Table of content

Automatic upgrade

PrestaShop introduced automatic upgrade in version 1.4.4 and 1.4.4.1, which was then turned into a free module for earlier versions (starting with PS 1.3) and later versions (including 1.5.x).

...

You're done! Now start configuring!

The Configuration Screen

...

Upgrade

The first section compares your version of PrestaShop already, the tool will simply display "You currently don't need to use this feature."

IMPORTANT: you should make sure to properly backup both your files and your database before attempting an automatic upgrade.

The with the latest stable one. You can quickly see whether you need to update or not.

If you want to check for a version other than a stable one (beta, RC, etc.), click on the "More options (experts mode)" button. This will open a new section, where you can choose the distribution channel to which you want to update:

• Channel. The default selection is "Minor releases", which means "any stable release above the current one". The other options are:
  • Major releases: only major stable releases above your own: 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, etc.
  • Release candidates: RC versions are deemed stable enough to be tested by the majority, but not stable enough to be the real release. Use at your own risks.
  • Beta releases, alpha releases: these are development version. Use at your own risks.
  • Private release: sometimes, the PrestaShop developers uploads a private test version. If you have the right URL and MD5 key, you can update to this version easily using this channel.
  • Local archive: if you have downloaded the version you want to upload to in the correct local folder.
  • Local directory: if you have downloaded the version you want to upload to in a custom folder.
• branch. Indicates if anything is available in the chosen channel.
• name. The name of the latest version in the chosen channel.
• url. The URL to the latest version in the chosen channel.
• md5. The hash check for the latest version in the chosen channel.

Checks

The "Current configuration" section gives you useful information on your current PrestaShop install, and how it might interact with the automatic upgrade:

• Root directory: indicates where PrestaShop is located in your current installModule version: indicates whether you need to update the update module itself. If you have just installed it, there is little you will need to update it.
• Root directory status: indicates if the read/write permissions are correctly set. If not, you will have to change them, using your FTP client. See the Getting Started guide for a quick explanation of how to perform a CHMOD.
• Autoupgrade allowed: indicates whether your install can be upgrade using this tool or not.
• Shop status: indicates if your shop is active or in maintenance mode. It is good practice to You must put your shop in maintenance mode during the whole process (file backup, database backup, automatic upgrade, verification), so as to prevent customers from losing orders... The module will not do it for you.
  • PrestaShop 1.4: enable/disable the shop in the "Preferences" tab.
  • PrestaShop 1.5: enable/disable the shop in the "Maintenance" page, under the "Preferences" menu.
• Cache deactivated: indicates if your shop's is enabled or disabled. You must disable it during the whole process The module will not do it for you.
  • PrestaShop 1.4: enable/disable the cache in the "Performances" page, under the "Preferences" tab.
  • PrestaShop 1.5: enable/disable the shop in the "> Performance " page, under the "Advanced parameters" menu.
• PHP time limit: the automatic upgrade can be a lengthy process, as it needs to download the archive from prestashop.com, unzip it on the server, replace the currently installed files, then trigger the update itself. Hence, the PHP settings might be too low, and break the upgrade altogether, mid-process at worse. In this row, PrestaShop gives you an indication of the current PHP settings. Ideally, it should indicate "disabled".
• Root directory: indicates whether the current access permissions for the root directory are correct. If not, the process will not be able to delete sub-folders and files.

Image Removed

The "Modify your options" button at the bottom of the section is in fact a link to the "Options" section, at the bottom of the page.

Image Removed

All these indicators must be green for the upgrade to work. Otherwise, the upgrade button will not appear.

Version comparison

For the curious, the numbered differences between your current version and the latest version in the chosen channel.

Rollback

See below.

Backup options

These options enable you to have some control on the upgrade backup process:

• Don't save images: the upgrade process normally doesn't touch your images folder. If you have made a proper back of all your files, you might wish to let the process take care of that folder Backup my files and database (required). It is not even an option: you must have your files backuped, and the module will take care of this for you.
• Back up my images. You should let the module take care of your images too, in order to have be able to do a clean re-install again and by re-upload uploading your files. Nevertheless, it not recommended doing this.Keep theme "prestashop": the

Upgrade Options

These options enable you to have some control on the upgrade process:

• Preserve the original theme. The upgrade process overwrites the default theme with its latest incarnation. If you have made changes to the theme directly, you can protect these changes by choosing "Yes". As a reminder, it is NOT recommended to edit the default theme! You should make a copy of the theme, and make changes to that copy.
• Keep translations: same as for the default theme, if you have made changes to the PrestaShop translation files, you can protect these changes by choosing "Yes".default mails.
• Deactivate custom modules.

The Upgrade process

The update button itself is at the center of the page.

Image Removed

It gives you an indication of your version number, and the number for the latest version available on the PrestaShop servers. If there's a difference, you can click the "Upgrade PrestaShop Now!" button in order to start the upgrade process. A status upgrade then appears at the right, while the process is running.

Image Removed

Once all the indicators are green, the update button appears "Upgrade" section.

The area below the "UpdateUpgrade" section will then scroll with a list of the various changes brought to your PrestaShop install: removed files (normally, the ones for the default theme), location of the backup archive (normally in the {{/\[admin\]/autoupgrade}} folder), files added to said archive, files copied from the new version (and therefore marked as upgraded). A lot of files are thus mentioned, and you do not need to read it all\!

You'll know the upgrade is over when the message "upgrade complete. Please check your front-office (try to make an order, check theme)" appears in green, along with the following status update: "Upgrade process done. Congratulations! You can now reactive your shop."

...

PrestaShop's own backup files are saved on your server, and if it turns out your update has gone badly, you can find them in the "Rollback" section of the "Upgrade" sub-tab.

Image Removed

There are three available options:

...

The "Rollback" button triggers two actions:

• Takes the files from the latest backup, and re-installs them in place of those from the current installed version.
• restoreDb. Takes the data from the latest backup, and re-installs it in place of that from the current database.
• Rollback. Triggers both restoreFile's and restoreDb's actions

The rollback's status is indicated at the same location as the upgrade process'.

Image Removed