How do I move CartIt 4.0, 5.0, or 8.0 to a new server?

Moving CartIt to a new server should be a simple task. Please note: the Windows CommerceBuddy program keeps track of the next invoice number and client number on the server that CartIt is hosted on. Each time you check for orders and new or updated client accounts, CommerceBuddy checks to see that the next invoice number and account number presented by the server matches with the last one it received. If these numbers do not match, CartIt will lock the site until the matter is resolved. The reason for this is that if the numbers do not match, there has been data loss on the server. The cause of the data loss must be corrected before CartIt will unlock again. In the old CartIt 4.0, this means having to manually edit the accounts.count, invoices.count, and neworders.dat which are located in the data directory for CartIt. CartIt 5.0 and 8.0 should repair these data errors automatically. There are still several steps to take in order to ensure a smooth transition from your old server to your new one.

The following steps are required to move CartIt 4.0, 5.0, or 8.0 to a new server.

  1. Connect to the site with CommerceBuddy and lock the cart.
    Click Online --> Maintenance --> Lock CartIt, type your password in the password field and click on Start Session. CartIt is now locked and shoppers who visit your site during this time will receive a "system busy" message if they attempt to place an order.
  2. Connect to your account using Secure Shell or SFTP (use FTP if your host does not support secure transfers). Copy the data, carts, and cgi-bin directories to your local machine. Ideally you will need to copy your whole site to your local computer.
  3. Upload the files you copied locally to your new hosting account or server and place them in the appropriate place for the starting point of your web documents. The cgi-bin on your new server may not be in the same location as your old server. Check with your new host or server administrator regarding this location.
  4. If the cgi-bin or data and carts folders are located in a different relative location from the original installation, you will need to edit the cartitcf.cgi file and adjust the carts and data locations.
  5. Check the locations for perl and sendmail and edit the cartit cgi's as needed. At this point you should refer to the original install instructions for CartIt.
  6. Open a DOS window Start --> Run --> Type command or cmd. Type ping www.mydomain.com and note the IP address returned (write it down).
  7. Your new hosting provider should already have your domain name in their name servers. This is key to testing the new install. You need to temporarily set the nameserver used by your local computer to your new hosting provider's name servers. This will allow you to see their changes. Update your network settings (this varies depending on your OS) to use the new provider's servers and reboot your computer. This is especially important for Windows 2000 Pro users. Consult you web host for help with these changes.
  8. Once you have rebooted open a DOS window again Start --> Run --> Type command or cmd. Type ping www.mydomain.com and note the IP address returned. This should be a different address than the first. If not, try ipconfig /flushdns to flush your DNS cache.
  9. Run the cartit_check_install.cgi to check your installation. In order to do this you will need to rename the .pass file in the data directory to .pass_old. Run the program as directed in the manual and correct any errors it may indicate. DO NOT allow it to create new invoice and account numbers! Once you receive no errors, rename the .pass_old to .pass again.
  10. Unlock CartIt with CommerceBuddy.
  11. Provided you have moved all your files correctly, including your shopping files, you should be done. Create a new account. Place a test order. Edit the newly created account. Try to pull up a few old accounts and make sure everything looks OK.

It is important to lock your cartit install prior to starting the move to prevent any orphaned orders from hanging on your old server. You should place a note on your old site letting your shoppers know about the server change.