I need to take a website offline as the author has passed on. His widow has asked me keep the website content and possibly make it into a DVD so she can access it at anytime after the domain has expired.
Are there any solutions for me to download a wordpress site to be able to use it functionally on a DVD? I have on idea where to begin with this project and I need to make this happen soon. Thanks!
Posted 4 years ago #
I'm no expert, but I think the only way to do what is asked, is to make a local server on a pc and copy the entire installation including the database to it.
You can burn it to a DVD but since WP needs a server and database to run all you've have is a disc full of files. I don't know how computer literate she is but you may want to take a look at XAMPP.
This program will install Apache webserver and MySQL database on your PC with complete access via phpMyAdmin. It's what I use for trouble shooting and experimenting. Works great for maintaining a backup of a live site too. Once she has everything up and running she can visit the offline site anytime she wants by firing up XAMPP.
All you need to do is export the current database then import it into the new database on the PC. Of course you also have to load the current theme. ;)
Easy instructions for installing XAMPP at http://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpress/xampp/
Easy instructions for exporting database at
http://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpress/backup/
Posted 4 years ago #
If all she wants is a copy of the web content, you might have a look at some of the programs that allow you to download webpages for future reading offline. I don't know the names of any right off hand but I'm sure google does.
There used to be a plugin, something like "WP to PDF". You may want to search and try it.
Oh, and there is this, too (WP on a USB stick)
http://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpress/usb/
She's definitely not computer literate enough for the XAMPP suggestion. I wasn't sure if there was a way to take the website and have it run with a portable installation of MySQL and PHP on a DVD so that you don't have to rely on anything else.
jeremyclark13: I've browsed all the offline content downloaders and every one I've tried is lacking. When you download the content, there always seems to be CSS or HTML links pointing to the original website. I don't know of a 100% foolproof way to change all the links to relative and reroute anything pointing to the domain.
Any other suggestions? Does anyone have any experience with this?
any decent offline browser will do that work, and by definition wont use links that point back to the original site, since that contradicts the notion of being offline.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=offline+browser&btnG=Google+Search
whoami: the problem with offline browsers is that they try to copy the actual html or php files. i've tried several of them and all they do is copy the index.html file which queries the database. because all the rest of the html pages don't actually exist (since they are permalinks), it doesn't find any other files to download. I've had this problem with several of these programs so far.
micasuh,
Seemingly, you did not look at the links off that google search -- had you looked at the first one, you would have found an application that doesnt experience what you are describing -- A browser does not see that permalinks are permalinks, doesnt care where the content came from as long is outputted properly, and thats PHP's job.
For grins and giggles, I downloaded winHTTtrack, and let it go on my own site -- guess what, I have a mirror of several of my pages, even permalinked pages.
Even wget will do what you are describing .. do a little work so that I dont have to install MORE applications please.
whooami: hahahaha... your humor is awesome.
you must be doing something differently than i am or i just don't know what i'm doing because winHTTtrack is one of the first ones i tried with unsuccessful results!
The program will download my index page and then it says it is done. i'm so confused why it's only downloading the one page and not all the subsequent pages.
Wow, we're firing lots of ideas at you but you're shooting them all down. ;) With respect to XAMPP couldn't you install it for her? Once it's installed there is nothing to worry about for if she is capable of using a browser she can surely use this program. All she needs to do is fire it up then point her browser at http://localhost/wordpress or whatever directory it's in.
LenK: I don't mean to shoot down all the ideas!! I just want this to be as foolproof and dummy proof as possible!
Here's why the XAMPP idea can't happen: I live in one state and she lives in another! Also, I don't her to have to depend on a computer to access it when she might upgrade to a better computer in the future. I think the simplest, easiest way for someone like that to access the site is to burn it to a DVD. Pop in the DVD and the website comes up!
I'd love for this offline browser idea to work but I don't know what I'm doing differently than whooami. It sounds like it'd be a great solution but I continually have problems with it!
I live in one state and she lives in another!
Well that won't do. It's hard to tell what you're doing wrong from where we are especially since we don't even know where this site is. I just installed HTTtrack and successfully mirrored a test site with it and spent a couple of minutes browsing it offline.
I just want this to be as foolproof and dummy proof as possible!
Maybe she doesn't need that dummyproof as you do...
What's the difference between the USB stick solution I linked to above and a DVD? C'mon, be a bit creative! It is not XAMP on a computer, it is on a portable stick. I am afraid you do NOT read the links offered... you just post here your obsessions. My advice: go back to the fisrt reply and start reading again ALL the kind suggestions. Don't post. Just read and learn.
hey moshu: i don't mean to sound like i'm disagreeable with everything that's been mentioned! i appreciate ALL of these suggestions and i'm going to do my research.
i'm currently on my 2nd download of HTTrack as suggested by one of the guys over there. I'll see if I can get that solution to work but for some reason, it's giving me the same problems as I've always had when trying these offline browsers!
Here's the site I need to backup in case anyone else wants to take a shot and tell me if they're successful. http://greenvalleymoments.com
Once again, thank you for all your suggestions and I'll post my solution when I find it!
After reviewing the listed options and taking in consideration of my circumstance, I think the best option for me is an offline browser like HTTrack. Here's my anaylsis:
local server: Because her computer is remote, this solution would be difficult and time consuming to implement. Also, because it's possible for a future upgrade, it would be a little hassle to transfer everything to a new computer.
XAMPP: A great solution but same reason as above.
WP on a USB stick: Not possible because she runs a Mac and from the research I did, this solution doesn't work for Macs.
Offline Browser: I'm hoping this is the final solution because if I can successfully extract everything from the site, I can then burn it to a DVD and hopefully make it pop up in a browser when you install the DVD. I am currently trying to get winHTTrack to work but having difficulties with the site. I hope this is the right solution.
I'm still willing to listen to other suggestions if anyone has any. Thanks again for all your suggestions!!
Posted 4 years ago #
Using HTTrack, and disabling the blocking of robots from my blog, I was able to mirror the entire thing. This thread helped me figure this out (my reasoning for doing this mirror is different: we want to save an archive of our blog on our baby so she can have it in the future).
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