WordPress.org

1. Ozh
   Member
   Posted 8 years ago #
   

   Hello there
   I am not too happy with how files and folders are arranged, and as one consequence I find the process of upgrading WP rather "difficult" : while some directories can be scratched with newer files with no hesitation for most users (wp-includes, wp-admin), the root directory is more questionnable.
   In the root dir, there is a mix of files that the average user won't ever tweak (wp-feed, atom, trackback etc..) and files that everybody modify (index, wp-comments and .css)
   
   I thought it would be easier for most users to have folders of files you can safely overwrite, and have a root dir with only the "personnal"files.

2. planetthoughtful
   Member
   Posted 8 years ago #
   

   Hi ozh,
   On the surface, it's not a bad suggestion, but in reality 'advanced' tweakers / hackers will have probably made changes in a range of files, inlcuding those you identify as safe to overwrite. I know I have, and I'm not that particularly advanced.
   The best thing I can suggest, and what I'm doing to complement my own tweaks, is tag any changes you make in the files with a commented string you can search for when it comes time to upgrade. This is probably a good idea anyway, since it may help identify problems with code you've introduced, as opposed to code that came with the original install.
   At upgrade time, identify these files (grep / search etc), copy them to an untouched directory, ugrade, and then examine your modified files for what you should re-implement in the new version.
   This makes sense for several reasons, the most important of which is that a new version will almost certainly be accompanied by new methods, and so assuming you shouldn't overwrite existing files may end up with you experiencing more frustration than otherwise.
   Don'y know how anyone else is handling this concern, but this is my process.
   Much warmth,
   planetthoughtful

3. moshu
   Member
   Posted 8 years ago #
   

   @planet...
   The method you've described is for advanced users :)
   The average user has a Win box at home - and I assume the "grep" is something for unix-linux stuff... which means the average user - like myself - has no idea how to search for modified files, unless we keep a record of them.

4. Beel
   Member
   Posted 8 years ago #
   

   That is the direction WP is headed, though not in a root directory, so stay tuned - and you might try checking into the 1.3 threads as this has been discussed and explained extensively.

5. Mark McKibben
   Member
   Posted 8 years ago #
   

   @moshu: grep is indeed a linux/unix utility. However if you backup your site from your host to your home machine before you do the upgrade; you could use Windows' Search to do the same thing that planetthoughtful is talking about (at least WinXP & Win2000 both offer the option to search for files containing this line of text). If you have an older version of Windows that doesn't offer that option; then you could try using your preferred text editor to search your files (some can search all open files for a bit of text). Another idea would be to just keep a log file that you make a note of what files you've changed so when it comes time to upgrade again; you'll know what files not to just overwrite.

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