Upgraded to WordPress 2.3.1

Sunday, November 4, 2007 @ 7:00 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finally finished upgrading all my weblogs and websites using WordPress from WordPress 2.3 to WordPress 2.3.1, which is actually just a bug-fix and security release for the WordPress 2.3 series. Read the details at the WordPress.org Blog, WordPress 2.3.1.

I upgraded the sites Sehdi.com, SofieHofmann.com Blog, Pandan.ph, Tugbong.pandan.ph, Pagtatap.org, Pandan.gov.ph News, and Weggis.net.

Every time I upgraded, I also wrote some details on how did I do it. So here it goes again. 🙂

My 10 steps to upgrading WordPress:

First, I downloaded the latest WordPress release in my hard disk. I downloaded it from the download page of WordPress.

Second, I extracted/unzipped the new files in my hard disk. With this, I was able to check the site locally because I installed IIS in my hard disk.

Third, I made a back-up of my database in my hard disk. I just accessed phpmyadmin online and then exported the whole database.

Fourth, I copied the old files to another folder, and also to my hard disk. If anything happens during the upgrade and the pages are not showing up properly, I can always revert to the old files.

Fifth, I changed the content of the index file at the root or at the folder where the WordPress was installed. I did it using the web control panel, sometimes via FTP. The message goes like this, “Sorry, I’m upgrading the site right now. Please come back after a few minutes.” With this, visitors will know that nothing is wrong with the site or else visitors might get the internal server error message.

Sixth, I deactivated all the WordPress Plugins. This is just to avoid any pages not showing up properly in case the plugin is not compatible with the latest release of WordPress. I logged-in first of course at the admin page.

Seventh, I deleted the files except the index.php file, wp-content folder and config.php file. I deleted the files using the web control panel, it’s easier because if I do it via FTP, I just can’t delete the folder. I have to delete the contents of the subfolder first, if there’s any, then the contents of the folder, and then the folder.

Some notes though, I just visited the site of WordPress and read that there was no need for me to delete the files anymore. I could have just uploaded the files and the old files will be replaced. Copying the entire folder will overwrite the old files.

Eight, I uploaded the entire folder of the extracted files even including the wp-content folder via FTP. There were no plugins yet, except Akismet being always part of the release, at the wp-content folder of the new extracted release version, so no plugins have been replaced other than Akismet.

Take note, be very careful when deleting or overwriting files, read the details at the codex of WordPress on Upgrading WordPress. I noticed that they have rewritten the content here. So kindly check it out. I didn’t read it before I upgraded the sites to WordPress 2.3.1.

Ninth, I replaced the index file with the original content. With this, the pages will again show up properly.

<?php define(‘WP_USE_THEMES’, true);
require(‘./wp-blog-header.php’);
?>

Tenth, lastly, I checked the pages, and reactivated the plugins one at a time.

I didn’t have any problem with the upgrade and with the plugins. Everything just went smooth. You can read this entry, Upgraded to WordPress 2.1 Ella, to know what WordPress Plugins have I been using. I still use the same plugins. Check each site for new versions.

Anyway, if you notice at the Plugins section, there should be a message there if the plugin you use have a new version. Also, once you logged-in to your admin, there will also be a message that you are using an old version of WordPress and that you can download the latest version from the website of WordPress.

New WordPress Theme for Sehdi.com

Thursday, November 1, 2007 @ 5:55 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finally finished redesigning my own web design site Sehdi.com. I have been working for a new WordPress theme for my web design site for the month of October but couldn’t get satisfied. I waited a little bit until I have no more complaints about my own web design, simple, fast to download and easy to navigate.

Actually, it took me 10 days only not the whole month to do the revision as I didn’t do it continuously. Well, 10 days is also quite long just to do a WordPress theme but I always would like my theme to be neat and nice according to my taste, if not perfect. I worked on it, only if I have time. I make sure that I will be able to concentrate on it.

I couldn’t anymore keep track how many times did I redesign Sehdi.com when I was not using WordPress yet. But this is the first time, that I redesigned it ever since I use WordPress as CMS for this site. When I converted the whole site in December 2006 to use WordPress, not only the blog, I just adapted the old design of this site.

The first WordPress theme was a two-column theme with 750px fixed width to make it still easier for those who are also still using 800×600 screen resolution.

