Room for improvement on upgrade instructions
 

I guess it's shame on me for trusting that a product that I pay a license for would have good documentation. I went to upgrade from 3.8.2 to 3.8.4 patch level (whatever todays download was).

Quote:
Close your board via the Admin Control Panel.

Upload all files from the 'upload/' folder in the zip* with the exception of 'install/install.php'. Then open the 'upload/includes/' folder. In this you will find config.php.new. You should rename this to config.php and then open it in a text editor.

Open your browser and point the URL to http://www.example.com/forum/install/upgrade.php (where www.example.com/forums/ is the URL of your vBulletin). You should now be automatically forwarded to the appropriate upgrade script and step.

Follow the instructions on the screen. Make sure you click next step or proceed until you are redirected to your Admin Control Panel. Here* you can reopen your board.

For a complete description of how to upgrade from a previous version of vBulletin 3 to the latest version* see the upgrade section [http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/upgrade] of the vBulletin 3 Manual [http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html].

Please note that the format for config.php in vBulletin 3.5.x is different from previous versions of vBulletin* and you will need to manually update your config file to the new format. Instructions are here [http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/editconfig].

These upgrade instructions are MISERABLE and whomever wrote them should be drug out and beat.

My fault for trusting them.


They should have read:
1. Close site via admin panel (with detailed location of where to go for newer admins)
2. Make backup of database (which I did)
3. Make backup of all files (which I did not do and which bit me in the tail)
4. Copy files from "upload" directory.... to where? this is not specified.... and not crystal clear. I wound up overwriting my config file which took the site offline. Thank you very much for such great docs!

I thought I had a copy* but my copy is outdated. Fortunately my hosting provider makes backups on Sundays and only charges $15 to restore a fileset for you. GRRRRRRR.

The instructions should be step by step and walk a reasonably technical* but inexperienced admin through the process. This will benefit everyone.

I expect this sort of experience with open source software.... not commercial software.

The docs also make no mention of any requirements or things you should check. For example* I have renamed admincp for better security.