Converting large site to WordPress

  • The village site has developed over the course of over 20 years. As a result it contains a very large amount of information, especially history. However the current version which is about 8 years old is written using HTML, CSS and PHP. It also is non-responsive. So it is way overdue for a re-write.

    I am a concerned about re-writing and transferring it to a WordPress version. There are around 500 pages of information on that site and it will take me weeks to do this. I therefore would hate to find when it comes to transfer from a local host to replace the existing https://www.stbees.org.uk domain that the new version doesn’t work when transferred, particularly links within the site.

    I do have the option of creating the new site on a sub-domain my ISP kindly provided and I have created a couple of dozen pages there. As an experiment I have tried to transfer these to another domain I own using Duplicator Pro, first using a WordPress plugin to clear old data out from it using WP Reset. For some reason I find the data file won’t transfer to it. It will however transfer OK to another domain. The installer files transfers OK. Also the routine automatic WordPress update – WordPress 5.2.3–en_GB – won’t work due to a failed checksum. So WPreset seems to have messed something up. This problem is fuelling my concern about what happens when I try and transfer a 500 page site to https://www.stbees.org.uk!

    My main concern however is whether I am likely to run into problems if I develop all 500 pages on test…… domain or a local host. Is the transfer process the same as the one I am trying to see how it works if I use Duplicator to transfer the experimental pages?

    My alternative is to move the existing site to a temporary domains and build the new WordPress one in stages on the stbees.org.uk site, linking to temporary one for pages that haven’t yet been re-written. Given the use made of the site by visitors to the area, I can’t really shut it down for a few weeks.

    I would welcome advice on how best to proceed. Please bear in mind in any suggestions that I am not a professional web designer, rather an interested individual who has effectively been appointed the local village council’s web designer because I know more than they do and it can’t afford a professional!!

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

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  • Moderator bcworkz

    (@bcworkz)

    I’ve also run into issues at times when trying to use export/import tools. I feel more comfortable making a backup of the DB in SQL format, then using the backup to recreate the same DB on the new site. Then using a tool like Better Search and Replace plugin to update all the URLs. And copying all the files over of course. I’ve never had an issue going this route. With a large site, you may need to backup the DB table by table to avoid file size limitations. Other than a little more work, it should still be successful.

    Because you are essentially manually converting domain/subdomain URLs with the search and replace tool, what domains you move to and from has no bearing on the actual moving process. You still ought to move a test site to become familiar with the process and gain confidence that it’ll work fine on a larger site.

    Moving WordPress

    Thread Starter begadoc

    (@begadoc)

    Many thanks for that.

    Moderator Jan Dembowski

    (@jdembowski)

    Forum Moderator and Brute Squad

    Moved to Fixing WordPress, this is not a Developing with WordPress topic.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
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