Changing Web Hosts

If you are changing your web host, please read the following tutorial for instructions on moving your files. This tutorial assumes you use a commercial web host and that host has phpMyAdmin installed. The exact instructions may vary from server to server. Please note that we are not endorsing phpMyAdmin and we hold no liabilities for the information provided below. We cannot provide assistance with the following process; however, we do provide installation services for those who need help moving their files. 

ON YOUR CURRENT HOST:

1. Back up your database by using phpMyAdmin to create a SQL dump. We've provided instructions for you if you need assistance with this step.

2. FTP all your catalog files from your current server to your hard drive. Make sure to keep all the folders in the correct directories:

1. In the home directory: catalog.php and view.php (and for the Deluxe catalog only - advsearch.php, custom.htm, email.php, finish.php, wholesale.php) Please note that in the Deluxe setups, your catalog page may be named something other than catalog.php.
2. The "inc" directory and all the files in it.
3. The "shopadmin" directory and all the files in it.

3. Go in to your root directory (or on some server setups, a password protected directory called "secure"), and FTP the dbconfig.php (or dbconfig.inc on some setups) file to your hard drive.

ON YOUR NEW HOST:

1. FTP all of the catalog files from step #2 (above) into your new server, in the appropriate directories.

2. FTP the dbconfig.php (or dbconfig.inc on some setups) file from step #3 (above) into your new server, in the root directory. (On some servers, you may need to FTP this into a password protected directory on your server. Make sure that this is a password protected directory, though - if it is not protected, visitors will be able to view your passwords!!!)

3. Access your new host and create a new database user and password if desired. If you do create a new user and password, be sure to associate that user to the database.

4. Access the phpMyAdmin area on your new host, and upload the SQL dump that you created in step #1 (above). We've provided instructions for you if you need assistance with this step.

5. Open the dbconfig.php (or dbconfig.inc on some setups) file in your root directory (or your password protected directory) directory and change the host name, database name, database user name and database password to match those of your new host, if needed.

6. Open the open.inc file in your "inc" directory and change the path of your config file if needed.

7. If you are using the Deluxe catalog and your catalog files have an .htm or .html extension, you will need to set up a MIME type to allow htm and html pages to be parsed as PHP pages. Find your control panel's "MIME Type" listing and add:

MIME Type: application/x-httpd-php
Extension(s): .php .htm .html

Or, if your server allows you to use .htaccess files (always check with your host first, to make sure this is allowed!), you can add the following line to your .htaccess file:

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .htm .html

NOT WORKING?

Here is a list of a few common problems:

1. Check to make sure that your database is added. You'll need to follow the upload steps to ensure that your SQL file is pulled and installed on the new server.

2. Check your config file (dbconfig.php - or dbconfig.inc on some setups). Make sure that you are using the information from your new host, not from your old host.

3. Check to ensure that your user name is associated with the database. After adding a mySQL user and password, make sure to click "Add User to Database" to associate that user with the database.

4. Check your mySQL user name. Even though you can create a user name with more than 8 characters, when you call it in your config file, you will only need the first 8 characters. So if your user name is mysite_cataloguser, you will use mysite_catalogu in the config file.

5. Check your database and user prefixes. On some servers (like Alabanza hosts and cPanel servers), you will need to prefix all your mySQL user names with the user name of your hosting system. So if you create the user name "catuser", your mySQL user name may be "yoursite_catuser".

6. If you are using .htm or .html as your catalog page extension, be sure that you have added a MIME type for that extension. Note that for some sites, this may not be possible (even if it was possible on your old host). Also, on some servers, if you use FrontPage extensions, you may have problems adding MIME types. If you can't get your system to work, either ask your host for assistance or change the catalog to use a .php extension.

7. If you are calling your site from a different URL now (ie. it used to be http://yoursite.oldhost.com and now it is http://yoursite.newhost.com), when you change your web URL in the administration area it will prompt you for an unlock code. If that happens, contact us for assistance.

8. Check your config file's path. If you need to find your home path, you can add the following line to your open.inc file (right under the <?php line) to check:

echo "Home Path: $DOCUMENT_ROOT";

Take off the last directory (usually something like "www" or "public_html"), and you'll have the root directory. (Or if you're installing the config file into the Now, add the config file and you'll have the path to the config file.

ex.) if the above gives you Home Path: /home/yoursite/public_html/
you would use /home/yoursite/dbconfig.php in your open.inc file
(or /home/yoursite/public_html/secure/dbconfig.php if you've installed the config file into a password protected directory called "secure" on your site)

ex.) if the above gives you Home Path: /home/users/web/abc/yoursite/www/
you would use /home/users/web/abc/yoursite/dbconfig.php in your open.inc file
(or /home/users/web/abc/yoursite/www/secure/dbconfig.php if you've installed the config file into a password protected directory called "secure" on your site)

Please note: Small Biz Community is not responsible for any damages or liabilities caused by using this tutorial to move your catalog files to a new host.