Moving an FP Web to a new host

[Isidore]

I'm about to move my FrontPage site to a new host and want to make
certain I'm doing things in the right sequence.

One of the reasons for the move is that my current host has been
unable or unwilling to repair my FP extensions and the site has been
breaking. A problem: my site has many subwebs, each of which was
converted into a folder during one of the recent extensions crises.

Here's the sequence of steps I'm thinking of:

1. Install FP extensions on new host.
2. Publish from old host to new host, if possible. If not, publish
from local backup to new host.
3. Convert all former-subwebs back into subwebs.

Does anyone see any problems with this? Would it be better, for
example, to attempt to re-convert to subwebs on the old host? Would
it be better to use FTP? Would it be better to install extensions
after the transfer?

I'm currently using FP2003 but the site was build with earlier
versions.

Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Isidore

 

[Steve Easton]

*If* your local copy is up to date and set up exactly as you want it, forget the old server version
and publish to the new host directly from your machine.

*Do not* FTP to your new host if the extensions are installed or you will start the problems all
over again.

In order to publish to your new host using http://yourwebname.com you will have to wait until your
new domain location ( IP address ) has propagated throughout the domain name server system which
usually takes 24 to 48 hours.

To know for sure when it has taken place, open a command window ( Start > Run type: CMD and click
OK ) and ping your domain and write down the IP address. To ping your domain simply type: ping
www.yourwebname.com in the command window and press enter.
When the IP address changes, your domain has been moved and recognized by the domain name server
system, and selecting File > Publish web in FrontPage will publish your site to the new server.



--
Steve Easton
Microsoft MVP FrontPage
95isalive
This site is best viewed............
........................with a computer

 

[MD Websunlimited]

Hi Isidore,

Well thought out. It should work just fine.

 

[Isidore]

I actually plan on transferring the site to the new host BEFORE doing
the domain name transfer so I can have it as ship-shape as possible
before inviting the folks in.

In this case, does FTP matter if I activate extensions after the
transfer? Yes, the local copy is up to date. So is it better to
install extensions on the new host first, publish via FP from my local
machine and then rework? Remember, part of what I want to do involves
make the many, many folders that were once subwebs back into subwebs
(most of those subwebs, BTW, contain discussion groups).

I'm being extra cautious because I find that trouble caused by damaged
extensions can be maddening, and I'd much rather devote my time to
serene puttering than bouts of hair-pulling.

Thanks again,
Isidore

 

[Steve Easton]

Yes FTP matters. Any time you FTP you:
1. Corrupt the extensions which means they'll need to be reset.
2. Fail to publish all of the files needed to run the components that require extensions, because
when you FTP, FrontPage assumes there are no extensions and therefore does not publish the correct
files.

The problem you're facing is that FrontPage needs to publish to a domain using http:// (
http://yourweb.com ) to publish properly to an extended server.
Before your domain transfer takes place the only way you can publish to you're new server is via the
new IP address. Example
http://123.34.56.789 Unless your host can set up a temporary dedicated IP address for your new
account, this won't work.

What I have done in the past is, and there are no guarantees is:

Publish to the new location ****without extensions installed ***** using FTP.
Have the host install extensions
Do not touch anything or expect everything to work.
Wait until the domain transfer is effective and then immediately republish the entire web using
http://yourdomain.com



--
Steve Easton
Microsoft MVP FrontPage
95isalive
This site is best viewed............
........................with a computer