Best way to setup a test forum?

[bglynn]

What is the best way to setup a test forum, completely separate from my live? I want to use my current setup with the test to import, but be able to just delete it when I'm done with no ties to live. I assume I need to copy my live setup somehow, run the upgrade? What exactly are the best steps to take?

[Onimua]

Best way would be to create a new folder (call it testvb), upload 3.0.7 of vB (or whichever version you're using), and ImpEx the database form your live forum onto your test.

This will make no connection to either. Just think of it like a big "copy and paste" kind of deal.

Then you can upgrade the test forum to 3.5.0 Beta 1, and test whatever you want. Then just delete the testvb folder. You can leave the database in MySQL in case you want to set it up again so you don't have to go through the install part.

[southernlady]

What I did was just upload the beta into a testvb running side by side to my live site.

I didn't bother with this part at all:

upload 3.0.7 of vB (or whichever version you're using), and ImpEx the database form your live forum onto your test.

Reason: ImpEx doesn't work according to the higher ups. So why bother.

Of course, I run a small user base so my risk was small. I am now running a live forum on 3.5.0 Liz

[Onimua]

What I did was just upload the beta into a testvb running side by side to my live site.

I didn't bother with this part at all:


Reason: ImpEx doesn't work according to the higher ups. So why bother.

Of course, I run a small user base so my risk was small. I am now running a live forum on 3.5.0 Liz

Yeah, but the thread starter wanted vB 3.5 to run completely separate from his live site.

Not to mention I was talking about using ImpEx from 3.0.7 Live > 3.0.7 Test and upgrade the test. The devs said ImpEx won't work with 3.5.0 directly.

[southernlady]

I was running mine completely seperately. Of course, I really didn't care to import all my data just to play with it and then turn around and upgrade the real site. I know that was a heavy load on my server. Liz

[Webnower]

I'm using XAMPP. Installs PHP, MySQl and Apache onto your home computer I just downloaded a dump of the database, stuck it on my XAMPP server and it runs perfectly.