The second WordPress theme is a fluid three-column theme. It still looks good at 800×600 screen resolution but the width will not expand if the user has bigger than 1024×768 screen resolution. The second sidebar adjusts if the user opted for a screen resolution to be even smaller than the old standard 800×600 screen resolution. I configured it that way as the second sidebar contains ads only aside from the random web design images which can be accessed at the first sidebar.

Regarding colors, I like the colors of the old WordPress theme, so I didn’t really change the colors.

Upgraded to WordPress 2.3 “Dexter”

Monday, October 1, 2007 @ 1:31 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finally finished upgrading all the Websites using WordPress from WordPress 2.1.3 to WordPress 2.3 “Dexter”. I really had issues with WordPress 2.2 that’s why I didn’t upgrade the sites from WordPress 2.1.3 to WordPress 2.2 neither to WordPress versions 2.2.1, 2.2.2 and 2.2.3. I first tried upgrading Sehdi.com last Tuesday, and I didn’t have any problems. So I decided to upgrade all the other Websites the next day except for Weggis.net which I only did on Friday.

SofieHofmann.com Blog, Sehdi.com, Pandan.ph, Pandan.gov.ph News, Tugbong.pandan.ph were still using WordPress 2.1.3 before the upgrade. Pagtatap.org was the only one that I upgraded from WordPress 2.1.3 to WordPress 2.2.1, not WordPress 2.2. Actually with Weggis.net, I didn’t have to do it myself, as my webhost has one click upgrade feature. I wanted to upgrade Weggis.net last Wednesday too, but my webhost haven’t installed WordPress 2.3 yet. As I haven’t upgraded the site from WordPress 2.2.2, I just upgraded it to WordPress 2.2.3, only to be upgraded again last Friday to WordPress 2.2.3 as my webhost finally installed it.

I never really had major problems with the WordPress Plugins, everything went well. If there were any problems, they were just minor ones, and they were fixed in just a few seconds.

I don’t have more than 7 WordPress Plugins in any of my sites but if you combine all the different sites, then I’m using more or less 11 but not more than 15 WordPress Plugins. What are those WordPress Plugins then? Kindly check this past entry, Upgraded to WordPress 2.1 Ella. So far I’m using the same WordPress Plugins and nothing really changed that much except for using its new versions, of course. Check the sites of these WordPress Plugins for new versions compatible to WordPress 2.3.

Site Updates and Important Notices

Wednesday, August 22, 2007 @ 5:53 pm by Sofie Hofmann

It’s been more than 1 1/2 months now since I updated this blog. We were on vacation in Ireland for the first two weeks of July and then got so busy right after we came back. I will be blogging about it later on my personal blog but after I finished writing about my trip to England in April with some friends.

I used to write it here every time I updated some of the sites I maintain, not regularly but somehow I did. Some things may change though, I will probably no longer write what sites I updated as it is taking so much of my time. Once in a while perhaps, time will tell. I actually do it as it reminds me when did I update any of the sites. Well, we will see…

Site Updates:

I updated several of my own sites including those I maintain like Lux International AG, Swiss Big Game Fishing, and Green Cross Switzerland Websites. I transferred Pagtatap.org to another server, and upgraded it from WordPress 2.1.3 to WordPress 2.2.1 before WordPress 2.2.2 was released on August 5, 2007.

Important Notices:

I will also be transferring some sites to another server especially Weggis.net, Sehdi.com, and SofieHofmann.com. I will not mention anymore the other sites that I will also be transferring to another server but I will definitely be transferring a lot.

I will also be upgrading the sites using WordPress to WordPress 2.2.2 as I have not upgraded them from WordPress 2.1.3 to WordPress 2.2 or WordPress 2.2.1.

I will also be redesigning several HTML sites and code them in PHP or ASP, probably use CMS too especially WordPress.

With that, if there will be any interruptions and you can’t access or view any of the sites that I maintain, it’s because of what I mentioned above. So please bear with me in the next few days. Or maybe weeks?

That’s all for now. I just would like to let you know why I will be very busy in the next few weeks.

Upgrading to WordPress 2.2 and Site Updates

Thursday, May 31, 2007 @ 11:00 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I tried to upgrade from WordPress 2.1.3 to WordPress 2.2 but to no avail. This is actually the first time that I’m having problems in upgrading to a newer version. I only tried upgrading this site and my personal blog. I didn’t attempt to upgrade my other sites yet hoping to solve the problems.

