgrade to the current version because there will be a newer one in the future. There will be always newer versions of anything, after 2.3.5 maybe 2.3.6, or 2.4.8, or 3.2 etc. This won't stop

 

What you do now is to keep using an ancient version and waiting, waiting for what? For version 9.4.3 maybe? I can assure you that it will be great, but today there is version 2.3.4, so, use that

 

Yes, after upgrading there will be a newer version, and so what? You'll keep upgrading, this is a process, there is no version of anything that will keep you up to date for 10 years

[burt 5,612]

Any news on when 2.3.5 will be out? 3.0?

What else will be between 2.3.5 and 3.0?

Are these dumb questions?

 

I'm sitting on the ticking time bomb that is 2.2 (MS2). I don't have the time or resources to upgrade. My cart is VERY heavily modded with a lot of customized hack mods I did myself (I'm not really a programmer). Some customized mods I had to pay good money for a programmer to get it working right. There is no cheap/smooth transition option for me, but I can't afford the downtime if it all blows up either.

 

My plan is jump to whatever is the most current option (with good add-ons available) in the next few months. Any suggestions?

 

They will be released when they are ready.   Whether you upgrade now or whether you upgrade tomorrow, or whether you upgrade in a years time, you'll use the same tired old excuses not to do it.

 

At some point your ancient site will self implode - at that point you'll be wondering why you did not take the time (or spend the money) to upgrade, and punch yourself in the balls.

[♥14steve14 657]

@@yomama360

 

This may seem to be a silly question, but why have you not previously upgraded your store to use newer software? I bet your computer and mobile phones are recently releases and updated regularly, so why not your store. If its selling items you have money to re-invest as you would if you had a bricks and mortar store and it wanted updating, refitting or what ever.

 

I would stop worrying about future releases and concentrate on what is currently available. OScommerce version three has been in the pipeline for years and will remain there until it is ready, stable and released. It may never happen as plans change, so dont wait for it. Make the most of what is currently available and maybe in 7 or 8 years you can upgrade again.

[yomama360 0]

Thank you for your feedback.

Basically I'm a small (like 1.5 man shop) working 70 hrs a week trying to keep all the day to day afloat. Considering all the custom code on my site I simply do not have the time to upgrade every few months or so when a new version comes out. I have a feeling a lot of us are in this boat. Especially considering my programming skills are limited. So I've been trying to hold out for as long as possible. But I have a feeling my time is soon at an end.
 

 

...and punch yourself in the balls.

Yes, this is my concern. I like for my balls to remain unpunched.

 

 

Mainly I was wondering if anything cool is coming just over the version horizon. I really need to get my site responsive. I see there are some mods for that for 2.3. I assume it's a pretty major code overhaul though.

A couple of questions then:
1) I gather the best thing for me to do is a clean install of the latest version and then migrate my DB, and mods over and do some redesign. Would this be the recommendation? (and then spend the next forever in troubleshooting hell).

2) How different are the functions, variables, MySQL calls, etc.. from 2.2? Some community add-ons have a 2.3 equivalent, which is nice, but what are the odds that some of my custom modifications will work with minor tweaking?

 

3) SEO. I've had the site running since 2006, so I'm well indexed. If I do a totally clean install won't this rearrange my product page URLs? Product IDs etc...
Is there a way to avoid this?

 

Again, big thank you in advance.

@burt I understand you do work for hire. Dare I ask your rates?

[♥joli1811 171]

To jump into an update means simply you install a 2.3 .4 in a development folder on your server and START to upgrade

 

When you get stuck that is the time to ask questions

 

asking for quotes can be done in the Commercial Support Enquiries section

 

So reckon if you ask there you will get enough quotes not  allowed to give commercial answers on the open forum

 

Now the biggest question you have to ask is responsive or not responsive

 

Responsive  will be more work as it is relatively new but guess any serious business owner should have that as a must do especially as you are upgrading anyway !!

 

If you are lucky enugh to get Burt to do the  work well it will work simple.

 

Regards

Joli

[burt 5,612]

Mainly I was wondering if anything cool is coming just over the version horizon. I really need to get my site responsive. I see there are some mods for that for 2.3. I assume it's a pretty major code overhaul though.

There is already available a responsive version, built by the community.

 

A couple of questions then:

1) I gather the best thing for me to do is a clean install of the latest version and then migrate my DB, and mods over and do some redesign. Would this be the recommendation? (and then spend the next forever in troubleshooting hell).

Yes.

 

2) How different are the functions, variables, MySQL calls, etc.. from 2.2? Some community add-ons have a 2.3 equivalent, which is nice, but what are the odds that some of my custom modifications will work with minor tweaking?

Very high as most older addons were coded incorrectly.

 

3) SEO. I've had the site running since 2006, so I'm well indexed. If I do a totally clean install won't this rearrange my product page URLs? Product IDs etc...

Is there a way to avoid this?

Ensure your SEO Urls dont change.

 

@burt I understand you do work for hire. Dare I ask your rates?

Best is to post your full spec at http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/forum/79-commercial-support-enquiries/ and you'll get a range of quotes from those interested in helping you.

[♥joli1811 171]

SilcareCanada

Thank you for your help. I got it working now. One happy camper. Was sweating profusely. Please give my thanks to Burt.

[npn2531 37]

 

 

1 very good reason for updating:

 

2.3.4 introduces content modules and 2.3.5 will introduce hooks, which is going to be the way that good developers will be able to write quality addons that install with 1 click.

Burt, this caught my attention. Can you go into more detail on content modules, and esp on 'hooks'?  Thanks!

[burt 5,612]

@@npn2531

 

Hooks

http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/topic/397579-hooks-for-oscom-v235/

 

Content Modules

Please install the latest version 2.3.4 which has content modules for login page and checkout_success page and account page.

admin > modules > content > install

Content Modules are an important part of osCommerce's future.

 

Future

If all pages were modularised and hooked imagine how easy it would be for developers to write code that does not touch the core code.  

Which means for Users: Simply upload module(s) - click install - set sort order - done.

 

Now

Let's say I want to build a Login by Facebook.  All I have to do is create it as a "login content" module, as the Login page already has modularity.  No core code changed.

[npn2531 37]

Yes, it would be a tremendous improvement. It is tedious installing contributions, file by file, and once you get several contributions going the next add-on starts to modify modified files.