Thread: Wanting to switch to Soholaunch

I have constructed my website with BV, but want to switch to Soholaunch. I am not concerned about having to start the site from scratch but want to leave my BV site up and running on my existing domain name.

I want the domain name I am running my BV site on as my domain name on Soholaunch once the new site is finished. However when I tried to download the Soholaunch site builder it automatically asks for my existing BV domain name, what can I do in these circumstances?

Do I have to use a new domain name? (I really do not want to do this), or can I use a new one and switch later. There doesn't seem to be an option when I attempt to download Soholaunch for any domain other than the one I am using on BV.
Thanks

You cannot have both running at the same time, nor can you build Soholaunch somewhere to the side and then "transfer it" when you think you're ready .... I know for a fact you are not up to speed in dealing with Database backups and re-configurations!

To Install Soholaunch:

Go to your Control Panel and delete your pages (index, about, etc.), as you must not have conflicting index or other pages remaining in your account.

While still in Control Panel and after you have manually deleted only your BV pages from the public_html/ directory of the domain you wish to use, click on the Fantastico icon (near bottom of cP Home page) and then click on Soholaunch - Pro Edition.
You can then install Soholaunch to the domain of your choice.

Be sure to print out the Installation Confirmation pages cPanel provides for your records and ease of accessing your new Soholaunch installation.

If you ever want to go back to Blue Voda, merely go back to your cPanel > Fantastico > Soholaunch section to see your listed installations and means to delete Soholaunch: simply re-publish your Blue Voda pages already saved in your BV folder on your computer.

Vasili
Thank you for the reply.
If I do this the way you suggest will my BV site no longer function?
(I need to adjust prices on the existing BV site)

Also do you mean that a domain name can only be assigned to Soholaunch at the very beginning of building the site?

Would it be possible for me to build the site on a new account say stovesdepot2, and then change the domain to stovedepot later (on The Soholaunch site).

Many Thanks

Nigel

Originally Posted by nbrown

Vasili
Thank you for the reply.
1. If I do this the way you suggest will my BV site no longer function?

2. Also do you mean that a domain name can only be assigned to Soholaunch at the very beginning of building the site?

3. Would it be possible for me to build the site on a new account say stovesdepot2, and then change the domain to stovedepot later (on The Soholaunch site).

Originally Posted by Vasili

1. You cannot have both running at the same time, 2. You must always designate a directory to publish anything to at the time you install anything, of course. Wheter you specifiy a domain or a directory makes no difference ... you must do one or the other. If you install it on a directory and not a domain, you must be prepared the gargantuan task of backing up the database and migrating the site entirely to another directory/domain .... 3. nor can you build Soholaunch somewhere to the side and then "transfer it" when you think you're ready unless you are totally capable of the task .... I know for a fact you are not up to speed in dealing with Database backups and re-configurations!
Do you think you are???

I do not know how to be clearer .... given your demonstrated abilities earlier using Blue Voda and your missing some of the logical processes I've mentioned here, I personally do not think you yet understand the depth of skills and familiarities required to move a Soho installation or to master the intracacies of the Control Panel, Databases, or re-configuring from backups.

Make a choice ....

Makes me personally wonder why you decided to switch to Soholaunch at all ---- much more complicated than Blue Voda, it too, will be a challenge for you I fear, and really seems boggling to me why you would think to take it on!

* Personally, I suggest you install Soholaunch on a new directory (created in cPanel) and practice using it before making up your mind to go further with it ..... once you get to a certain point, you will know if it will be the solution for you or not, and if it is, it will be no big deal to duplicate your 'customizations' anew as a new installation on the domain as initially mentioned (thus avoiding the complications of migration). If you tear out your hair, then no foul --- simply un-install it and feel more comfortable about the efforts made using Blue Voda.

Vasili
Thank you for the response:
[I know for a fact you are not up to speed in dealing with Database backups and re-configurations!
Do you think you are???]