The word “Array” keeps on appearing at the plugins section and other parts of the admininstration pages. You can not even delete them since they’re not visible at the control panel’s file manager. I tested deleting the plugins and reinstall them but nothing happened, the word “Array” still appears.

With that, I just rolled back to WordPress 2.1.3. So far, no problem with the database and everything went fine. For now, I’ll just use WordPress 2.1.3 and probably wait for WordPress 2.3.

Site Updates:

I updated the website of Green Cross Switzerland several times already. The newsletter 02/2007 for the month of May is now available, but only in German language. Kindly check the publications page. Green Cross have some press releases, something to do with agricultural micro-projects being under the leadership of women, see media page. The list of the members of the National Council was also updated, see parliament page.

I updated Swiss Big Game Fishing too. The “Fisch Rekord” winners for the month of April were announced at the site. Naturally, new photos were uploaded at the “Fangerfolge” page.

I also updated Pagtatap.org website. PAGTATAP Youth with the support of PAGTATAP USA will hold the 5th Youth Leadership and Teambuilding Camp this coming June 22-24, 2007 @ Villa Bautista, Dionela, Pandan, Antique, Philippines. Professor Vinnie Tan of the University of the Philippines (UP) is the main facilitator of the activity. Later on, I will also upload some photos of the Pagtatap Youth Camp 2006, the Pagtatap Youth Bugang River Clean-up 2006 and the Pagtatap Youth “Alay-Kapwa” 2006.

I also updated Pandan.gov.ph, the Official Website of the Municipality of Pandan, Antique. I posted the Local Election Results 2007 at the News section.

Ok, I was not able to update this blog because I was busy organizing my photos during my vacation, then got busy resizing the pictures that I would like to post in my personal blog. If you like to travel, check out my personal blog at SofieHofmann.com. I will be posting some photos taken during my two weeks vacation in four European countries.

Sites upgraded to WordPress 2.1.3

Sunday, April 8, 2007 @ 8:40 pm by Sofie Hofmann

All blogs (Sehdi.com Blog, Simply Sofie Blog) and websites (Sehdi.com, Weggis.net, Pagtatap.org, Pandan.ph, Pandan.gov.ph News section, Tugbong Festival) that I own and being maintained using WordPress have been updated on April 4, 2007, the day after WordPress 2.1.3 was released.

It’s not only the WordPress 2.1 branch which has a new security release but also WordPress 2.0. So for those who are still having the WordPress 2.0, you can also upgrade to WordPress 2.0.10.

A lot of WordPress users have issues regarding upgrading to WordPress 2.1 for the reason that the plugins they have been using are no longer compatible with WordPress 2.1.

I suggest, use a plugin if it’s only necessary. Let go of the other plugins for a while. Find another one similar to the plugin you used before that is compatible with WordPress 2.1 branch. Upgrade slowly, just don’t jump from a lower version to a higher version like from WordPress 1.5 to WordPress 2.1 unless you really know what you’re doing. Spend your time reading the forum, you’ll most likely find the answer there. You probably need not even ask a question. WordPress forum is quite very helpful. And yes, don’t forget, the most important is, backup your database and the theme or template you are using especially if you already tweaked it a little bit before you upgrade.

Or better yet, read this at the WordPress.org on how to upgrade WordPress, Upgrading WordPress.

Another important matter about major releases, if you don’t know yet, WordPress will be having another major release (WordPress 2.2) this April, most probably on April 23, 2007. I also mentioned about it on my entry WordPress 2.0.7, WordPress 2.1 RC1, Site Updates. Check it out too at this entry WordPress Wednesday: New Security Release, Updated WordPressMU, More WordPress Plugins, and Time to Get Naked by Lorelle VanFossen at The Blog Herald.

Site Update:
I updated the media pages of Green Cross Switzerland. The press release is ony in German language. Green Cross Switzerland has a new board member.

Boracaydivers.com converted to XHTML and PHP

Thursday, March 22, 2007 @ 12:53 pm by Sofie Hofmann

Boracaydivers.com had been converted from HTML to XHTML and PHP. I actually finished converting the site within a day on the first week of March but since I was busy with other matters I was not able to write about it. There were no other major changes and the design remains the same.

