Upgrading to Newer Versions of Cerberus Helpdesk 4.0
From Cerberus Helpdesk Wiki
Contents |
Introduction
The officially supported way of upgrading beyond Cerberus Helpdesk 4.0 is by using Subversion. Subversion is a version control system which will automatically update your helpdesk files to the latest version.
The major advantage of Subversion is that it will attempt to automatically merge official code changes with any customization you have done. It also gives you the ability to list all your local changes to any project files, and to revert to an official version when desirable.
On Unix-based servers you can check if Subversion is installed by typing:
svn --version
On Windows-based servers TortoiseSVN is your best option.
Preparation
- Always make a backup of your helpdesk database prior to upgrading. MySQL backups are best done with mysqlhotcopy or mysqldump.
- Copy your framework.config.php file to backup.config.php
Updating with Subversion
If your most recent prior update was before 10 June, 2008, then you'll need to follow the instructions at Changing_SVN_Repository_Locations to relocate your SVN.
On Unix-based Servers
To update to the latest stable version
svn switch http://svn.webgroupmedia.com/cerb4/branches/stable
svn update
To update to the latest development version
svn switch http://svn.webgroupmedia.com/cerb4/cerb4
svn update
Viewing the ChangeLog
svn log | more
On Windows-based Servers
TortoiseSVN integrates with your Windows GUI. To update Cerberus Helpdesk:
- Open the folder containing your Cerb4 files.
- Right-click in the empty whitespace of the folder (as if you were going to create a new file).
- Choose "SVN Update" from the pop-up menu.
You should be shown a list of updated files and the new build versions for the project. Press the "OK" button when finished reading.
Finishing the Upgrade
Database Patches
Some Cerberus Helpdesk updates contain database changes which require a helpdesk administrator to finalize. This will prohibit all helpdesk activity (e.g., logins, scheduled tasks, mail parsing) to prevent any database corruption while you're between versions.
After your files are updated, attempt to log into your Cerb4 helpdesk instance as you normally would. If a database update is required Cerberus will automatically prompt you. Upon finalizing you should be able to log in and continue working.
Community Tools
Very rarely, the index.php file which drives your Community Tools may change during an upgrade.
How to tell if you need to update your Community Tool file:
- Log into your Cerb4 helpdesk.
- Click 'Communities' from the top navigation menu.
- Select any Community Tool to edit it.
- Click the 'Installation' tab.
- Compare the following line from the index.php output with your deployed index.php:
define('SCRIPT_LAST_MODIFY', 2007091502); // last change
- If the number is different you should replace the index.php file for your Community Tool with the new version from the helpdesk.
We're working on a way to make this check happen automatically.
Install Directory
A Subversion update will recover your cerb4/install directory. You need to delete this directory again, since it poses a security risk if left available.
Troubleshooting
Occasionally you may want to force your plugins to reload after a simple update that doesn't patch the database and clear out the cache. Click 'Helpdesk Setup' and select the plugins tab to automatically reload them.
