Migration from one web host to a new one

[silken]

Hi,
I am moving my web hosting form one company (cruzio) to another (siteground.) The siteground migration techs are asking for some help in doing this. Is it as simple as downloading the databases and uploading to the new host, or...?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Best,
Debbie

[Jim]

See the on line help for information about system requirements, installing a new store, upgrading and moving a store
http://shopsite.com/help/12.0/en-US/install/server.configuration.html
http://shopsite.com/help/12.0/en-US/install/moving.intro.html

Note that if you have been leasing your store at Cruzio you will need to get a new authfile for use on your new host. I do not find Siteground in the list of ShopSite Hosting Partners so you will want to be certain that ShopSite can be installed and run on their servers before committing to hosting with them. If they are not a ShopSite partner and you have not done so already you will need to purchase the ShopSite software before it can be installed. You can find contact info for out sales team on http://www.shopsite.com/contact.html. If you have any questions give them a call for assistance.

[silken]

Thanks, Jim. I sent the system requirements to the new host before I migrated my domains and they said that their servers meet the requirements. I bought shopsite several years ago, so I do own the license. I guess the new hosts need to get an auth file? How is that accomplished?

Debbie

[Jim]

If you own the license (<storeid>.auth file) then you can use the same one that you are currently using provided that the domain name and install location will be in the same type directory structure. You should contact the ShopSite sales staff to get the download information for the install files that you will need to use to install the store on the new server. You can get the download file for the version you are using or if it is an older version and you want to get the latest you can talk to the sales staff about what the price for upgrading will be. Note if you purchase the annual maintenance and support contract you can have ShopSite staff move the store and upgrade it to the latest version at no additional cost. ( http://www.shopsite.com/support_pricing.html )

[silken]

Thanks, Jim. I will contact them. I do have a storeid, although I don't exactly understand the next steps.
Debbie

[silken]

Hi Jim,
I contacted sales and successfully installed shopsite onto the new host. Thanks for your guidance.

I am now looking at the next part of the migration, which is moving my databases over. I see that I can export products and pages, which I have done, but don't really see any way of downlaoding then uploading such things as orders, customers, images and, of course, all my settings. I can see how to download some of these (for instance, orders) but cannot see how to upload them. And I can see how to upload images, but not download them! I think that part of the problem is being able to actually access these files and databases.

If you could let me know how I might accomplish any or all of these tasks I would be most appreciative. I don't find much information on the site for that.

Many thanks in advance,
Debbie

[Jim]

The only way to transfer all order, coupons, etc is to move the file shopsite_db from the data directory of the old server to the datadirectory of the new server. The shopsite_db file contains page and product information also. If the two stores are of different version then the new store will need to have the install script run on the store again and have the Upgrade option chosen. Note that things like payment gateway setup, shipping configuration are in individual files not in the database. The best thing to do is just to move the entire data directory of the old store to the new one, with the exception of the <storeid>.auth file which may need to be different on the new store from what it was on the old store.

There is no mechanism if ShopSite for moving images. So you will need to use FTP if you want to move all the images at once or you can upload the images again through the Images screen in ShopSite. If you have a lot of images FTP would be the fastest way to do it. The images will all go in the store's /media directory or subdirectories of it. The path to where media directory is on the server can be found on the Preferences > hosting services screen in the bottom section on the screen.

[silken]

Thanks, Jim. I figured that was something like the answer. I am having a hard time accessing this particular file from my ISP, and am not sure why. I'll give them the info you sent to me; maybe it will help.

As for the images, there were few enough that I just displayed them, then downloaded them separately, then uploaded. That seemed to work.

I'll let you know if any further issues come up.

Best,
Debbie

[silken]

HiJim,
Well, I figured out how to export then upload the custom templates, and I have been hand-changing the settings and preferences. I am pretty close, it seems, but there are a few little problems.

1. Even though I am using the exact same templates, I get this error message on the checkout screen:

debcc.sst [1996]: Template Error: Mis-matched IF - END_IF tags
debcc.sst [1996]: Template Error: Missing END_DEFINE tag

I'll try to post a picture also. The checkout screen will not load.

2. I am having a problem turning on customer registration. The error message is:
[i]
The page you are trying to access is restricted due to a security rule.

If you believe the security rule is affecting the normal operation of your website, contact your host support team and provide detailed instructions how to recreate this error.
They will be able to assist you with rectifying the problem and adjusting the security configuration if needed.[/i]

That's it! Otherwise, it seems as though all is the same.

Best,
Debbie

page with error message:
http://store.reelingsilk.com/cgi-bin/sc/billing.cgi?storeid=*16fc893e518b600917a0a54fca&fromid=order.cgi&redirect=yes&shopinfo=SSMSB11868704922099114470.8680

[Jim]

You must have fixed the problems? I don't see any of the issues you mentioned in your shopping cart. (I'm using Firefox on a Linux desktop but I don't think that would fix any issues.)

[silken]

Hi Jim,
Thanks, but I think the problem is that you are looking at shopsite on the old server; the one I am working on is on a hosts server, not live yet.

I did solve two problems and edited my original post, but still have the problem with the checkout screen, and with turning on customer registration.

I also have not figured out how to transfer the following data:

~orders (downloaded but how do I upoload them?)

~coupons

~quantity groups

~gift certificates

I was successful in exporting a lot of files using the export menu in databases..is some of the info above in those files?

I so appreciate your help,
Debbie

[silken]

Hi Jim,
Good news. My hosting techs fixed the permission problem that was keeping me from enabling customer registration and when they did, the checkout page came up without error (no more end-if problems.)

So, now I just have these final databases to transfer in, They are:

~orders (downloaded from previous, but how do I upoload them?)

~coupons

~quantity groups

~gift certificates

I was successful in exporting a lot of files using the export menu in databases..is some of the info above in those files?

Thanks so much,
Debbie

[silken]

Hi Jim,
OK, I am really moving now, just need a bit more direction and I will finally be out of the woods. In addition to my queries about the following:

~orders (downloaded from previous, but how do I upoload them?)
~coupons
~quantity groups
~gift certificates

I am afraid I have to add one more thing to the list: customer passwords.

I realized that they did not come over when I downloaded then uploaded the customer files.

Monumentally grateful,
Debbie

[silken]

Hi Jim,
OK! I have been able (finally) to ftp into my shopsite files and I am now left with this one task of identifying and putting into place the files/databases that I listed above:

~orders (downloaded from previous, but how do I upoload them?)
~coupons
~quantity groups
~gift certificates
~customer passwords

Cruzio tech support, which has been otherwise extremely helpful, has no little or no experience in moving shopsite from one host to another, so they can't tell me which files to put into place. Anyway, any help you can offer would be great. I have both the export files (exported from within shopsite) and, now, all files that I can see through ftp'ing into shopsite on the server at cruzio.

Many thanks in advance,
Debbie