Difference between revisions of "Updating"

Latest revision as of 21:47, 8 February 2023

Update Service: Have our team update your installation.Services

We always recommend staying up-to-date with WHMCS in order to benefit from the latest development and improvements. You can do this by having us perform the update for you or by updating using one of our supported methods.

Our support team is always available to answer any questions or concerns you might have when performing updates. Open a ticket and a member of our team will assist you.

Preparing for Updates

Preparation helps to ensure a seamless updating experience. For more information, see Get WHMCS Download Information and our recommendations for preparation, testing, and execution of WHMCS updates.

Database Privileges

Updating requires that the database user has access to the required privileges.

For more information and a list of required privileges, see System Environment Guide.

Customisations

If you have customised templates, make sure to follow the recommended method for creating a custom template folder to ensure your changes aren't overwritten during updates.

For language file customisations, make sure that you use the Language Overrides feature instead of editing the language files directly.

Updating in the Admin Area

WHMCS 7.0 and later includes a way to update WHMCS from within the Admin Area.

To do this, go to Utilities > Update WHMCS. For more information, see Automatic Updater.

If we released an update recently, you may need to click Check for Updates before the update will display.

Updating Manually

You can also update your WHMCS installation manually using one of two methods:

You can use FTP or your hosting control panel's file management system to manage the necessary files. For more information, see Updating WHMCS Manually.
If you are comfortable running commands on the server that hosts your WHMCS installation, you can make the necessary changes on the command line. For more information, see Install On The Command Line.

Distributions

We distribute WHMCS in Full Release and Patch Set distributions. You can identify the distribution type by examining the distribution's .zip file and the contents of the included README.txt file:

Distribution Type	`.zip` Filename Contains	`README.txt` File Contains	Files Included	Use For
Full Release	`_full`	`Distro Type: Full Version`	All files for an installation.	New installations or updates to an existing installation (regardless of previous version).
Patch Set	`_patch`	`Distro Type: Patch Set`	Only files changed since the immediate previous version.	Updates to an existing installation that has stayed up-to-date with the latest WHMCS releases.

For example, we would recommend using a Full Release distribution to move from an End-of-Life version to the newest release. You could only use a Patch Set distribution if you were moving from the immediately previous release to the newest release.

For more information on our release and distribution types, see Releases.

Troubleshooting

You may encounter the following issues during an update:

Bad Formatting

If, when you first log in, you see a mixed or unclear formatting, your browser may not have updated. Try clearing your browser cache or performing a hard refresh (typically Ctrl + F5) and delete the contents of the template cache directory (templates_c by default) to ensure that you see the new templates and styling.

Down for Maintenance or Update in Progress

If, after uploading the files from a Patch Set, you see a Down for Maintenance or update in progress... message, the patch set files you attempted to apply are not compatible with the version of WHMCS you were previously running.

