Deleting a modification.

Worker Joined: Aug 22, 2006 Posts: 192

OK....Well firstly I would like to wish everyone who is affiliated with the RavenPHPNuke website a very happy New Year and hope that 2007 will bring you all that you desire.

Now for my latest question...

There is much advise scattered around these forums reminding webmasters to be sensible and backup their entire website (including SQL Database), before installing a new module or block or making any major modifications. In this way, if there is a subsequent problem, the webmaster can simply wipe the current/modified version of their website off of their server and reinstall all the files from the backed up copy.

I understand this advise and procedure 'works' in the short term, but I do not know how this can be the solution for mid to long term.

What I specifically mean is that I understand the following:

1. You want to, for example, try a new module, so you make a complete backup of your website, (including the SQL Database)

2. You install the new module and make the necessary modifications and changes, (including installing some new tables in your SQL Database).

3. You 'play' with the new module, but find it is not to your liking or that it messed up the previous perfect functionality of your website.

4. You want to revert to how the website was before you installed the new module and made any modifications etc.

5. You delete the current/new modified version of your website and simply install all the backup files, which means you are back to a point before any changes were made etc.

6. Problem solved!

However, what I do not understand is how this is of use, or what happens, if you do not immediately decide that the module you have just installed is not to your liking and you no longer want or require it.

The problem I foresee is that when the following occurs:

1. You want to, for example, try a new module, so you make a complete backup of your website, (including the SQL Database)

2. You install the new module and make the necessary modifications and changes, (including installing some new tables in your SQL Database).

3. You 'play' with the new module, but do not/cannot immediately decide if you will keep it in the long term.

4. You install a further/second new module and make the necessary modifications and changes, (including installing some new tables in your SQL Database).

5. You subsequently, (maybe weeks or months later), decide that you want to delete the first module/modification you made.

Now what do you do? I mean, you cannot revert back to the back up files made in stage '1.' of my example, because this set of back up files do not include all the files for the second set of modifications you made.

This becomes more of an issue (and more complex) the more modifications you introduce to your original PHP-Nuke installation and I wonder if I am missing something here and if there is a better/more correct way to delete earlier modifications made, without 'disturbing' more recent changes to your website and SQL Database?

Involved Joined: Dec 27, 2005 Posts: 296

Some of the better and more reputable modules come with uninstallers, anything from NSN and Raven come to mind.

The only real difficulty comes in if a module makes changes to any core tables. Then, you have a real pain and are better off finding or asking for a script here to take the changes out while leaving the rest of the table intact.

But, if like most modules, that just install their own tables, then you just go into phpmyadmin and drop those tables and delete the files from your server. No messy backup required. Smile

It would be cool to have a module that uninstalls tables put in by unwanted modules and cleans or checks for conflicts in the database. We can dream... Wink

Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:31 pm

This is why I NEVER install anything on my production site without having tested it locally first. You can install your own complete WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP) on your own PC and do everything you need to do right there until you are satisfied with it.

I recommend checking out XAMP as it is a complete bundle of all of these and is a snap to install and start using. Although the versions that are being used in the latest XAMP are quite a bit higher than we like to recommend, I have not found an issue yet with it.

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:24 am

Hi Montego,

So to conclude, are my observations/therories/practices correct? Is this a kind of 'limitation' working with this PHP-Nuke modular CMS?

Is there no other/better way to acheive or do the process I explained at thebegining of this thread?

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:07 pm

In my opinion, what I have described is what is best with ANY and ALL dynamic web sites (all applications to be true) and is just good "change management" or what some people call "configuration management" or other call "good development practices".

There is no magic wand here. Managing change to a web site / application takes work and the more organized you are and your process is, the better the results and the less pain you experience.

Site Admin/Owner Joined: Aug 27, 2002 Posts: 17088

I would also recommend some kind of cersion control. SubVersion is very good. That's what we are using for our development team.