New Module Puts All Path/URL Config On One Page
Development and Programming
Hi Vikeny-
Interesting question!
If I install Deploy Helper on “Server 2” and them copy over the db from “Server 1” (which does not have Deploy Helper), what do you see happening?
Here’s what I think would happen in this instance:
Deeploy Helper would suddenly not be enabled on “Server 2”. The installed/uninstalled state of modules is stored in the database. But the file would still be sitting in the filesystem; you would just have to install it by clicking the “Install” link in the modules tab. You could prevent even this very minor inconvenience by simply installing (but not using) Deeploy Helper on “Server 1”.
All the paths in the Deeploy Helper interface would suddenly be whatever they were on “Server 1”. You could use Deeploy Helper to change them all again.
You might have some other unexpected-and-totally-unrelated-to-Deeploy-Helper issues. If “Server 1” keeps its themes folder in a different filepath than “Server 2”, for example, your CP on “Server 2” will suddenly look wacky.
Here’s what wouldn’t happen:
- You wouldn’t lose anything important in Deeploy Helper itself that would impact its operation. Deeploy Helper has no database footprint other than its installed/uninstalled state, which I explain above how to resolve.
Do others agree?
This use case suggests that it might be very handy to serialize Deeploy Helper’s fields (i.e. all the URL/path data in EE) and store the data somewhere other than an EE table, so you could tinker with paths on “Server 2”, then overwrite all its EE tables, and then use Deeploy Helper to restore the tinkered state of your database. Does this resonate with anyone?
If it was me, I would create a local install, say “Server 3”, and test the entire process there. A couple dry runs may expose other surprises my list doesn’t include.
Good luck!
Justin
Many thanks Justin!
I’ll likely do some tests in the coming days and post my results here.
-vik
P.S My apologies for misspelling “Deeploy Helper”
Special thanks to Steven Hambo for testing!
No problem 😊
Phase 2: Server profiles?
This use case suggests that it might be very handy to serialize Deeploy Helper’s fields (i.e. all the URL/path data in EE) and store the data somewhere *other* than an EE table, so you could tinker with paths on “Server 2”, then overwrite all its EE tables, and then use Deeploy Helper to restore the tinkered state of your database. Does this resonate with anyone?
Hello Justin. Thought you might be interested in the results of my tests. The outcome was more or less exactly as you described it.
If Deeploy had the option to serialize it’s fields, it could act has a tool to help “sync” databases. The process would go something like this:
GOAL: To migrate a EE db from Server 1 (production) to Server 2 (staged).
- I have a live site running on Server 1.
- I have a copy of the live site staged on Server 2. (At some point, the db on Server 2 will become dated).
- I install Deeploy Helper on Server 2 and adjust paths accordingly.
- Deeploy Helper on Server 2 serializes it’s fields.
- I copy the db from Server 1 to Server 2
- Deeploy Helper overwrites the paths from the Server 1 db (now on Server 2).
- The databases are synced without having to manually readjust the paths.
It should be stated that Deeploy Helper is a huge time saver regardless. Serializing the fields just removes a couple of steps from the process.
Many thanks again. Please feel free to reply or contact me if you like more information regarding what I did.
Thanks, vik
Fantastic module, thanks Justin
This is great!
What would also be really helpful is a red warning next to the folders that should have certain permissions set (like upload folders, cache folders, etc.) but that don’t. That would really help people hunt down permission/paths problems.
DUDE, this is awesome!!! Thanks! Just coming to comment on addition of fieldframe & you already did it. Plus the quick find/replace is exactly what it needed. Dude, this is a must have module for local to live development!
Thanks!!! Chuck
Thank you so much for this plugin. Once a week, I copy our entire site over to a development server to work on new updates without destroying our live site. This plugin helps a great deal.
Coupled with this find/replace add-on for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6510 I can setup new dev sites quickly.
Coupled with this find/replace add-on for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6510 I can setup new dev sites quickly.
Chris, did you see the newest version here? It has find/replace built in! I love it!
No, I didn’t notice the new version. Thanks for the heads up - I’ll check it out.
Hi, LOVE this module, complete life saver now that I’m doing my first local dev to remote server move.
One additional request, could you add the path to the Textile Editor Helper (TEH) themes folder for that extension?
You have to set it in the Extensions setting form right now:
TEH Path URL to ‘teh’ directory - must include trailing slash
(I had forgotten to change this one so my buttons weren’t showing up.)
To whom it may concern – This is extremely helpful. I’d love to see a 2.0-compatible version… any plans for updating?
Hi Michael-
We will definitely be releasing Deeploy Helper for EE2. It’s practically coded; just needs some internal testing.
Thanks!
Justin
Hi Emily-
Hmm, I’ll take a look at the TEH themes folder setting. It might fit in easily. 😊
Justin
Have just tried the latest release of this module since my last post in this thread.
This module is just incredible. Thank you so much for including photogallery compatibility in the latest release, and the search and replace is just fantastic.
From what would manually take me 90 minutes you managed to get down to around 20 mins in previous versions. In this latest version I can safely download and install a live MSM database onto a dev environ in a leisurely 5 minutes.
This is a must have module for anyone that regularly has to move dev-to-live or live-to-dev.
Thank You.