To complete the update, download the latest Full Release version and update using the regular update process above.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-We always recommend staying up-to-date with WHMCS in order to benefit from the latest development and improvements, and you can do that either by [https://www.whmcs.com/services/upgrade-service/ having us perform the update for you] or by updating as per the steps below.
+<html><a href="https://www.whmcs.com/services#installation?utm_medium=docs" class="docs-video-tutorial"><em><small><b>Update Service:</b> Have our team update your installation.</small></em><span class="button">Services</span></a></html>
-==Automatic Updating==
+We always recommend staying up-to-date with WHMCS in order to benefit from the latest development and improvements. You can do this by [https://www.whmcs.com/services/upgrade-service/ having us perform the update for you] or by updating using one of our supported methods.
-If you are running WHMCS 7.0 or later, you can use the built-in Automatic Update utility.
+Our support team is always available to answer any questions or concerns you might have when performing updates.  [http://www.whmcs.com/get-support/ Open a ticket] and a member of our team will assist you.
-Simply navigate to '''Utilities > Update WHMCS''' to begin the process.
+==Preparing for Updates==
-<div class="docs-alert-info"><i class="fa fa-info-circle fa-fw"></i>&nbsp; If the update was released recently, you may need to click the Check for Updates button before the update will show as available.</div>
+Preparation helps to ensure a seamless updating experience. For more information, see [[Get WHMCS Download Information]] and our recommendations for [https://blog.whmcs.com/133532/our-top-tips-for-a-seamless-update preparation, testing, and execution of WHMCS updates].
-For more information about the Automatic Updater and troubleshooting please refer to http://docs.whmcs.com/Automatic_Updater
+===Database Privileges===
-==Performing a Manual update==
+Updating requires that the database user has access to the required privileges.
-[[File:Videotutorial.png?|center|link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXZpPjPxvfY&hd=1|Watch Video Tutorial]]
+For more information and a list of required privileges, see [[System_Environment_Guide#Database_Privileges|System Environment Guide]].
-To update WHMCS manually, follow the steps below.  Some updates may require steps in addition to the standard update steps provided below.  Should these be required you will find them in the [[Release Notes]].  Please always refer to the release notes for a version before attempting any update.
+===Customisations===
-A '''Full Release''' distribution contains all the files of a WHMCS product installation. It can be used to perform a new install or update an existing installation (regardless of previous version).
+If you have customised templates, make sure to follow the recommended method for [[Client_Area_Template_Files#Creating_a_Custom_Template|creating a custom template folder]] to ensure your changes aren't overwritten during updates.
-'''Patch Sets''' contain only the files that have changed between the immediate, previous version and the latest version, (ie. a patch set for version 1.1.2 is valid for a 1.1.1 installation and nothing else). We provide these to make updating both quicker and easier for those of our customers who stay current and up-to-date with the latest WHMCS releases. By including only the changed files, patch sets have less files to upload which makes the update process quicker and simpler for you to perform.
+For language file customisations, make sure that you use the [https://developers.whmcs.com/languages/overrides/ Language Overrides] feature instead of editing the language files directly.
-More information on our release types and distribution types can be found on our [[Releases]] page.
+==Updating in the Admin Area==
-==Update Steps==
+WHMCS 7.0 and later includes a way to update WHMCS from within the Admin Area.
-===For a Full Release Version===
+To do this, go to '''Utilities > Update WHMCS'''. For more information, see [[Automatic Updater]].
-A full release version is denoted by the presence of _full within the zip folder filename and "Distro Type: Full Version" within the included README.txt file.  If the zip file you have instead contains _patch, please refer to the below [[Updating#For_a_Patch_Set|Patch Set update Steps]] instead.
+<div class="docs-alert-info"><i class="fa fa-info-circle fa-fw"></i>&nbsp; If we released an update recently, you may need to click ''Check for Updates'' before the update will display.</div>
-'''Make a Full Backup - We cannot stress enough how important it is to *always* take a full backup before attempting any kind of update. Both for WHMCS and any other software you use.  A full backup should be taken of both the WHMCS files and the database.'''
+==Updating Manually==
-#Begin by making sure your server meets the [[System_Requirements|system requirements]],
+You can also update your WHMCS installation manually using one of two methods:
-#Obtain the latest full release download of WHMCS either from http://download.whmcs.com/ or from your license provider (if using a reseller)
-#Unzip the contents of the WHMCS zip file download to a folder on your computer<div class="docs-alert-danger"><span class="title">Custom Admin Directory?</span><br />If you have renamed your "admin" directory, be sure to rename the /whmcs/admin directory in the new files to match. </div><div class="docs-alert-warning"><span class="title">Custom Cron Directory?</span><br />Similarly, if you have customised the location of the /crons/ directory, be sure to upload that to the custom location.</div><div class="docs-alert-success"><span class="title">Custom File Permissions?</span><br />If you have customised the permissions on any of the files eg. /crons/pipe.php. These changes will need to be re-applied once the update is complete.</div>
-#Upload the new files to your existing installation folder replacing any existing folders & files
-#Visit your WHMCS installation and you should then be automatically redirected to the update process. If you see a message saying WHMCS is not installed, this indicates you have overwritten the configuration.php file for your installation.  Stop and restore that file from your backup before continuing.
-#Agree to the WHMCS End User License Agreement and follow the steps on screen to update your database.
-#When prompted, delete the install folder from your server.
-#Your update is now complete.
