what is the difference between the various RC2 'upgrade' packaged?

[imrich]

I have a test forum as well as a online forum. The test forum is a mirror of the online forum.

Both are running SMF 2.0 RC1.2

Now that RC2 is out, I'm working on getting the test forum updated to RC2 before doing the same with the online version.

So I thought I'd try the upgrade download to see if it will install on the test forum.

My SMF 2 RC1.2 forum has mods, so I would think that the large upgrade download is the version I want as the description says to use this if using mods. However this is not a mod package, so It can't be used with the package installer.

So what's the difference between the three downloads, and is there a difference in choosing one over the other?

Thanks for help in understanding this.

Of course, I understand that since these 'downloads' are not mod packages, that I'll have to unintstall all my current mods (waiting for mod authors to update them to work with RC2) and then reinstall them.

If this has to be done anyway, what's the difference between the three available RC2 downloads?

Full install?
Large Upgrade?
Small Update?

Thanks for any help.

[Arantor]

Full install - if you don't already have a forum
Large Upgrade - updates SMF from earlier versions (RC1.2 or lower)
Small Upgrade - updates SMF from the last version only (in this case, RC2 Charter Preview)


If you want to upgrade a forum, use the large upgrade package, unpack it on your computer, then upload the entirety of the files over the top of your existing forum. Note that many mods and themes have not yet been updated.

[wiebke]

maybe someone will have a look at the download-page, because it says to use the small update if using RC1.2. Very confusing for me...

[Arantor]

It's automatically coded to do that, to display the previous version there.

As far as I know you need the large upgrade unless you're a charter member, but I haven't personally tried it.

If in doubt: large upgrade.

[robinrobin]

So you pretty much have to start all over every time a new version is released? I've been working with getting different themes, SSI and some thirty mods to be as embedded to the main site as possible. Even had to learn some basic PHP to get this right (and i actually hate coding.) Is there no way of using the package manager to compare and find all differences it needs to make so that a person could do the failing ones manually? If i remember correctly, the update from 2.0 1-1 to 1.2 was made directly via the ACP in our forums. Why does some updates have to replace all files of the old forum?

[Arantor]

When it's a major update it has to replace a lot of things.

RC1 to RC1-1 to RC1.2 were very minor changes, just changing a couple of files here and there.

RC2 changes almost every file in Themes/default, adds a lot in Themes/default/languages, plus the innards have changed in response to bug reports.

A package to update from RC1x to RC2 will not be officially produced because the changes are more like rewrites in places. For the Themes/default files, it would be virtually every line that changed.

[robinrobin]

Hehe, i see. Well that sure doesn't bode well for a lone webmaster who doesn't like being a webmaster! Will upgrades that have to replace files be produced once SMF 2.0 goes gold? I already re-did everything once.

[imrich]

So how does using the 'full install' vs the 'large upgrade' differ if one is simply uploading the entire contents of the .zip file.

I'm trying to understand the differences here.

Thanks for your help.

[Arantor]

The full install has the installer and is geared to creating things fresh, while the upgrade package has a different set of scripts aimed at modifying an existing forum.

Remember, this is a development version; we've never pretended 2.0 is anything other than that, so until it goes final there will not be any way to install via the package manager except for minor releases, e.g. 2.0 RC1 -> RC1-1 is a minor release, as was -> RC1.2. Going to RC2 is a much bigger release however which is why there's no easy option.

In fact it would actually confuse people more if there were an easy install option, since then there would be far more issues of 'xyz doesn't work'.

[imrich]

This info helps. Thanks for your help!

[robinrobin]

I'm sorry if i came across as offensive, Arantor. I'm well aware of the recommendation not to use the RC versions for production sites. I'm just trying to figure out if i should upgrade to RC2 or maybe stay with 1.2 until the gold version of 2.0 is released, which is why i'm wondering if upgrade packs that replaces files is something that that the SMF team does during beta/RC development alone or for "retail" versions as well. And i know that it's always recommend to upgrade ASAP too..

[Arantor]

robinrobin, no offense taken at all. Just we've been asked this a lot today as you can imagine...

You'll have just as much hassle upgrading from RC1.2 to RC2 as you would from RC1.2 to gold because of the changes being made and with the Curve theme. Though it's true you won't have to deal with the changes from any potential RC3 or the changes that make 'final'.

Once it hits gold, any changes thereafter are available via the package manager, such as all the patches from 1.1 final (through 1.1.1 to 1.1.10) as were the security hotfixes from 2.0 RC1 available.

It is only during beta/RC stage we issue full upgrades only rather than patch releases, because the patches tend to be large chunks of code that almost amount to the release anyway. Also, the package manager isn't designed to refit every file in SMF; it's pretty intensive in processing.

[robinrobin]

You're one of the most inhumanly humane humans i've ever come across online. As many posts as you do in a day it's a miracle that you remain as decent as always! Thank you kindly, old chum!

[Arantor]

You're one of the most inhumanly humane humans i've ever come across online. As many posts as you do in a day it's a miracle that you remain as decent as always! Thank you kindly, old chum!

Well, I have my moments where I'm not so happy, which is how I ended up requesting a change to SMF Friend rather than being on the Customization Team, but I'm hoping those unhappy details are just footnotes in a diary somewhere now.

As ever, anything you're not sure about please do ask and we'll do what we can