On other matters, maybe it’s a bit late but it is still important. You might not have read about it yet. For those of you who still have WordPress 2.1.1, please upgrade your WordPress 2.1.1 to WordPress 2.1.2. I was also not able to write about it here but a few hours after I read the announcement at WordPress “WordPress 2.1.1 Dangerous, Upgrade” I immediately upgraded all my sites using WordPress 2.1.1.

Even if I downloaded WordPress 2.1.1 earlier than what was stipulated at the announcement when the original code had been possibly modified I still upgraded all my sites. It was probably not affected but then WordPress declared version 2.1.1 dangerous and released version 2.1.2.

Just to inform you, I don’t write all my updates here especially if I update the other sites, so please visit my other sites once in a while for site updates.

Tugbong Festival Website converted to WordPress

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @ 10:52 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finished redesigning the Tugbong Festival Website before we left on February 17, 2007 for a week vacation but I was not able to upload the redesigned pages. Tugbong Festival is a yearly Joint Municipal and Religious Fiesta Celebration, every 21st to 25th of April in Pandan, Antique, Philippines.

I finally uploaded the pages a few days ago. I finished converting the site from simple HTML to WordPress using PHP. It took me at least a week to finish it as I was not really working on it everyday. Before that, I also finished converting the whole site of Pagtatap.org from simple PHP to WordPress. It used to be that only the Updates section of Pagtatap.org was using WordPress. You can read about the minor changes at “Newly redesigned Pagtatap.org” at the Updates page of the site. It took me a month to finish the Pagtatap.org site but in reality, I did it for just 10 days as I was not also working on it everyday just like the Tugbong Festival Website.

The new design of Tugbong Festival Website has a similarity with the old design with regards to the graphics but if you really take a look at them, they are different. As of the moment, you will still be able to see the old design but later on I will have to remove the old pages to avoid duplicating the contents. The other pages are still there except for the index.html which was redirected to the new index page.

Anyway, WordPress has a new release, WordPress 2.1.1, and Tugbong Festival Website is now using it. I still have to upgrade the other websites as I was on vacation when WordPress released the new version.

Other Updates:
Also, before we left, I updated the website of Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme. You can see all the updates at the Site / PSAP Updates page of the site.

Then when we arrived from our vacation, I started updating other websites too. I just updated the News page of Pandan.gov.ph, and the Publication and Media pages of Green Cross Switzerland.

Upgraded to WordPress 2.1 Ella

Friday, January 26, 2007 @ 6:09 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finished upgrading the sites using WordPress from WordPress 2.0.7 to WordPress 2.1. Upgrading a WordPress site is not that complicated. What makes the site complicated when being upgraded? If some tags were deprecated, some features were removed or transferred, and if the Plugins, if you have any, aren’t compatible with WordPress 2.1 Ella.

There were no major problems with SofieHofmann.com Blog as it is a blog. I just have to check my blog entries for XHTML validation. I corrected a little bit at CSS file as my images are always centered but the text are always justified. All of a sudden, the centered text were adjusted to the left. They’re ok now.

With Sehdi.com, I had to redo the conditional tags because of the feature that a static page can be assigned to the front page. I did both the code for a static page as well as for the latest posts, so even if I switch from one to another, the pages won’t break and won’t be affected at all. No matter what, I can assign a static page or the latest blog posts anytime to the front page. I haven’t use this feature with other sites yet. One thing though, the quicktag <!--more--> doesn’t work but the quicktag <!--nextpage--> works. I still have to figure out the solution to the <!--more--> quicktag.

With Weggis.net, I needed to remove some conditional tags at the archives, having the articles after each topic. Sometimes they appear, sometimes not. Instead, I changed the number of articles at the individual archives. So if you check each topic archive, all the titles of the articles are there aside from the latest one on top of all the other ones.

With Pagtatap.org, there’s not a lot of problems, as it was just newly redesigned.

With Pandan.gov.ph News, it was just like Sofiehofmann.com Blog. I just fixed the CSS because of the floating images to the right, and XHTML for validation.

