Copying website to staging server and keeping all in tact?

[shogun]

I need to copy a local site to a testing site, but what's the process to do this without having to re-do the CMS portion? I need to update the database username, password, etc. and make sure all CMS updates are the same.

[wbmnfktr]

Use the Duplicator module by @flydev ??.

http://modules.processwire.com/modules/duplicator/

I just started using it myself and already LOVE it.

Take your 2 minutes to configure it and from there... moving sites is super easy.

[shogun]

This looks interesting. I just installed it but I dont know how to create a package.

Step 6 says: Setup > Duplicator and build your package!

Even though i can see Duplicator as an installed module under Modules,  when I go to Setup at the top of process wire Duplicator doesn't show.

[wbmnfktr]

Go back to modules and install the second part of the module called "Duplicator - Packages Manager".

Afterwards you can manage your packages.

[shogun]

When I clicked your link and copied that Duplicator module it only shows one module to install. It doesn't show a module called "Duplicator - Packages Manager".

[shogun]

Solved.

This is what I see, even though the module is copied over.

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by shogun
Solved

[shogun]

Solved:

I did find the packager under the Processes heading. i see it now and installed, but after generating a backup, I get this error when I click the installer file that should be created and I think the package needs the installer file...

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by shogun
Solved

[shogun]

Ok lol i got the above all working. I found the package manager under Process and I had to re-name the directory of the module from Duplicate-master to Duplicate.

Now I'm wondering how does this handle the database on the clone. Does it create the database automatically? How does that work.

[shogun]

ok got it all figured it out. ?

[Macrura]

Hey! Just chiming in here – i've done a ridiculous number of (~25) site migrations recently (mass exodus from bad hosting) and simply copied the entire web directory over, and have not had any issues, so for anyone reading this, might clarify that you do not need to run Duplicator, or re-install the CMS, to move or deploy a site.

In fact for many sites on shared hosting with larger files directories, duplicator could time out. The simplest way to move a site is to compress the web directory either using the command line, or e.g. cPanel compress command; This in combination with downloading the database of course, and changing the credentials in the config on the target server.

[shogun]

Awesome! What is your process as you make changes locally and want to keep local and staging links in sync while you add new page fields and cms content locally?

[Macrura]

5 hours ago, shogun said:

What is your process as you make changes locally and want to keep local and staging links in sync while you add new page fields and cms content locally?

none, i don't do any sync, especially on sites where the database is being changed/updated on the live site. But there may be forum topics that explain various ways to do it.

[bernhard]

On 1/29/2020 at 4:03 PM, shogun said:

Awesome! What is your process as you make changes locally and want to keep local and staging links in sync while you add new page fields and cms content locally?