I just attempted to upgrade three of my Perch enabled websites to new Perch 2.5, which adds a lot of nice features. I followed these instructions: http://grabaperch.com/update/
Unfortunately, what these instructions don’t tell you is that you ALSO need to update the Perch Blog app and the post.html template. IF you don’t do this additional step and are using these apps you’ll get fatal errors.
What’s worse is that I also discovered that if you don’t use Perch’s preferred editor, which is MarkItUp, you could have additional problems. I use Redactor instead of MarkItUp and by forgetting to modify the post.html template with that change, Perch inserted html tags into ALL of my blog posts.
Thankfully, I saved backup files of everything and was able to revert back to Perch 2.4.9. I’m posting this in hopes that it will help other FreewayTalk forum member who use Perch.
Do you work using a development, staging server either locally or maybe a sub domain of your site? That way potential upgrade issues can be tested thoroughly before passing the files over to the live site.
It’s not easy keeping up with all the frequent updates I’ve been listening the Perch Podcast that keeps me up to date with what’s new. Rachel and Drew have been very busy moving the product on a pace.
Unfortunately, what these instructions don’t tell you is that you ALSO need to update the Perch Blog app and the post.html template. IF you don’t do this additional step and are using these apps you’ll get fatal errors.
I had a very similar upgrade issue not too long ago.
Hey Kelly, do you know how to spell Perch?
Answer: M-O-D-X
I just couldn’t resist some friendly teasing.
Todd
Unfortunately, what these instructions don’t tell you is that you ALSO need to update the Perch Blog app and the post.html template. IF you don’t do this additional step and are using these apps you’ll get fatal errors.
Do you work using a development, staging server either locally or maybe a sub domain of your site? That way potential upgrade issues can be tested thoroughly before passing the files over to the live site.
I do and thanks in large part to some advice I got from Drew. I really don’t mind the updates, but the documentation should be better. Have you updated in of your sites to 2.5?
Yeah, I think I remember you talking about that issue.
Indeed I did. And sadly the biggest issue wasn’t the upgrade problem(s) so much as the support. Ironically I think my poor support experience coincided with their change to the new support system. Go figure.
You are too funny. All kidding aside, do you not have these sort of issues with MODX?
Not related to upgrading. In that regard it’s pretty well documented and doesn’t change from one version to the next, at least not yet, though v2.3 to be released July 1 is a fairly big update so I’ll see how it goes. Also, the relationship between the Perch core app and the individual apps (blog etc.) seems somewhat delicate as evidenced by the upgrade issues I (and you) have had. With MODX the plugins have never caused me fatal errors with the core app, at least not so far.
Not yet. I tend to not jump at the first fence but do there’s some reasonable amount of work to be done on the site/s in question
David Owen
I normally don’t either.
Not surprisingly, I was instructed to check the Blog App update notes. I mean how hard is it to put a note in the Perch 2.5 update procedure that says, “Please make sure your Perch Apps are up-to-date before attempting a Perch core update.”, or something to that effect?
Oh, I did read that and I did do what was suggested. However, apparently that wasn’t the issue. I was updating a client site from v1.8.4 to the newest - quite a jump for both the core app and the blog - and something else was hinky. It never got fixed and I had to move on, hence why I bailed on Perch for this job. I just finished rebuilding it in MODX and it was an absolute breeze with better functionality too. In my case (and the client’s) it worked out for the best.
Todd
They do recommend you update all the apps to the latest version to make sure things work sweetly.
I agree, when starting from v2 no problems here either. A very simple and pleasant process. To be fair, I’ve gone through the v1.8.4 to v2.x upgrade process with other sites without issue, but for whatever reason this last one was a headache from the start.
Todd
Although I’ve found setting up Perch 2+ a breeze personally.
I must give to give MODX a whirl. The icon has been on our home page as one of the installed scripts available for too long now without a proper test. Not enough hours in the day and all that.
On 30 Jun 2014, at 21:09, Todd email@hidden wrote:
I agree, when starting from v2 no problems here either. A very simple and pleasant process. To be fair, I’ve gone through the v1.8.4 to v2.x upgrade process with other sites without issue, but for whatever reason this last one was a headache from the start.
I agree that Perch is easy to implement IF you stay with the basics. Integrating a Blog, Comments, and a Gallery into a FWP file is a bit more challenging—at least it was for me.
It’s a good time to try MODX. Tomorrow (or soon thereafter) v2.3 drops and it will kick-off a major change to the core app over the course of several smaller future releases culminating in the long-awaited v3.0. There will be substantial improvements in terms of functionality, ease-of-use for clients and designers with a much appreciated and lovely new look. It’s definitely going places.
Todd
I must give to give MODX a whirl. The icon has been on our home page as one of the installed scripts available for too long now without a proper test. Not enough hours in the day and all that.
I’m glad you mentioned that aspect. While this is in no way unique to the new version, the back-end is ridiculously … hugely customizable. Most of my clients are not what I (or probably you) would call tech-savvy, but they nonetheless get along famously with MODX. The default settings do at first blush appear overwhelming but I am amazed how quickly non-techies adapt after a thorough explanation. But more to the point, I often will heavily customize the back-end, sometimes on a user-by-user basis, by removing unnecessary stuff, occasionally to the point that you might almost question whether you’re looking at the same app. It’s fantastic.
This is one area the devs have already improved upon slightly with more to come, but I suspect to go full-on customized will still require greater effort from the designer/dev. But then, that’s our job.
Todd
The look did put me off last time I looked. Many clients are not tech savvy and don’t want anything that appears complex.
