Support » Fixing WordPress » The right steps for changing Site's root directory name?

  • I am in the process of launching a new site. This site has been developed in this directory: domain/test_site/ – whilst being hidden from search engines. I now want to change(not move) the root directory name to domain/uk/ to launch it properly. Are these the correct steps that I should take?

    1. Login to the wp dashboard and change the WordPress Address (URL) & Site Address (URL) to new url.
    2. Change the root directory name via ftp.
    3. Change url references in .htaccess to new url.
    4. Login to database via myphpadmin and change any instances of old url to new one.

    Is this correct? Anything that I have forgotten – should do?

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
  • Thread Starter G-Olly

    (@g-olly)

    Hi Esmi,

    Thanks for getting in touch. WordPress is already installed on the root – domain/test_site/. So renaming the root url will mean that I can miss out steps 4-6, is that correct?

    If WP is installed on a sub-folder called test_site, then it’s not installed in the domain root. You need to follow all of the steps outlined in the page I link to above or in Moving_WordPress.

    I think we may be misusing the term ‘root’

    You are referring to changing the name of the subdirectory in which WP is installed, is that correct? from /test_site to /uk?

    root refers to your base web accessible directory, often html, or www, or public_html

    Thread Starter G-Olly

    (@g-olly)

    Also what about any files and in post links that need changing, will wordpress automatically relink these, or can I do to do this through myphpadmin with a mySQL query thing? (Sorry, I’m no developer as I gather you’ve guessed)

    Thread Starter G-Olly

    (@g-olly)

    Sorry yes, that is correct, the subdirectory that wp is installed on is /test_site and yes, I want to change that directory to /uk.

    So the steps will be akin to moving WordPress…. that is essentially what you are doing.

    Even if you just rename the directory, to WP, it is being moved to a new subdirectory

    As for your media concerns, this plugin seems to work well
    http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/search-and-replace/

    Your media links are hardcoded in the database to the existing URL. So the plugin ca search and replace in the database any instances of your old url (I’ve never used it, but it seems to work for a lot of folks)

    Thread Starter G-Olly

    (@g-olly)

    Ahh of course, thanks for your help esmi & Rev. Voodoo! I will try out that plugin as well.

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
  • The topic ‘The right steps for changing Site's root directory name?’ is closed to new replies.