I have a development/test environment with an umbraco project. I am developing and testing new stuff here and from time to time I want to transfer that stuff selectively to my real-world project. So, in this case, I want to package all my MEDIA section items and 'transfer' them to my real world project.
The packaging feature allows me to pick any type of content, styles, templates, and so on... BUT NOT my media section assets.
How do I transfer MEDIA items from one project to the other? If I would just copy the physical media folder structure to the new project I would lack the corresponding database entries, right? Or does umbraco pick up the freshly added media assets and updates the database?
What is the 'best practice' for copying media assets from one project to the other?
I took a look at Courier and it makes totally sense for a scenario where I would install a staging & production environment for a client. The price for courier adds just to their project price and that's ok.
HOWEVER, from a developer standpoint I am seeing following downside of that concept: (unfortunately) many small business clients don't see the need for a staging environment and the additional costs (...sounds familiar, right?). So, the developer is creating a new site locally and then needs to transfer the finished site to any live hosting environment. To avoid manual recreation of the site it must be uploaded completely including database.
Further maintenance of the site must be done on the live site itself or, if done locally, must be re-done when ready for deployment. The reason is that the packaging tool is not grabbing everything, like e.g. media section content. Also, I am seeing that I could run into ID problems quickly.
All the above is taken care of with Courier, that's right, but I would need a license for every single project I am creating, correct? There's no such thing like a DEVELOPER's multi-domain license which allows the outlined workflow: develop locally, deploy to any live domain, maintain the site locally and deploy on-demand the newly developed features.
What I want to say is that I think the way it works now is not 100% developer-friendly, especially if you look at thousands of developers, and mini agencies who have tough competition and have to keep prices for small businesses low in order to get their business. Once the site is deployed the maintenance is not very efficient. Does that make sense?
So, what I am thinking is that a developer should be able to grab any portions of a development umbraco site and be able to drop it into the production site including ID correction, media transfer, etc. May be a Courier 'Light' version for developers that takes care of these major things and a paid 'professional Courier' version with just additional nice-to-have-features for businesses on a single domain license basis???
Well said.
I just created my first package and could not believe it doesn't allow you to add media....why not? It allows you to add content ..why not do the same for media? Better still it should parse thecontent and automatically include any referenced media. Umbelievable that you need to write your own package action or use courier (which has destroyed many sites ive used and I avoid it at all costs).
I didn't say that something is wrong with how the 1st deployment of the site works. And you agree that it is for the first time only.
I am just trying to make the point that umbraco website maintenance could become cumbersome for developers who actually have to change a little more than just a field in a website and if they don't have Courier. That complex maintenance situation is exactly when a developer needs a staging environment -- and how can he have it if the client doesn't purchase the umbraco add-on?
Having said this, I believe that umbraco's concept is one of the best on the market segment and it's a great product-- keep up the good work but I hope that everybody keeps in mind that such open source projects also need developers who bring it to their clients and if maintenance would involve too much of an overhead it could become annoying.
The package concept in umbraco was probably thought as a way to transfer 'stuff' from one place to the other. Also the export functionality for some items. Thats' great. However, it should be available for everything, not only portions. I understand that Courier is a business decision and umbraco needs to create revenue some place and that's why the packaging isn't working for everything --
May be others in the community have an opinion on maintenance?
The long discussion about the cost of Courier is all well and good, but did anyone ever find a non-Courier solution for moving Media items from one place to another?
packages: how to package MEDIA items
Hi,
I have a development/test environment with an umbraco project. I am developing and testing new stuff here and from time to time I want to transfer that stuff selectively to my real-world project. So, in this case, I want to package all my MEDIA section items and 'transfer' them to my real world project.
The packaging feature allows me to pick any type of content, styles, templates, and so on... BUT NOT my media section assets.
How do I transfer MEDIA items from one project to the other? If I would just copy the physical media folder structure to the new project I would lack the corresponding database entries, right? Or does umbraco pick up the freshly added media assets and updates the database?
