How can you make a new site from an existing Revo site?

If you're in the business of making MODX sites, before long you may well have a standard site set-up you want to use as a starting-point on every site. The obvious tool for that would have been the Provisioner extra, but it no longer works on MODX Revo 2.2. So what's the best alternative?

Three possibilities:

Alternative 1: Dump the MySQL database for your old and new sites. Install MODX at your new site. Copy the new database over the old, and then make any adjustments that need to be made using PHPMyAdmin or similar, or by running the MODX install again. This looks like it's asking for database trouble.

Alternative 2: Install MODX at the new site. Use the PackMan extra to move various bits of your old site over to the new one. The bad news: PackMan doesn't copy resources. You'll need to recreate them all, and change any chunks that reference them. Slow.

Alternative 3: Use a backup tool like the one in CPanel to dump everything to your hard drive and re-establish it at the new domain. Again, try to make necessary adjustments by re-running the MODX install. Also asking for database trouble?

So do Alternatives 1 or 3 actually work? And what have I missed? Ideas please.

(MODX Revolution 2.2.4-pl) [ed. note: shorewalker last edited this post 11 years, 7 months ago.]

I've heard that the Vapor package designed for working with the Cloud works just fine with any Revo installation. I haven't found any documentation for this yet, but I'm pretty sure you can just create a Vapor package of your site, make a new installation, then put the Vapor package in the packages folder and install it like any other package. http://stage.modxcloud.com/userguide/how-tos/import-sites-with-vapor.html

Sounds promising.

I have hardened installations with the MODX core outside the document route. Vapor won't work on that set-up. So I'd need to unharden the site, clone it and then reharden it.

Is anyone from MODX willing to confirm that Vapor works outside MODX Cloud?

Or does anyone have other ideas for this? [ed. note: shorewalker last edited this post 11 years, 7 months ago.]

The new version of MyComponent might be a good option, if it ever gets finished.


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PLEASE, PLEASE specify the version of MODX you are using.
MODX info for everyone: http://bobsguides.com/modx.html

Bob, I have several reasons for hoping that might happen quickly. Do you have an ETA?

Bob, for that matter, why would the existing version of MyComponent not do the job?

In the last company I worked at where we hosted over 50 sites on a single MODX install was make duplicate context that shared all chunks and snippets.

When we created another MODX instance I used PackMan to export all the re-usable chunks, snippets then import them into the new install.

The key is to use Context Settings in all your chunks for example I had context settings for each site that contained each clients information, from address, company logo to social media links and email accounts.

Then I made my chunks to use these Context Settings to render the data so you can keep using your package on any new MODX site and just create the required Context Settings and get a site working in no time.

I hope that gives you some ideas on how to streamline your site production.

Good luck.

Quote from: shorewalker at Sep 25, 2012, 10:00 AM

Bob, for that matter, why would the existing version of MyComponent not do the job?

It would, but the new version would make it much easier. It works in a whole new way. You fill in the project config file (hopefully in a UI before too long) and MC pretty much does everything for you -- no search-and-replace operations, no file creation or editing, no folder renaming. Once the project config file is correct, you can usually create a transport.zip file for your package in about 10 minutes.

It currently limits you to one category, but that will be changing at some point.


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PLEASE, PLEASE specify the version of MODX you are using.
MODX info for everyone: http://bobsguides.com/modx.html

Ben, thanks for the context settings idea. Is there a reason why creating, say, a siteFacebookAccount chunk that references your Facebook address context setting is better than just filling in the siteFacebookAccount chunk for each new site? What am I missing here?

Any updates on this new version Bob?