View source for Manual/Backing up Convention Master

== How to back up existing files and the database == 

While the upgrade scripts are well-maintained and robust, things could still go awry. Before proceeding to update Convention Master and the database schema, '''make a full backup''' of Convention Master, including both the database and the files:

===Convention Master's database===
* MySQL, do a SQL dump with the <code>mysqldump</code> command:
 mysqldump --user='''''db_user''''' --password='''''db_userpassword''''' '''''convention_master_db''''' > '''''file.sql'''''
:( replacing the "db_user" with your valid database username, "db_userpassword" with the database user's password, "convention_master_db" with your Convention Master database name, and "file.sql" with the desired output filename. The output file name can have a full file path included if you want it to go to another folder.)
* Make sure you move that backup file to a safe location where it won't be deleted or accessable by web.
* You do not need to use any extra flags with <code>mysqldump</code>. The stored procedures and triggers are always automatically rebuilt when you login to the Convention Master console if they are missing or the database user has changed.
 
===Convention Master's files===
* tar, compress all files into a backup file with the <code>tar</code> command:
 tar -cvpzf backup.tar.gz --exclude=/backup.tar.gz /path/to/your/installation/ 
* Make sure you move that backup file to a safe location where it won't be deleted or accessable by web.
* Generally any user edited files will be new files that are not tracked by svn, and thus would not be overwritten by an upgrade. The most common changes are:
:* configuration of database settings: <code>.../shared_php/db_connect.inc.php</code>
:* configuration of kiosks via steps files: <code>.../kiosk/{kiosk_name}/steps.inc.php</code>
:* addition of custom theme folders in <code>.../themes/</code>