Upgrading AWBS

AWBS Upgrades must be performed with each version in order of version release. View the Change Log for version release order.

Always download the upgrade zip and read the docs/readmexx file prior to doing anything. Each version has it's own instructions and any details on new setting changes, etc.

As a general rule, upgrades go like this:

• Make a full file backup of your site (All AWBS files)
• Get the correct download zip where you purchased AWBS. (Requires active support contract)
• Read the docs/readmexx (xx = your AWBS version upgrade)
• Prepare custom files if necessary
• Put your AWBS site into maintenance mode
• Make a db backup
• Upload all new files with paths in binary mode, overwriting existing files
• Surf to and run the database update script. Check the readme for details on each version. Versions after 2.7.0 use install/awbsupdater.php file. Some versions do not have a db update.
• Make configuration changes if applicable as per the readme for that version
• Turn off maintenance mode

Preparing custom files

If you have any custom files, new changes will have to be merged to your custom work. We recommend Beyond Compare, however there are several other softwares that will perform a file comparison function as well. Customized templates and langauge files are most common, but be sure you are aware of all custom files you have before you start your upgrade. Compare your current files to new files in the upgrade zip for changes. Add your custom code to the new files prior to uploading, making sure not to miss any new code we have added/changed. New langauge is almost always added at the bottom of the language files to make for each file comparing while upgrading.

Upgrade zips come with the business theme new templates. If you use coolblue, bare, or techy themes, get your new template files from the theme upgrade zips. If you have made a custom theme, use the business templates to upgrade your theme. It is important to upgrade your templates, we only make template changes when required to accomplish functionality of a new feature or fix. When preparing your upload, rename the business directory to your theme name or remove it if you use one of our other themes. Do this so your new templates will be uploaded to the correct theme directory and you won't have any other partial themes on your server.

Put your site into maintenance mode

Login to your AWBS site as super admin. Click on the Configuration button at the top, then click on System Options link. There you'll find 'Close system and activate maintenance mode:', set that to True, Edit the text for maintenance mode as desired and click the Save Changes button at the bottom of that page.

Make a db backup

In AWBS

Always make an AWBS database backup prior to uploading any files and/or running the AWBS updater script. Always do this after placing your site into maintenance mode to ensure no new data is entered after your backup is taken. From the AWBS admin home page, click the link in the Quick Alerts box that says 'Backup DB'. You will be taken to the Database Backup page. Click the 'Backup Now' button. Depending upon your database size, there may be a short wait, then your browser will pop up a form giving you the choice to open the file or save to disk. Select save to disk and click OK. Choose a secure location on your pc and click the save button. Wait until the backup has completed before continuing with the upgrade.

Note: This link only works in non secure connections, so if your AWBS is installed using only https, you'll need to use phpmyadmin to backup your database.

In phpmyadmin

In phpmyadmin, enter your database as per your control panel link or via the url your server admin has given you for phpmyadmin access to your database. While in view of your AWBS database table list in the right pane, click the 'Export' button at the top. Click the Select All link in the Export box, check the Save as file checkbox and click the Go button. Depending upon your database size, there may be a short wait, then your browser will pop up a form giving you the choice to open the file or save to disk. Select save to disk and click OK. Choose a secure location on your pc and click the save button. Wait until the backup has completed before continuing with the upgrade.

Uploading files

Use an FTP client that works with binary mode. AWBS files cannot be published with FrontPage or Dreamweaver programs. We recommend Total Commander, set php file types to forced binary mode and upload the prepared files overwriting all existing files. It is important your file structure is the same as the download zip had them and that you upload with paths so that you get all files into their correct location on your AWBS web space. Make sure your target directory for the upload is correct so your files do not get uploaded to the wrong location. Use ftp access that is for the same server user that owns your AWBS site account. For example; files owned by root on a cpanel server usually will cause 500 errors. All files should be 644 and directories should be 755 on most linux servers.

After the upgrade

After an upgrade, be sure you verify there are no errors in your php error_log in the next few days. Watch your emails to the admin copy-to received from the updateexp.php and invoice_cron.php runs to make sure all is running well. (You should be checking these daily anyway :-)

Multi version upgrade shortcut/tips

• ALWAYS, full backup before you start, site in maintenance mode. Take your db backup after you are in maintenance mode so that there is no new data after the backup before you start.

Each version needs to be upgraded, no versions can be skipped. Here are some shortcuts when doing a multiversion upgrade, but you have to be organized so things don't go awry.

1. Make a staging directory on your computer, call it 'readyforupload' (or name it as desired). Then take each upgrade zip you need and unzip to that directory IN ORDER. You will be overwriting some files, make sure you overwrite them with the newer ones in each version.

2. Go to the language files and merge new changes to your online ones (open each file, copy all new content from new versions (near the bottom of the file listed by version number), paste to existing language file on the site). Then delete the language files from the readyforupload directory so you don't overwrite the custom ones on the site when you upload. -OR- Use Beyond Compare or a similar file comparison software to merge the new language entries into your existing language files.

3. Copy the existing dbconfig.php file from the site, place it in the readyforupload/includes directory but name it dbconfigxxx.php (replace xxx with your current version) so you have a backup of it for quick reference. Take the dbconfig-new.php (if exists) from the readyforupload/includes and rename it to dbconfig.php, edit with your db info, workdir path, cookie domain and remove the needsedit line at the top. Now it is ready for upload.

4. Now the templates... we recommend Beyond Compare to compare the new templates to your current ones, move new changes to your templates if they are customized. You may need another temporary directory for this template procedure, when you are done, the newly edited custom templates should be in the readytoupload/templates/yourtheme directory. (replace yourtheme with your theme name, business will be there by default, rename if necessary so the upload uploads the templates to the selected theme directory). Now they are ready for upload.

5. Now upload to the site, overwriting existing files. Make sure that you use binary mode with an ftp client that can handle encoded files. Total Commander is recommended.

6. Surf to and run each update file within the install directory IN ORDER!

7. Delete the install directory.

IMPORTANT! Read all readme files (should all be in the docs directory one for each version.) They contain information on any settings that will need to be addressed in the AWBS admin area after the upgrade. It would be good to read them before you start so you know what you are 'in for', so to speak.... A running changelog for all versions can be found at: Change Logs

• • ALWAYS, full backup before you start, site in maintenance mode.

• • • Note: Very old versions such as DRAMS Plus and Standard had update scripts in the tools directory. This procedure is only recommended for AWBS 2.0.0 and up. Prior versions of DRAMS should be upgraded one at a time.