What is the 'best practice' for copying media assets from one project to the other?
Thanks for any pointers and advice!
Regards
Frank
If you need to sync media you should look at courier http://umbraco.org/products/more-add-ons/courier which I'm reasonably sure covers copying of media.
Otherwise you would need to implement something custom to sync media.
Thanks Slace!
Here's ome more follow-up question:
I took a look at Courier and it makes totally sense for a scenario where I would install a staging & production environment for a client. The price for courier adds just to their project price and that's ok.
HOWEVER, from a developer standpoint I am seeing following downside of that concept: (unfortunately) many small business clients don't see the need for a staging environment and the additional costs (...sounds familiar, right?).
So, the developer is creating a new site locally and then needs to transfer the finished site to any live hosting environment. To avoid manual recreation of the site it must be uploaded completely including database.
Further maintenance of the site must be done on the live site itself or, if done locally, must be re-done when ready for deployment. The reason is that the packaging tool is not grabbing everything, like e.g. media section content. Also, I am seeing that I could run into ID problems quickly.
All the above is taken care of with Courier, that's right, but I would need a license for every single project I am creating, correct? There's no such thing like a DEVELOPER's multi-domain license which allows the outlined workflow: develop locally, deploy to any live domain, maintain the site locally and deploy on-demand the newly developed features.
What I want to say is that I think the way it works now is not 100% developer-friendly, especially if you look at thousands of developers, and mini agencies who have tough competition and have to keep prices for small businesses low in order to get their business. Once the site is deployed the maintenance is not very efficient. Does that make sense?
So, what I am thinking is that a developer should be able to grab any portions of a development umbraco site and be able to drop it into the production site including ID correction, media transfer, etc. May be a Courier 'Light' version for developers that takes care of these major things and a paid 'professional Courier' version with just additional nice-to-have-features for businesses on a single domain license basis???
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks.
Cheers,
Frank
Well said. I just created my first package and could not believe it doesn't allow you to add media....why not? It allows you to add content ..why not do the same for media? Better still it should parse thecontent and automatically include any referenced media. Umbelievable that you need to write your own package action or use courier (which has destroyed many sites ive used and I avoid it at all costs).
What's wrong with backing up the database and deploying it live to migrate all content?
Yes that wont work beyond the first release.
As for licensing you should speak to Umbaco Corp about that, but no I don't believe you'll find any kind of developer licensing.
Hi Slace,
I didn't say that something is wrong with how the 1st deployment of the site works. And you agree that it is for the first time only.
I am just trying to make the point that umbraco website maintenance could become cumbersome for developers who actually have to change a little more than just a field in a website and if they don't have Courier. That complex maintenance situation is exactly when a developer needs a staging environment -- and how can he have it if the client doesn't purchase the umbraco add-on?
Having said this, I believe that umbraco's concept is one of the best on the market segment and it's a great product-- keep up the good work but I hope that everybody keeps in mind that such open source projects also need developers who bring it to their clients and if maintenance would involve too much of an overhead it could become annoying.
The package concept in umbraco was probably thought as a way to transfer 'stuff' from one place to the other. Also the export functionality for some items. Thats' great. However, it should be available for everything, not only portions. I understand that Courier is a business decision and umbraco needs to create revenue some place and that's why the packaging isn't working for everything --
May be others in the community have an opinion on maintenance?
Cheers
Frank
Hi Frank,
Did you ever find a solution for this, i'm sitting with the same problem
Thanks,
Mike
The long discussion about the cost of Courier is all well and good, but did anyone ever find a non-Courier solution for moving Media items from one place to another?
Hey Owen,
Did you find a non-Courier solution?
I need to export an entire site with media to a new Umbraco Install.
Thanks
Only the big, dirty solution of creating a complete database export and using that plus a zip of the media folder.
Not ideal, but it works…
Good luck, Luke!
Owen
is working on a reply...