Topic on Project:Support desk

One option appears to be missing from Manual:Upgrading and maybe it is for a good reason, but I'll have to ask first.

If you don't have shell access to the server that hosts your relatively large site, you may still be able to download the files and database that belong to it. If that's the case, I would expect that you can replicate the site on your local desktop computer or whatever (e.g. using a stack that includes PHP, etc.) and do the upgrade from the command line; then, if the upgrade has completed successfully, you can upload the database and files to replace the old ones and the job is done.

Would this imaginary scenario work, or did I just paint a rosy picture that underestimates the complexity of the process? Does it matter, for instance, that the local computer runs Windows, while the remote server is Unix-based, or that the solution stack of your local computer is not as full as the remote installation?

If it does work though, it would be worth considering as an alternative to the web-based updater (which may not work) or the rather more expensive solution of migrating your site (which not everyone can afford) and so as a way out of an impasse.

> If you don't have shell access [...] and the job is done.

Yes, that basiclly is possible. What you are speaking about, technically is a move to your other, local PC. See Manual:Moving_a_wiki for more information on server moves! Then what you do is an upgrade as detailed on Upgrade and then another move back to the original server.

I have not tested a Windows <-> Unix move myself, but I would expect the following:

• Configured file system paths have to be adjusted (e.g. in LocalSettings.php, but possibly also at other places).
• All caches have to be cleared.
• If the domain name/URL of the server is different both times, that will have to be adjusted as well (e.g. in $wgServer).
• Additionally, the objectcache DB table has to be cleared - otherwise there will be a flood of "file not found" errors.
• It might be possible that you have to adjust some paths somewhere deep inside the DB; I do not know if and where, but that it would be e.g. is the reason for why you have to TRUNCATE the objectcache table.

Usually it won't be reasonable to go down all that way moving a wiki just to do an upgrade. The few bucks you save for not paying a more expensive hosting will easily be spent for the working time needed to do the server moves.

Thanks for this!

By the sound of it, it is not unfeasible per se, but the move back and forth might be rather cumbersome and not entirely 'idiot-proof', with a number of issues that could easily become a right pain. Localsettings.php can easily be adjusted, but some of the other, database-related things you mention regarding 'objectcache' and others listed at Manual:Moving a wiki are well outside my 'comfort zone'.

On the other hand, the alternative is more than 'a few bucks' extra. I might give it a try and see how things work out (or not).