Database-Only Upgrade Instructions
Upgrading if you don’t want to keep your customizations
Warning!
This is not the standard upgrade procedure. It will DEFINITELY cause you to lose functionality associated with your older customizations and could break things as you will have configuration settings with no associated files (sideboxes, template, etc.).
Doing a database only upgrade might be appropriate in situations like this:
- you are coming from Zen Cart 1.5.4 or older version, and you don’t have time or budget for a proper upgrade.
- your hoster just updated PHP to a version which is not compatible with your older Zen Cart software.
- you have minimal customizations and your current template is not mobile compatible.
You will lose your customizations, but you won’t lose your data and you’ll be using the latest software, which is more secure.
You will be using the responsive_classic
template initially. You can always add a new template later after your store is up and running.
Setup
- CRITICAL: Back up your site
- CRITICAL: Backup your database
- Create a new directory called “test” and put the latest version of Zen Cart into it. We’ll call this your test site.
- Then create a new database and load your old database in it
- Do any database conversions necessary - only necessary if you have custom date fields
- Next, change the two configure.php files to utilize the new directory and database This way … when you attempt to upgrade you are “practicing” to see where the problems, if any will happen
- Run the installer at
https://www.YOURSITE.com/zc_install
- Choose the Upgrade option
Now you have an up to date copy of your database with an up to date copy of the Zen Cart files.
Copy from live site
- Copy the
/images
folder from your live site onto your test site - Copy in any new images you created from your live site’s
includes/templates/YOURTEMPLATE/images
folder to the test site’sincludes/templates/responsive_classic/images
folder - Copy in any new images you created from your live site’s
email
folder to the test site’semail
folder
Customization
- Customize the following files, referring to your live site to see what needs to be changed:
includes/languages/responsive_classic/english.php
includes/languages/english/email_extras.php
admin/includes/languages/english/email_extras.php
Testing
- Create a test order, take it all the way through to checkout success, then view the order in your test admin. Make sure everything is working as expected.
Still have questions? No problem! Just head over to the
Zen Cart support forum
and ask there in the appropriate subforum.
In your post, please include your Zen Cart and PHP versions, and a link to your site.
Is there an error or omission on this page? Please post to General Questions on the support forum. Or, if you'd like to open a pull request, just review the guidelines and get started.
You can even PR right here.
Last modified November 11, 2020 by Scott C Wilson (bc37f85).