ActuallyI am not! and I know I am not, which is why I asked someone with a great deal of knowledge like yourself for help. What may be a simple task for you is not the case for everybody else. I dare say you wouldn't have a clue about what I do in business either:)

Thanks

Originally Posted by nbrown

What may be a simple task for you is not the case for everybody else. I dare say you wouldn't have a clue about what I do in business either:)
Thanks

You'd be surprised: I once helped out at the appliance warehouse business my family ran in Norway when I was 16, and that summer was the apprentice in the chiminey sweep jobs too, so being familiar with not only European stoves but wood/pellet stoves is just another file of information in me' noggin along with this web stuff!

Originally Posted by Vasili

* Personally, I suggest you install Soholaunch on a new directory (created in cPanel) and practice using it before making up your mind to go further with it ..... once you get to a certain point, you will know if it will be the solution for you or not, and if it is, it will be no big deal to duplicate your 'customizations' anew as a new installation on the domain as initially mentioned (thus avoiding the complications of migration). If you tear out your hair, then no foul --- simply un-install it and feel more comfortable about the efforts made using Blue Voda.

Ok, lets clarify things a bit.

What you want is quite possible. However it does involve some work on your end.

Here are the steps:

1. Create a subfolder in your public_html folder. Name it, in example "bv"
2. Change your menus to either point to this subfolder, or, make your links relative. In example, if you first had, in your menu, the "contact" page linked as http://www.yourdomain.com/contact.php you now need to link it (in your menus) either as http://www.yourdomain.com/bv/contact.php or as (simply) "contact.php" (I will explain later on.
3. After you have changed your menus, including the links to the "index" page, publish ALL pages into this "bv" folder.
4. Create , in a separate folder, inside your BlueVoda folder, on your computer, another, temporary, "index" page. This page MUST be .html . This page must be completely blank, and only contain a redirect to the http://www.yourdomain.com/bv/ which means that it will redirect to the pages you have published in the "bv" folder. You can set the redirect in Page Properties, Miscellaneous, Redirects
5. Now, connect with FTP (or through File Manager, in your CPanel) and delete ALL files in your public_html, including any auxiliary folders (like the "images" folder)
6. As soon as you have done so, publish this temporary index page in your public_html

At this point, any visitor to your site will be redirected to the "copy" site that you have created into the "bv" folder.

Now go on and Install Soholaunch in your root folder. Since Soholaunch creates a "index.php" page, it will not conflict with the "index.html" page you publisghed from BV.

index.html (BV built) has precedence over "index.php" (automatically created by Soholaunch) so, until you have this page on the server, your Soholaunch site will only be visible to you as http://www.yourdomain.com/index.php . Any visitors, that type simply http://www.yourdomain.com will be redirected to the BV copy site. When you have created the new site with Soholaunch, just delete (through FTP or File Manager) the "index.html" file from the server and your Soholaunch site will become alive. At that point you can also delete the "bv" folder from the server.

Technically, this is the way to do what you need, without need to reconfigure the database at a later stage.

However, Vasili's advise to experiment first, installing Soholaunch in a subdomain (you will need to create one in cpanel before you can install soho in there) is also my advise, as, SL doesn't offer the same layout capabilities BV has, so you'd better try it before making any major changes. if you like it, you can unistall it through Fantastico (do NOT simply delete the subdomain folder !) and then install it in the root folder.

Yes, that is one way to work both at the same time ... but, as I suggested, having become familiar with your intentions and seeming abilities, and, to keep it simple as possible so you can make more progress rather than get frustrated, I suggest installing Soholaunch in a new directory and practicing with it to assess your capabilities and whether or not you are getting the results you want before investing a lot of effort ....

Vasili

Stoves are a very minor part of my business, but I would like to sell a lot of them:) I think you are correct however perhaps I should stick with BV. It is just that I would be happier with a better e commerce package, any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

Soholaunch IS the easiest of the carts out there, and seemingly has more ability to be customized, but any eCom solution represents a significant learning curve.

You can do an awfully lot with PayPal, especially if you use custom buttons, creative lists, etc. All without being stuck to a more rigid format and design limitation.

Like I said .... set up Soho and practice with it ... you will reach a point where everything either clicks or crashes for you. If it clicks, then it is nothing to duplicate for real, yes?

Vasili and Navaldesign

Thank you both for your help

I will try some paypal custom buttons for now, Soholaunch later.

Cheers