Good Practices - Setting up the Live and Test Environments

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I have now completed 3 Concrete5 projects (2 relatively simple and 1 more complex) and have struggled with a few "set-up" issues.

1) How to setup Test & Live environments so that it is easy to turn the switch and set a site to live. So far I've set up a C5TEST and a C5LIVE sub-directory (under root) which appears to work so far.

2) I've had issues where a customer already has website and they want it replaced. The specific issue I have is that their Root directory is already set-up with directories and folders (for their old site files and with files that may be for other uses like internal shared documents or other) - my hoster has a "one-click" install process that builds the Concrete5 site under the root (if that is where I choose to point it to) but their one-click robot checks and assumes the directory is "empty" and will not install if it is not empty (I understand why). I so far have copied all files out to a higher level called back up then install C5 then pull the folders/files back in.

Looking for a discussion on this or help / directions or sources to a recommended approach.

HOBOcs
 
jordanlev replied on at Permalink Reply
jordanlev
1) You should just get yourself a shared hosting account you can use for testing. Don't need to keep the test and live sites on the same server. If you do, just put the test site in a subdirectory (sounds like this is what you're already doing).

2) Don't use one-click installer for building sites. That's for n00bs only :)
I'm joking about the n00b thing -- but seriously, if you're building sites for customers it would be well worth your while to set up MAMP or WAMP on your computer and build sites there, then when they're finished upload them to the server (and copy the database).
JohntheFish replied on at Permalink Best Answer Reply
JohntheFish
We had another thread that touched on this a couple of months ago, but unfortunately didn't attract much input from other developers.

http://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/customizing_c5/organising...
HOBOcs replied on at Permalink Reply
HOBOcs
Thanks John/Jordan - I read the thread and like your ideas about the "Staging" environments. Jordan - good points on the oneclick installs. Ithink I'm on the right track - sometimes you just need some reassurance.

Jim the "HOBO"