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Backing up Vanilla in cpanel

sudden156sudden156 ✭✭
in Vanilla 2.0 - 2.8

I've just started my Vanilla forum and am getting to grips with that, but I wonder whether anyone can walk me through what I need to do to back everything up with a local copy. I am supplied with cpanel by my host, but I am quite uncertain what to back-up and how to go about it. I tried searching for clear answers but couldn't find much that helped. I am not as yet very familiar with this aspect. Any help much appreciated.

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    sudden156sudden156 ✭✭

    Many thanks @peregrine and @whu606. The phpMyAdmin sounds very useful, I'll investigate that. I have now heard back from my host who has provided a useful guide.

    They say they allow both a partial and a full back-up via cPanel, though the full one has to be restored on their side by a technician, but also have a paid service like Bluehost.

    I gather the actual posts are stored in the database, the rest being the Vanilla package and whatever changes I've made to css and php.

    Presumably then if I have a local copy of the database only then the site could be reconstructed from that alone if the worst came to the worst? So it seems I should do a periodic full back-up and a more frequent download of the database.

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    whu606whu606 I'm not a SuperHero; I just like wearing tights... MVP

    I think the idea is that if there were a lot of posts, putting the 'answer' just below the question would help others who had the same question later on.

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    hgtonighthgtonight ∞ · New Moderator

    Remember to back up your /uploads folder. All images uploaded for your Vanilla install (such as avatars, header images, and uploads via most plugins) are stored there.

    Search first

    Check out the Documentation! We are always looking for new content and pull requests.

    Click on insightful, awesome, and funny reactions to thank community volunteers for their valuable posts.

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    sudden156sudden156 ✭✭

    Ah, good point about the uploads folder. Thanks.

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    peregrineperegrine MVP

    http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/21192/which-files-should-i-back-up

    as well as any locale - definition changes you made

    e.g. conf/locale.php as well as other directories that had defintion or css changes.

    and

    conf/config.php

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

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    peregrineperegrine MVP

    this could be moved into tutorials @underdog

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

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    sudden156sudden156 ✭✭

    I've been following the advice given about since I asked the question. Very helpful.

    If I may, there is one other aspect about exporting the database with phpmyadmin. I've just been using the 'Quick' option. I'm wondering whether the 'custom' options make much difference. I assume I am exporting the database in a form fine for reconstructing the site, and am reticent to touch any of the 'custom' options for exporting as my knowledge of databases isn't as yet sufficient to be sure what I am doing. Can someone confirm that the 'Quick' database export from phpmyadmin is all that is needed? Thanks again for all the great help this forum provides.

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    peregrineperegrine MVP
    edited October 2013

    if you exported and imported successfully using quick option with no problems - i would stick with it!

    I don't have a quick option (maybe someone else has), can you post a screenshot.

    I just login to phpmyadmin click Export, select a database and export using defaults.

    if you want you can rename files, or use zipped or gzipped format.

    or if i just want to back up just one table, i select the table and click export.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

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    sudden156sudden156 ✭✭

    I presume the quick option are the defaults without the clutter of the customisable options being displayed. Exports fine, of course I haven't tried importing as yet as there has been no need.

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    peregrineperegrine MVP
    edited October 2013

    @sudden156 said:
    I presume the quick option are the defaults without the clutter of the customisable options being displayed. Exports fine, of course I haven't tried importing as yet as there has been no need.

    if you are able to make a test installation - i highly recommend you test the import when you get a chance.

    Tip and anecdote:
    I knew someone many years ago who backed up religiously and spent many hours (in the old days). Then after several years of backing up and storing data and keeping all daily backups and weekly backups and monthly backups. It turned out all of them were bad, because they were doing something wrong. So, it is always best if possible with a spare or duplicate installation, to see if what you think you have really will work in the real world if the need arises and the emergency occurs.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

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    sudden156sudden156 ✭✭

    Ah, thanks for the tip @peregrine I have had a bit of a fear about that. So perhaps make another folder on the server and install Vanilla again in that and import my database? Or is it better to make a local installation on my PC (not that I know how that's done, I installed directly to server with the first installation).

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    peregrineperegrine MVP
    edited October 2013

    @sudden156 said:
    Or is it better to make a local installation on my PC (not that I know how that's done

    you can search for ubuntu for a linux install of web server and sql etc.

    http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/20231/how-to-become-somewhat-adept-at-modifying-vanilla-to-meet-your-needs-for-free

    If you set up a web server on your local pc, you avoid the risk on you main server, and you will learn a lot.

    sudden156 said:
    So perhaps make another folder on the server and install Vanilla again in that and import my database

    On the other hand, if you can install multiple databases on your main server and you are careful to give the database a DIfferent name you could do that.

    there are many discussions on how to make a duplicate forum.

    if you search you find multiple techinques e.g.

    http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/24793/yet-another-vanilla-upgrade-and-duplication-tutorial

    http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/23877/1-step-vanilla-dev-sites

    http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/21303/how-to-duplicate-your-forum-or-move-it-to-another-directory

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

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    sudden156sudden156 ✭✭

    Cheers. I will start looking into all this ASAP. Fully deserved awesome/insightful. Do you get a prize if you get enough?

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    peregrineperegrine MVP

    Do you get a prize if you get enough?

    you can never get enough. I believe the the prize is a free trip to Montreal to visit the wizards of OZ and a t-shirt perhaps some day.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

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    sudden156sudden156 ✭✭

    They (whoever 'they' are) should have an inscribed mug or something.

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