Drupal is infamous for the number of version changes it goes through, but this need not be such a problem. Though the answer is frequently lost is the host of advice offered in the forums and documentation.
The change process is relatively simple.
First Step - FTP Clients
Before we start we need to back-up our site and a CMS site like Drupal has two parts.
- The Data Base
- The Core Files
Any good Internet Host should backup your files every 24 hours - check it out!
To do this we need to make a copy of all the files that make up your web site as they stand on your host's server on your PC. The tool you use is called an FTP Client. and your host should give you one as part of your package (in 1and1 it's called 'WebspaceExplorer')
If not, do what we have done and download the open source FTP client 'Filezilla'
Backing Up
If you are using 'Filezilla' use your host's FAQs or helpline to set it up.
When you open your FTP Client programme you should find your home computer's file structure in the left hand pane and your sites file structure on your host's server in the right.
Create a new directory in your home computer called /site backups and a subdirectory in that identifying the date of your back-up then copy the whole site from the right hand pane into the new directory.
It may take a while but it can be done in background whilst doing other work on your home computer.
Now go into your hosting package and use their FAQs to back your database up into the same sub-directory.
Down Loading and Unpacking Your new Drupal Version.
Note - I have a separate directory on my computers and sub-directories for every Drupal Version to keep them clear of other files
Open the Drupal home site and down load the latest Drupal release into your own site.
it comes in as.zip or a tar.gz file - I usually use the.zip version.
Now on your home computer use Winzip or other similar software to unzip the file
Note -Winzip will open a new sub-directory in the directory you used to download the software and in that sub-directory an additional sub-directory so my unzipped software is a directory called /sourcecode/drupal1.7/drupal1.7!
Up-Loading the New Version
Now go back to your FTP Client and locate, in your home computer the new unzipped software (keep opening the sub-directories until you come to one with the actual drupal software files. These have names like 'includes', 'misc', 'modules' etc.
On the hosting pane go up to the highest level in the file structure (at the top of the pane) and right click to create and name a new directory and then up-load all the files in the home directory into the new host directory.
And Finally...
On the left hand side of your FTP Client locate the folder that you used for your back-up and up-load the following to the host server, over-writing what is already there as necessary.
- The complete 'sites' directory;
- The.htaccess file
- Any Google, Bing or other files used to authenticate your sites with the search engines.
Then...
Go back into your Hosting account, select 'domains' and 'point' your site at the new directory.
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