Upgrade instructions

http://www.sitefinity.com/documentation/installation-and-administration-guide/upgrading-sitefinity-projects.aspx?hq_e=el&hq_m=502162&hq_l=2&hq_v=196108d8b8

1. When a Sitefinity project is upgraded, the Project Manager creates a backup of your project’s web.config file in the root folder of the project. Use this backup of the web.config to merge your changes with the new web.config that is deployed by the Project Manager.

Can it be that I don't have a backup after the update

1. From the project backup, which you created in Step 1, open SitefinityWebApp.csproj and merge the changes made to it with the new SitefinityWebApp.csproj file in the root of your Sitefinity website.

What's the best way tool to do this?

1. Restart your Sitefinity website and run it. Sitefinity automatically performs a database upgrade from the database scheme used in the previous version to the one use in the new version.

Does this have to be done loacally?

1. Deploy the upgraded website without the configuration files from ~/App_Data/Sitefinity/Configuration to the production server.
   This triggers the upgrade process of your production database.

I assume that if I donwloaded the App_Data/Sitefinity folder prior to updateing I could also upload this folder

Markus

Hi Markus Berchtold,

1. When a Sitefinity project is upgraded, the Project Manager creates a backup of your project’s web.config file in the root folder of the project. Use this backup of the web.config to merge your changes with the new web.config that is deployed by the Project Manager.

Can it be that I don't have a backup after the update

1. From the project backup, which you created in Step 1, open SitefinityWebApp.csproj and merge the changes made to it with the new SitefinityWebApp.csproj file in the root of your Sitefinity website.

What's the best way tool to do this?

Dear Radoslav

Thanks for your feedback. If you link to upgrade instructions it would be nice if they are up to date. Some of us are not programmers and need to follow step by step instructions.

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Restart your Sitefinity website and run it. Sitefinity automatically performs a database upgrade from the database scheme used in the previous version to the one use in the new version.

This should be done locally to verify that the upgrade does not break the website. In this case you have to download the database and restore it locally and adjust the connection string in DataConfig file so that you do not mess up the production database.

>>> It would be nice to know that the purpose of this step is to test if the upgrade does not break the site!!

Once you have verified that the upgrade runs smoothly locally you have to take the website without the ~/App_Data/Sitefinity/Configurations and FTP the updated files. It is essential that you do not take the upgraded config files from the local environment.

>>> what hppens if I would click on upload the whole site anyhow and the Configuration would be uploaded. If this is a risk in some way I assume it could easely happend that you upload a lot of stuff (when not reading the instructions)

>>> When is anything changed locally in the Configuration files?

>>> The risk would exist any time that someone by accident uploads the ~/App_Data/Sitefinity/Configurations so Telerik should take care that this is not causing to much troubles.

Markus

Hi Markus Berchtold,

what hppens if I would click on upload the whole site anyhow and the Configuration would be uploaded. If this is a risk in some way I assume it could easely happend that you upload a lot of stuff (when not reading the instructions)

You risk breaking your production website. If you upload the configurations for locally upgraded website the upgrade process will not run on the production website.

>>> When is anything changed locally in the Configuration files?

All the time, when you create custom fields for modules, make any changes in the settings, change the home page, upgrade the website, install new modules, controls, etc.

Thank you for your feedback, we will consider your input when we revise the documentation for upgrade process.

Kind regards,
Radoslav Georgiev
the Telerik team

Dear Radoslav

Another mail has been sent to us with a link to update instructions.

They still seem to be wrong.

Is it to much to ask that you fix the docu on such importent stuff whwn you are told about it!

It cant be to hard, can it?

Sorry
Markus

Hi Radoslav

------------------------
what hppens if I would click on upload the whole site anyhow and the Configuration would be uploaded. If this is a risk in some way I assume it could easely happend that you upload a lot of stuff (when not reading the instructions)

You risk breaking your production website. If you upload the configurations for locally upgraded website the upgrade process will not run on the production website.

>>> When is anything changed locally in the Configuration files?

All the time, when you create custom fields for modules, make any changes in the settings, change the home page, upgrade the website, install new modules, controls, etc
---------------------------

If all you have done is the upgrade and not edited the site and the database is local to the site, I don't understand what else would have changed in the configuraturation files. All the things that might have changed you list above would only be if you've edited the backend presumably? And if you did change anything, presumably you would want these changes reflected in the production site? Is it just one file that shouldn't be copied across that affects the actual upgrade routine?

Also when I didn't see the upgrade going as per the upgrade instructions, I decided to rebuild my site each time before restarting it, is that a good/bad/uncessary thing?

Sorry to go on, but with all the issues arising out of upgrades not working, I think it is imperative that this is completely failsafe and the process completely understood so as not to break the site, which should in turn reduce the support required.

Thanks for your help...

Cheers
Richard

Hello Richard Cross,

The upgrade process itself changes the configuration files. The configuration files contain the schema version of each provider and module, when the database is upgraded the configuration files are also upgraded.

It is good practice to build your project before restarting this. This approach helps you verify what there is no broken custom functionality. But make sure you use Build instead of Rebuild. The Rebuild button makes VS clear your bin folder. Then if the references for Sitefinity assemblies are pointing to this folder as by default you will be missing some assemblies.

Greetings,
Radoslav Georgiev
the Telerik team

Hi Radoslav

I think I understand now...

You do copy the configuration folder across to the production site along with the rest of the project folder, but only after running the upgrade locally first.

Is this right?

Cheers
Richard

Hi Richard Cross,

If you are going to use the database which was used in the local upgrade (restore it on production), then the same configuration files should be used.

If you have a separate production database once you have verified that the upgrade completes successfully you should FTP only the upgraded website leaving the local configuration files out. You should keep the production config files.

Greetings,
Radoslav Georgiev
the Telerik team

Hi Radoslav

Sorry if I am being stupid....

If I don't copy the config files across, will the production config files then get upgraded when the production site starts up again as it did on the local copy?

Cheers
Richard

Hello Richard Cross,

Yes since your production database and config files will be for an older version and you have the new assemblies in the bin folder the upgrade will be triggered.

It is important to note that it is recommended that you back-up your production database and upgrade it locally. This will prevent issues that might arise from insufficient SQL privileges for example. If you upgrade the database locally and then restore it on production you can use the local upgraded configuration files.

Regards,
Radoslav Georgiev
the Telerik team

Hi Radoslav

I'm with you now I think... so ideally, if one is ok with stopping your webiste for maintenance...

1. Stop production website
2. Download production site including database back to local project (replace not merge, and make sure Projects.xml file has correct project details to match project name, dates and build version)
3. Run upgrade via Project Manager on local project.
4. Open the local project solution in VS and Build (not rebuild) webproject.
5. Browse to backend of local project and make sure all working ok
6. Browse to front end of local project and make sure all working ok.
7. FTP all upgraded local project back to production website (replace not merge)
8. Restart production website

Is this correct?

Cheers
Richard

Hi Richard Cross,

Yes this is correct. You will see the updated upgrade documentation within couple of days.

Kind regards,
Radoslav Georgiev
the Telerik team