Difference between revisions of "Transfer databases"

Revision as of 05:23, 23 March 2008

Guide to transferring databases.

I'm writing this in hopes of helping less experienced galaxytool database admins transfer their databases to new web hosts. If there's a better section to put this thread in maybe one of the BAs will move it there, but since ULMB's blocking of the galaxytoolbar is affecting many of the Galaxytool users I figured this would be a good section for this info.

I transfered the database from ULMB.com to x10hosting.com so some things may be different if you're using different websites, but the basic idea should still help you get the database transfered.

My first step was to export the correct data from ULMB.com. There are at least three different backup/export options from their website so you want to make sure you export the right one. From your control panel home you go into the MySQL databases, and under the Current Databases you want to click the corresponding phpMyAdmin, not the Backup option, that was my first mistake, the Backup option only lets you download the database tables with no actual data. Once you're in phpMyAdmin, click on the Export link. There are many different choices of export formats, but I just left everything alone. Select the correct database under the Select All/Unselect All box, check the Save as File box and click Go. A popup box comes up with options of what you want to do with the SQL file, I chose the Save to Disk radio button and saved the file to my Desktop.

Now that I have the database data, I got to work on getting Galaxytool working on the new web host. I set up the database following instructions from the GalaxieTool Guide v3 thread. Once I got the right info in config.php the install.php link worked perfectly. Now you should have the correct database structure on your new web host.

The last step is to import the data from your old database to your new one. Get into the control panel, and click on phpMyAdmin under the Databases section, again this may be different if you're using another web host, but as long as you can get into phpMyAdmin you should be ok. Select the correct database from the link on the left, and check all ten fields or use the Check All link, and with the With Selected drop down box choose Drop. This will take a few moments as the database tables are deleted(this step may not be necessary but it's the way I got it working.) Now you want to open the .sql file(with Wordpad) you downloaded earlier from ULMB.com and delete the entire CREATE DATABASE line(very important). Make sure you save the file and go back to phpMyAdmin. Click on the import link, browse for the correct file, keep all other options the same and click Go. Now your old Galaxytool data should be uploading into your new web host database.

Type in your new webhost's link with the usual /galaxy tool/secret and you'll get the login screen with all the old user's login and passwords working so if you changed the admin password in the original database it will stay what you changed it to. It won't be galatool like you may expect it to be if you're following the GalaxieTool Guide v3 thread. Now just log in and all your old galaxy/notices/espy data should be there! Don't forget to update your Galaxytoolbar data to start updating to your new database!

I hope this helps, and if there are any more experienced MySQL users who can add to or correct anything I may have put here, please do, as I just figured out how to do this over the past few days through trial and error.

I forgot one other important edit on the .sql file you download from ULMB.com. Before you upload the .sql file to your new database, you also need to change the database name to match your new server's database name.

Ex: ULMB was 4824_feolas x10hosting is insomniac_feolas

Also x10hosting has now banned the Galaxytoolbar script so don't waste your time trying to get the database working there.

Thanks to Feolas for this guide.