Is there an easier way to Upgrade?

I upgraded from 2.0.5 to 2.0.7 using these upgrade instructions: http://rtfm.modx.com/display/revolution20/Upgrading+MODx Overwriting existing files with Filezilla took me over an hour to upload 2,800 files manually not including the setup folder. This was a major chore and was very tedious and time consuming.

Please tell me there is an easier way to upgrade from version to version. This was a nighmare to do manually! Wouldn’t it be better if an upgrade version was released that only offers the upgraded files? I would like some suggestions please. Perhaps I am missing something obvious.

If your host supports it, you can upload the .zip file and unzip it at the host -- infinitely faster.

Some hosts (e.g., Bluehost.com) have a SimpleScripts install for MODx that also does updates. It’s amazingly fast and will even alert you to an update when you log in to cPanel.

Someday, MODx will upgrade itself through Package Manager. It’s on the roadmap.

1. If I upload the zip and unzip on the server, I would be afraid it would mess up the MODx files already in place. Am I wrong? I would think with this option would about be the same as number 2 below.

2. I was thinking of deleting all web files, then uploading the brand new one(which is easily done by dragging the main folders into the window), and just running the update script. That way my database is still intact, but the website has all new pages. I was afraid this might mess something up.

3. If I drop the new folder over the old, it just puts the new version nestled inside of the old folders, which gives the wrong structure. So I cannot drop the new folder on top of the old folder.

4. I have a reseller package at hostgator. What script automatically updates? I want to see if we have it.

I got to say I install Zen cart on many websites and that is a big update (as far as updating files). But nothing compared to what I went through today. I will never upgrade again if I have to manually go into every folder and re-upload each file (even with the shift button pushed). I was in a never-ending file hell I hope I got every file updated but by a half an hour my eyes and brain were so glazed, I just pushed forward brainless. (Yeah I know, we computer geeks have a rough life compared to others )

1. No, all your content is in the DB and your custom files (e.g. CSS, JS, images, etc.) aren’t in the MODx package so they won’t be overwritten.

2. That way, you *would* lose your custom files.

3. There should be an option to merge the folders rather than putting the new one inside the old. It depends on the tool you’re using.

4. I don’t think hostgator has a MODx install, but I’m not sure. Look for SimpleScripts in cPanel.

It really sounds like you did it the hardest possible way. There’s no way you need to move them file-by-file (and the odds are something got missed).

When I use my ancient FTP program (for a host where I don’t have .zip ability), I just extract the .zip file to a local directory. Then, in the FTP program, I navigate to that folder (the one with core, manager, index.php, etc.) in the left pane and to the MODx site root (the one with core, manager, index.php, etc.) in the right pane. I highlight all the files and folders on the left and click on the right arrow, then sit back and wait.

If you have all your personal files under the assets folder (as they should be), another way to go that you could try is to just:

0. Back up the whole site !!!
1. Copy the assets folder to somewhere safe
2. Copy .htaccess and php.ini from the root directory (if any) to somewhere safe.
3. Wipe everything out
4. Install MODx
5. Copy the files back from the safe location.

BobRay your awesome. Thank you for your feedback, I am definately doing it the hardest possible way. Your response will give me some options in the future. There also might be a filzilla setting that will allow me to merge my folders instead of dropping one inside the other. I have Beyond Compare 3 (file compare and merge utility) which also might help me with this.

A lot of editors also have a built-in FTP system. NetBeans is a good free one. It can be a slight hassle to set it up, but you can transfer the files from inside the editor and editors always assume that you want to overwrite existing files (FTP programs sometimes don’t).

Hi, to increase upload speed I always unpack the zip update locally, then repack it to tar, then to gz. Then I upload the tar.gz file per ftp in a new folder along with this small php file:

Change the file name in the script or in your tar.gz file, then simply run the script in your browser.
This way your upload takes just a few seconds, or minutes, depending on connection speed.

Then follow BobRay’s Instructions above

PS: For shure there must be a script to unpack zip files also, so that you spare the unpacking and repacking. But I don’t have one.