Project Redcap:Maintenance: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 10:59, 27 December 2025

This page contains maintenance instructions and logs for the Project: Redcap wiki. It's mostly for administrators.

To check the status of the wiki, make a feature request, or report a bug, please refer to Project Redcap:Community portal.

Maintenance Log

To see when the next maintenance window is, please refer to Project Redcap:Community portal.

2025 Maintenance

2025-12-27:

Full database backup (Andrew Gronosky is custodian of the database backups)
Upgrade to MediaWiki 1.45.1
Updated all extensions; see Special:Version

I tried to add the extension https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:RottenLinks but it evidently requires outbound network access to run the UpdateExternalLinks script. Our hosting provided blocks that by default; if we think this extension is worth the effort I can work with the hosting provider to get permission to run it. Admin (talk) 09:59, 27 December 2025 (MST)

I tried updating the background colors of the wiki by editing MediaWiki:Common.css but there are too many different page elements to track down and override. I decided it wasn't worth the effort at this time. If someone else in the community wants to give it a try I can help them get started. Admin (talk) 09:59, 27 December 2025 (MST)

2025-03-30:

Full database backup
Wiki upgrade to version 1.43
Installed Extension:JsonConfig
Removed end-of-life extension Ploticus
Updated all other extensions

Upgrade Procedure

The simplest and safest way to update the wiki is to make a fresh install of MediaWiki and migrate the customizations into it.

Lock the database
Make a full database backup (see LocalSettings.php for the name of the database).
Archive the database backup in private cloud storage.
Upload the new MediaWiki distribution zip to public_html and unpack it.
Rename the newly created mediawiki-X.YY-etc directory to redcap_new.
cp -R redcap/images/* redcap_new/images
cp redcap/LocalSettings.php redcap/.htaccess redcap_new
Check the skins listed in LocalSettings.php. Download and install any that aren't already present in the skins directory.
Use Special:Version to view the list of installed extension. For any that are not already present in the /extensions directory, download and unpack the latest versions.
cd ~/public_html; mv redcap redcap_old; mv redcap_new redcap
Unlock the database (edit LocalSettings.php
cd maintance; php run.php update
Log in with a web browser and see if it works!

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-This page documents maintenance activity on Project: Redcap. For feature requests or how to report bugs, please see [[Project Redcap: Community Portal]].
+This page contains maintenance instructions and logs for the Project: Redcap wiki. It's mostly for administrators.
-== 2025 Maintenance ==
+To check the status of the wiki, make a feature request, or report a bug, please refer to [[Project Redcap:Community portal]].
+== Maintenance Log ==
+To see when the next maintenance window is, please refer to [[Project Redcap:Community portal]].
+=== 2025 Maintenance ===
 -12-27:
 * Full database backup (Andrew Gronosky is custodian of the database backups)
 * Upgrade to [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki_1.45 MediaWiki 1.45.1]
 * Updated all extensions; see [[Special:Version]]
-* Added extension https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:RottenLinks
+I tried to add the extension https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:RottenLinks but it evidently requires outbound network access to run the UpdateExternalLinks script. Our hosting provided blocks that by default; if we think this extension is worth the effort I can work with the hosting provider to get permission to run it. [[User:Admin|Admin]] ([[User talk:Admin|talk]]) 09:59, 27 December 2025 (MST)
+I tried updating the background colors of the wiki by editing [[MediaWiki:Common.css]] but there are too many different page elements to track down and override. I decided it wasn't worth the effort at this time. If someone else in the community wants to give it a try I can help them get started. [[User:Admin|Admin]] ([[User talk:Admin|talk]]) 09:59, 27 December 2025 (MST)
 -03-30:
@@ Line 14: / Line 22: @@
 * Removed end-of-life extension Ploticus
 * Updated all other extensions
-* Note for future maintainers: Please verify the [[MediaWiki:License]] page still contains CC-BY-SA 4.0 after the upgrade
+== Upgrade Procedure ==
+The simplest and safest way to update the wiki is to make a fresh install of MediaWiki and migrate the customizations into it.
+# [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Lock_the_database Lock the database]
+# Make a full database backup (see LocalSettings.php for the name of the database).
+# Archive the database backup in private cloud storage.
+# Upload the new MediaWiki distribution zip to <code>public_html</code> and unpack it.
+# Rename the newly created <code>mediawiki-X.YY-etc</code> directory to <code>redcap_new</code>.
+# <code>cp -R redcap/images/* redcap_new/images</code>
+# <code>cp redcap/LocalSettings.php redcap/.htaccess redcap_new</code>
+# Check the skins listed in <code>LocalSettings.php</code>. Download and install any that aren't already present in the skins directory.
+# Use [[Special:Version]] to view the list of installed extension. For any that are not already present in the <code>/extensions</code> directory, download and unpack the latest versions.
+# <code>cd ~/public_html; mv redcap redcap_old; mv redcap_new redcap</code>
+# Unlock the database (edit <code>LocalSettings.php</code>
+# <code>cd maintance; php run.php update</code>
+# Log in with a web browser and see if it works!