Proper way to install MX updates

[boss281]

How does one update one release to another without affecting settings and data? Thanks.

[PaulMy]

After stopping Cumulus I rename my previous version \CumulusMX to something like \CumulusMX-b3070. Unzip the new version to |CumulusMX. Copy in from the previous version the full \data and \Reports folders and the Cumulus.ini to the new version in |CumulusMX. Also the \web folder as Ihave modified and added some xxxxT. template files. Also paying attention to the Updates.txt for any other new information. That usually works, and I have a quick full backup (the renamed previous version) if something goes wrong.

Enjoy,
Paul

[freddie]

Best way is to rename your current install directory, then unzip the new release. Copy across Cumulus.ini and the contents of the data and reports directories from your current install to the new install. If you have done any customisation to the standard website then copy across the contents of the web folder from current installation to new installation. If you have done any customisation to the interface then copy across the contents of the interface folder from the current installation to the new installation - but be careful with this one, as a fair bit of new functionality has been added to the interface recently (in fact it's best not to customise it at all, TBH).

Start the new installation of MX and watch out for any errors - both in the terminal window and in the MXdiags log files.

Finally, don't delete your old installation for a week or so as you may notice something that you haven't copied across!

[sfws]

A longer way of saying what Freddie has put so concisely is in the Wiki https://cumuluswiki.org/a/Cumulus_MX#Up ... MX_release, that page is a good place to go for any MX advice. It is also consistent with what Paul suggests, except it assumes that you have placed your new ...T.htm files in a separate folder and set them up as Extra Files for Cumulus to process as per the advice on the template customisation page https://cumuluswiki.org/a/Customised_templates.

How does one update one release to another without affecting settings and data? Thanks.

The main point to remember is your settings are stored in Cumulus.ini so you copy that file into new installation. Your data is stored in CumulusMX/data so you copy the contents of that folder in your old installation into the new installation data folder.

[water01]

We ought to say that this for a Windows installation, this does not apply to other variants.

I must say also that I have have adopted a slightly different strategy since Steve first released CumulusMX.

I have always downloaded the .zip expanded it in my download folder on my development computer(I always keep the last 3 downloads) and then copied the files/folders that have changed to my production computer. Right from the very first Beta this has always worked for me. I will say here that I have not modded the interface in any way so I always copy the entire interface directory. As the interface is for my own personal use to setup Cumulus etc., I do not worry about removing Solar etc. as that is done on my public facing web site.

[freddie]

We ought to say that this for a Windows installation, this does not apply to other variants.

I assume you mean the Wiki page, as my description was deliberately cross-platform

[sfws]

We ought to say that this for a Windows installation, this does not apply to other variants.

A bald statement like that helps nobody.
Please be specific what is only applicable to Windows, and does not apply to other variants. The original question came from a windows user, so it is the right answer for that question. If it is not comprehensive enough for others, you need to indicate what has been left out.

All variants have a Cumulus.ini, all variants have a data and Reports directory.... You might use different commands for copying files, but you still start with a zip and end up with files in a particular structure.... and you still can make the choice of which files are overwritten and which are not updated.

I have only updated the original Steve Loft text. His words remaining in the Wiki covers both the new folder (Freddie) and overwriting folder (Water01) approaches for installing MX. My text additions to his original for updating MX were not meant to be device specific, but were intended to be a) more comprehensive, and b) more up to date. If I have made text or device specific errors, please let me know where I have gone wrong, or of course add/amend the Wiki yourself to make the documentation better. All contributors are welcome, especially from those not using Windows.

[boss281]

Thanks everyone for a comprehensive set of replies. As indicated by the responses, I am a Windows 10 user. This approached worked fine but as suggested I'll keep the old renamed directory around a bit.

Stay safe all...

[sfws]

Glad we helped.

I notice one point was correctly mentioned by Paul, but missed out by all of us who added further replies:

After stopping Cumulus

You need to stop Cumulus MX before you conclude update, as while running it locks or updates certain files. The Cumulus.ini and files in data folder can only be copied to new installation when Cumulus is not running

Maybe it is obvious, but it is still worth mentioning, to give a comprehensive answer.

We ought to say that this for a Windows installation, this does not apply to other variants.

I have no idea what David (Water01) was saying was different for non-Windows devices, but it is true that some people running MX on a device without a monitor, will download MX on another device and copy it across to their Pi or whatever. If this applies to you, see viewtopic.php?f=40&t=17895&start=135#p139422 which was updated last month.

I assume you mean the Wiki page

I don't know if Niall has looked at the Wiki page https://cumuluswiki.org/a/Cumulus_MX, but I believe it covers everything and is not Windows specific. If something is missing, as I said before either tell me or add it to the Wiki yourself.

[water01]

I have no idea what David (Water01) was saying was different for non-Windows devices, but it is true that some people running MX on a device without a monitor, will download MX on another device and copy it across to their Pi or whatever. If this applies to you, see viewtopic.php?f=40&t=17895&start=135#p139422 which was updated last month.

Perhaps I should of made myself clearer. Most people who run Linux etc, and this certainly applies to the Pi community, run it through SSH, terminals etc., and without a GUI that allows you to copy and paste. It is much easier to expand a zip in another directory and use the copy commands to overwrite the existing files in a directory than doing it the other way.

They are both valid it is just an in situ update is less of a faff!!