Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

I'm looking for advice on the best way to re-theme/re-skin our x-cart site that is live.

Is there a way to create a new skin folder (e.g. skin2 - by copying the skin1_original folder), make my changes to these files, and preview it on the live site? Then upon completion of the re-skinning, change the configuration settings and switch from skin1 (current skin) to skin2?

Or

Should I copy the site to a development server, edit the skin1 template files and then once happy simply overwrite the old skin1 template files with the new skin1 template files on the live webserver?

What would you recommend as the best process? Is there another, better way to do this.

Thanks.

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

Option 2 is your best bet. I usually install X-Cart on a sub-directory using the same database and just edit the skin files there. When the skin is done, just rename the skin1 folder on the main site and move the modified one up.

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

I could provide a mod to allow your option 1 request to work, if there's interest.

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

This sounds good - is there anything that I need to be concerned about running my development project on the same database as my production site? For instance, I will want to re-skin all the checkout pages and so forth, so will this pose any major issues?

Thanks for the reply

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

As long as you don't modify any php files or database settings, it won't affect your live store. Keep your changes to the templates in the development directory.

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

Thanks for this. I'd rather source a way to re-skin the site with minimum impact on the actual configuration of the site. I was just wondering whether x-cart has the functionality within it to run 2 skins at once (dependant on say, role or user id) already built into it.

I'm sure that someone will stumble upon this thread in need of your mod though!

Thanks,

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

Okay - great. So to clarify for myself and others in the same boat:

1. Take backup of website
2. Upload backup to sub-domain
3. Password protect sub-domain for security(?)
4. Update relevant settings in config.php ($xcart_http(s)_host)
5. Site should run as normal in sub-directory
6. Make all changes to the skin1 template file
7. Overwrite existing skin1 directory with new, modified skin1 directory
7. Close shop
8. Rename exisiting skin1 directory to skin1_old
6. Upload new skin1 directory
10. Open shop

Have I missed anything?

Thanks,

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Edit 1: edited as per Kube below

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

Regarding...

6) Overwrite existing skin1 directory with new, modified skin1 directory

Me being pedantic... perhaps close the shop, rename the original skin1 folder and then rename the new skinned folder to skin1. I wouldn't overwrite; as anything could go wrong and then you have nothing to revert back to. Except a lengthy upload of original skin1.

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Edit: missed out "then rename the new skinned folder to skin1"

Re: Advice on how to develop and deploy new look please.
 

Good call - I've amended the list