Whether you're working with Installatron for Application Installation or Updates, you can also install and manage the applications manually. While you may be running different applications within cPanel The practice is generally the same whether you're working with Omeka, Scalar, or WordPress, so you can follow this guide to get your sites up to date!
Getting Started
Most of the work will happen through the File Manager or FTP (the method of your choice), you'll want to make sure to do a couple of things first.
Taking a Backup
Because you're working directly within the file system for the application you will want to make sure to get a backup of the site before you begin work. This way you can restore the backup of the site with ease knowing the site was working prior to the updates.
There are several ways to work through getting a backup on your site, you can choose which option works best for you:
- Restoring and Downloading Accounts from Jetbackup in WHM (for Domain Of One's Own Admins)
- Restoring Specific Files Using JetBackup
- Installatron Automated Backups and Restore
- Generating a Full cPanel Backup
Downloading Files
Next, you'll want to download the files for the particular version of the application you're working through. You can download directly from the developer's website (like WordPress.org or Omeka.org) or use a GitHub repository.
You will want to download the files in a .zip format to do some additional configuration prior to uploading.
Once you have the .zip downloaded, extract the file to see the files and folders on your local machine.
Compressing New Version
When working with the manual update, you will want to take into account any content changes you or the user made prior to the update. This way you can save any media, posts, pages, collections, books, etc from becoming overwritten. Within each application, you will want to consider excluding the following files/folders from the update:
- Plugins/Modules
- Themes
- Files/Uploads (media)
- Configuration files (like database files or local settings)
To accomplish this, you can simply exclude the files from the compression or make local copies of the files/folders to add back once you've completed the update. This can be different depending on the application, so be sure to check where these files/folders are stored within the file system.
Once you've made your selection, compress it into a .zip file. This will be helpful when uploading the files to the File Manager.
Uploading Files
Once you have the .zip for the application, you can now upload this to the location of your choice! This method can be done in different ways, so you work through what makes the most sense for you. You can use FTP, SSH/rsync, or upload through the File Manager. This portion will walk through uploading in the File Manager from cPanel.
File Manager
To access the file manager, first log into cPanel. Then click File Manager.
Navigate to the location you're working with and click Upload on the tool bar at the top of your screen.
Next, you'll be asked to select the file to upload. Select the .zip you're working with and click/drag to upload or follow the prompts on the screen.
Once uploaded, you will see green success bar, signaling the upload is complete. Click the "Go Back" to bring you back to the
You should see the .zip file you just uploaded, if not use the Refresh button. Now you're going to Extract the .zip. Select the .zip and click Extract in the top toolbar.
Click to confirm the location where the files/folders will be extracted. This will move the files/folders into the directory you were working with, and replace any File/Folder that has been changed to the version uploaded.
And voila! You have updated the site! Make sure to move back any of the files or folders you moved/saved into their respective locations to ensure the site is online properly.
Final Steps
You will want to double-check the site to ensure a database upgrade happens if needed. Load the admin pages in the browser (eg, testsite.domain/admin or testsite.domain/wp-admin). You will be prompted to upgrade the database before logging in.
Next, ensure that the content is loading properly. You can follow these guides to troubleshooting a site if needed:
- Troubleshooting Common WordPress Errors
- Troubleshooting HTTP Error 500
- Common Troubleshooting Fixes for Domain of One's Own
- Changing Your PHP Version in cPanel
- Changing File Permissions via FTP or the Terminal
Further Reading
Omeka
Omeka S
Scalar
If you continue running into errors after this point, you can open up a ticket to our Support Team or reach out to the application developers for help. Make sure to describe the process you followed in detail and we'll be happy to take a look!