With Pandan.ph, I have more problems with one of the Plugins. I’m using a Paged Comments Plugin in this site and it was not working with PHP include <?php include (file.php); ?> unless you put the TEMPLATE PATH before file.php. I also have Paged Comments Plugin at Pagtatap.org but this problem didn’t occur there as I was not using too much page templates unlike with Pandan.ph. Anyway, I was able to fix everything.

For all the other sites, I needed to change the deprecated template tags, wp_list_cats to wp_list_categories and get_archives to wp_get_archives. Actually, as of the moment, even if you didn’t change them, they will stay the same, won’t really affect the site.

Regarding the links being part of categories now, if you have get_link_list and opted to check show description, it’s not working now. That option was removed from the admin side, and so, I replaced get_link_list with wp_list_bookmarks.

I’ve written something about a Plugin. What about other WordPress Plugins?

I don’t use too many WordPress Plugins. So far, I have these Plugins but not in all the sites.

Akismet Plugin by Matt Mullenweg, WP-PostViews by GaMerZ, Post Updated by Kaf Oseo, Peter’s Custom Anti-Spam by Peter Keung, Sidebar Widgets by Automattic, Simple Recent Comments Widget by Mika Perälä, randomimage by Justin Watt, Filosofo Home-Page Control by Austin Matzko. No problem with all these WordPress Plugins.

SRG Clean Archives Plugin by Shawn Grimes. I have to fix the post_status='publish' to post_type='post' as I don’t want the pages to be part of the monthly archives.

Paged Comments Plugin by Keyvan Minoukadeh. I already mentioned about the Paged Comments Plugin and fixed the problem.

Counterize II Plugin by Steffen Forkmann. I deactivated this Plugin except at Sehdi.com and SofieHofmann.com Blog even before upgrading to WordPress 2.1. It’s in conflict with the Google Search that I’m using. I couldn’t fix it yet. I’m always getting a message above the page referring to the database. But if I just use the normal WordPress search, no problem at all.

WordPress database error: [You have an error in your SQL syntax. Check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ” at line 1]
update wp_Counterize_Pages set count = count + 1 where pageID =

Everytime I activate the Plugin and test google site and web search, the message above appears and another one and another one. I haven’t asked the author of the Plugin yet about this, hoping that I will solve it myself. But since I’m not a MySQL guru, I still have to figure it out. As I see it, I think the solution is just simple and it’s just there but I haven’t really figured that out yet.

WordPress Database Backup Plugin by Scott Merrill. I never really used WordPress Database Backup as I backup my database from the phpMyAdmin itself. I just tested it and eventually deactivated again in the other sites. No matter how I changed the File Permission of wp-content, it’s just not working in other sites. It’s not creating index.php at the backup folder and so I couldn’t backup my database. So as not to put the security of wp-content in danger, I just deactivated the Plugin except at the 2 of all the 6 sites.

Well, that’s all for today. Other than what I have mentioned above, everything is ok. All the sites are fine and running without any problems. Thanks to WordPress Team! Thanks to WordPress Plugins authors!

WordPress 2.0.7, WordPress 2.1 RC1, Site Updates

Saturday, January 20, 2007 @ 12:41 pm by Sofie Hofmann

As I was saying before, it’s really crazy, it seems like the month of January is a month of upgrading from WordPress 2.0.5 to WordPress 2.0.6, then just 5 days ago, WordPress released WordPress 2.0.7 but I found that out only 2 days after it was released.

So there, for security, I upgraded all my WordPress sites and blogs to WordPress 2.0.7. To think, that WordPress is going to have a major release soon before the month ends. Then they’re thinking of releasing 2.2, most likely late April. They even invited bloggers to contribute some ideas. Read about it here, Ideas and Kvetch!.

The truth is, when I visited Matt Mullenweg‘s blog yesterday, he has a link to the WordPress 2.1 Release Candidate 1. It is out. I already downloaded it for testing but not really using it yet for the public sites and blogs.

Other Updates:

I updated the site Weggis.net. Sennenchilbi Weggis 2006 Video by Sofie Hofmann, courtesy of Yahoo! Video, and several photos were posted at the site.

I updated the site Pagtatap.org. As it was newly redesigned, I’m still improving certain things at the site.

I updated the site Greencross.ch. It was October 2006 when I removed the donation pages as I need to fix the pages. Yesterday, I finally finished configuring them. They were uploaded, and once again, Green Cross Switzerland is now ready to receive online donation.