[Moodle] Is keeping it up to date really this annoying?

[localzuk]

So I'm updating our testing Moodle server today and it has occurred to me - this is a pain. As far as I can tell, the method for updating is:

 

1. Backup.

2. Move Moodle HTML

3. Install new Moodle

4. Manually copy over config.php and all the mods you had installed

5. Make any custom changes to the Moodle source you usually have in place

6. Log in to Moodle and run the updates.

 

With all the different mods installed this has taken me 2 hours to move from one minor release to another on this server.

 

I'm now going to be running diff to figure out the customisations that have been made so I can apply them to the new version too.

 

I will then have to repeat the whole lot again on the production server!

 

Why is it so complicated to update? Why hasn't Moodle got a built in updating tool?

[3s-gtech]

It's definitely a weakness. With the backup system I have in place, I'm happy to in-place update Moodle straight over the top of the old (which I used to do with old releases). We're rather version locked at present so it's irrelevant for us, but an updater like Wordpress and Joomla have would be a godsend.

[mrverrall]

For me GIT makes things much easier and basically combines your steps 2-5 into one.

 

It generally makes moodle upgrading faster and more robust, the only barrier is learning GIT I suppose.

[lostsoul]

GIT here too, also virtual so can snapshot before upgrade, just in case.

[nickjelly]

I've been wanting to try GIT for upgrades for some time. Must try it on my sandbox VM soon, though it will have to be a suitable windows GIT client as I'm running on IIS.