-We recommend now that you check the release notes for the version you just installed [[Release_Notes|here]].  And if you have custom template files you will also need to review and make any necessary changes to your custom templates using the information provided in the Template Changes section of the [[Release_Notes|Release Notes]].
+* You can use FTP or your hosting control panel's file management system to manage the necessary files. For more information, see [https://go.whmcs.com/1709/Updating-WHMCS-Manually Updating WHMCS Manually].
+* If you are comfortable running commands on the server that hosts your WHMCS installation, you can make the necessary changes on the command line. For more information, see [[Install On The Command Line]].
-===For a Patch Set===
+===Distributions===
-A patch set version is denoted by the presence of _patch within the zip folder filename and "Distro Type: Patch Set" within the included README.txt file.
+We distribute WHMCS in '''Full Release''' and '''Patch Set''' distributions. You can identify the distribution type by examining the distribution's <tt>.zip</tt> file and the contents of the included <tt>README.txt</tt> file:
-'''IMPORTANT:''' Before you begin please ensure you are running the version required by the patch. Patch Sets contain only the files that have changed between the previous release and the Patch Set Version. Therefore they should only be applied if you are running the immediately previous version.
+<table class="table table-striped table-condensed">
+<tr><th>Distribution Type</th><th><tt>.zip</tt> Filename Contains</th><th><tt>README.txt</tt> File Contains</th><th>Files Included</th><th>Use For</th></tr>
-The previous release version that these patch sets are designed for is clearly indicated as the first and smaller number in release notices providing the patch set download link.
+<tr><td>'''Full Release'''</td><td><tt>_full</tt></td><td><tt>Distro Type: Full Version</tt></td><td>All files for an installation.</td><td>New installations '''or''' updates to an existing installation (regardless of previous version).</td></tr>
+<tr><td>'''Patch Set'''</td><td><tt>_patch</tt></td><td><tt>Distro Type: Patch Set</tt></td><td>Only files changed since the immediate previous version.</td><td>Updates to an existing installation that has stayed up-to-date with the latest WHMCS releases.</td></tr>
-#Download the patch set from http://download.whmcs.com/
+</table>
-#Unzip the patch set files<div class="docs-alert-danger"><span class="title">Custom Admin Directory?</span><br />For patches that have updates for the “admin” directory: If you have renamed your "admin" directory, then make sure you rename the /whmcs/admin directory to match</div>
-#Upload the files from the /whmcs/ directory to the root directory of your WHMCS installation
-#Visit the admin area of your WHMCS installation to trigger the version number bump and complete the process
-No install or update process is required.
-==Confirming a Successful Update==
-To confirm an update has been successfully applied, login to your WHMCS admin area and check to make sure that the Version Number displayed either on the admin homepage (in the sidebar of all default templates) or in '''Help > System Health Status''' is the version you attempted to apply. If it has not incremented, then one or more of the files has not uploaded successfully. You should double check file permissions and attempt the steps again from the beginning.
-==Helpful Hints==
-'''Database Privileges'''
-Updating requires that the database user have access to the following privileges:
-*ALTER
-*CREATE
-*DROP
-*INDEX
-Additionally, you will want to ensure that the database user have access to all privileges listed on the [[Further_Security_Steps#Restrict_Database_Privileges|Further Security Steps]] page.
-'''Customisations'''
+For example, we would recommend using a '''Full Release''' distribution to move from an End-of-Life version to the newest release. You could '''only''' use a '''Patch Set''' distribution if you were moving from the immediately previous release to the newest release.
-If you have customised templates, please ensure you always follow the recommended method for [[Client_Area_Template_Files#Creating_a_Custom_Template|creating a custom template folder]] to ensure your changes aren't overwritten during updates.  Similarly for language file customisations please ensure you use the [[Language Overrides]] feature vs editing the language files directly.
+For more information on our release and distribution types, see [[Releases]].
-'''Bad Formatting'''
+==Troubleshooting==
-If when you first login you see a display where formatting is mixed or unclear, this can indicate your browser cache has not updated.  Try clearing your browser cache or performing a hard refresh (typically Ctrl + F5) and delete the contents of the template cache directory (''templates_c'' by default) to ensure you see the new templates and styling.
+You may encounter the following issues during an update:
-'''What to do if you get a Down for Maintenance or update in Progress message after uploading a patch set'''
+===Bad Formatting===
-If after uploading the files from a Patch Set you see a "Down for Maintenance" or "update in progress..." warning message then this indicates that the patch set files you attempted to apply are not compatible with the version of WHMCS you were previously running.  To complete the update you will need to download the latest [[Updating#For_a_Full_Release_Version|Full Release]] version and update using the regular update process as described above.
+If, when you first log in, you see a mixed or unclear formatting, your browser may not have updated. Try clearing your browser cache or performing a hard refresh (typically <tt>Ctrl + F5</tt>) and delete the contents of the template cache directory (''templates_c'' by default) to ensure that you see the new templates and styling.
-==We're here to help==
+===Down for Maintenance or Update in Progress===
-We offer a professional update service where our staff will update your WHMCS installation for you. Please refer to https://www.whmcs.com/services/upgrade-service/ for more information and to order.
+If, after uploading the files from a Patch Set, you see a '''Down for Maintenance''' or '''update in progress...''' message,  the patch set files you attempted to apply are not compatible with the version of WHMCS you were previously running.
-And of course our support team is always available to answer any questions or concerns you might have when performing the update process yourself.  Simply open a ticket @ http://www.whmcs.com/get-support/ and a member of our team will get back to you.
+To complete the update, download the latest [[Updating#For_a_Full_Release_Version|Full Release]] version and update using the regular update process above.

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