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).

It enables shop owners to backup and update their site in a few clicks and no technical knowledge.

Downloading and installing the 1-Click Upgrade module

Simply follow the normal path to installing a module on PrestaShop:

1. Download the 1-Click Upgrade module from PrestaShop Addons: http://addons.prestashop.com/en/administration-tools/5496-autoupgrade.html. Save the Zip file to your desktop.
2. In your PrestaShop administration panel, go to the main "Modules" tab.
3. Click on the "Add a module" button, located at the top right of the list of available modules.

   If updating from version 1.4, click on the "Add a module from my computer" link, located at the top left.

4. In the form that opens, click on the "Browse..." button, then find and select the module's Zip file that you just downloaded.
5. Click the "Upload this Module" button. PrestaShop will put the module on your server, unzip it, and place the files in the /modules folder.

The module is now available in your list of modules, but you still have to install it:

1. In the "Modules" tab, find the 1-Click Upgrade module: type "1-click upgrade" or "autoupgrade" in the module search box (not the global search at the top). A direct link to the module should appear as you type. Click it.
2. PrestaShop then displays the module you just installed in the main list.
3. Click the module's "Install" button.

The module is now ready to configure and use.

The Configuration Screen

The module's configuration screen is available from the "Modules" list, by clicking on the module's "Configure" link;

The configuration screen presents you with a series of sections, providing information, tools and settings.

Update

This section compares your version of PrestaShop with the latest stable one. You can quickly see whether you need to update or not. If you know that there is a newer version available than the one presented, you can trigger a version check by clicking the "Check if new version available" button.

If you want to check for a version other than a stable one (for instance, beta, RC or any other unstable version), click on the "More options (Expert mode)" button. This will open a new section, named "Advanced mode", where you can choose the distribution channel to which you want to update.

Advanced mode

This section enables you to pinpoint exactly which version you want to upgrade your current PrestaShop installation to.

The options are:

• Channel. Choose the distribution channel that you want to use. The recommended 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 versions. Use at your own risks.
  • Private release. Sometimes, the PrestaShop developers upload a private test version. If you have the right URL and hash key, you can update to this version easily using this channel. If you check the "Allow major upgrade" box, you indicate that are only interested in major releases.
  • Local archive. To be used if you have downloaded the version you want to upload to in the correct local folder, /admin/autoupgrade/download.
  • Local directory. To be used if you have downloaded the version you want to upload to in the /admin/autoupgrade/latest/prestashop 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 "Checks" section gives you useful information on your current PrestaShop installation, and how it might interact with the automatic upgrade. You must make sure that all the checks are validated before you can launch the upgrade.

• Module version up-to-date (0.6.1-dev). Indicates whether you need to update the update module itself. If you have just installed it, there is little chance you will need to update it.
  If you do not have the latest version of the module, a button appears below this field, marked "Install the latest by clicking 'Add from my computer'". Clicking it takes you to the "Modules" page. From there, click on the "Add a module from my computer" link to reveal the pre-filled form. Click the "Download this module" button to start updating the module. Finally, go back to the 1-Click Upgrade configuration page to continue performing pre-upgrade checks.
• Root directory is fully writable. Indicates if the read/write permissions are correctly set. If not, you will have to change them, using your FTP client, such as Filezilla.
  See the Getting Started guide for a quick explanation of how to perform a CHMOD.
• Shop deactivated. Indicates if your shop is active or in maintenance mode. 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... and you from losing clients. The module will not disable your shop for you, but does provide a button leading to the shop preference page:
  • PrestaShop 1.4: enable/disable the shop in the main "Preferences" tab.
  • PrestaShop 1.5: enable/disable the shop in the "Maintenance" page, under the "Preferences" menu.
• Cache deactivated. Indicates whether your shop's cache 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 cache in the "Performance " page, under the "Advanced parameters" menu.
• PHP time limit : disabled. 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 field, PrestaShop gives you an indication of the current PHP settings. Ideally, it should indicate "disabled".
• Options chosen. Before launching the upgrade, you must make sure that you understand the settings. The "Backup options" and "Upgrade options" sections are available at the bottom of the page, and if the settings have not yet been saved, a button takes you to them.

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 backup process:

• Backup my files and database (required). It is not even an option: you must have your files backed-up, 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 be able to do a clean re-install again by re-uploading your files.

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 default mails. An update might bring new default e-mail templates. By default, the upgrade will replace the existing ones with the ones from the newer archive, and add the new templates. If you have customized your templates, it is recommended you keep them. You would then have to customize the new templates in order to fit the general style of your shop.
• Deactivate custom modules. It is recommended to choose "Yes" for this option, as some module might prove a hindrance when upgrading PrestaShop.

The Upgrade process

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

The area below the "Upgrade" 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), etc. 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."

Indeed, the auto-update does deactivate your shop, but does not re-activate it automatically. Until you have checked that everything is okay in your back-office (everything is functioning correctly, all your products and images are there...), it is better to keep your shop from the public eye.

Once you have made sure your install is still correct, active your shop using the option in the "Preferences" tab, at the top of the options list, then make tests on your front-office: browse products, sort them, try to order one, etc. In short, go through the entire buying process, in order to make sure that you won't miss a sale.

Is everything working fine? Congratulations, you know have successfully upgraded your PrestaShop install!

Rollbacks

Sadly, not all upgrades are successful – which is the very reason why you should always backup all your files and data, and why PrestaShop performs an additional backup of said files and data itself (which you should not always count on, obviously. Make your own backup first).

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.

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.
• Takes the data from the latest backup, and re-installs it in place of that from the current database.

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