First off, let me say that i have used Umbraco (from version 4) to my and my clients satisfaction foro years. But the installation process of Umbraco is, whichever way you to choose to do it, too cumbersome.
Warning: The following post is written out of frustration.
I have been trying to install Umbraco in numerous ways from 8 AM this morning and STILL havent been able to actually run it. Wait actually once, but then i noticed that it uses a CE connectionstring by default and not my own database. This isnt mentioned int the documentation (!) or in the documentation for installing Umbraco using Nuget (http://our.umbraco.org/documentation/Installation/install-umbraco-with-nuget). Then i check the forums (still one of the best communities out there by the way), which mention that should just change the connectionstring and run the install again. This was suggested for an older version (4.5) but still i tried it. No cigar. So i completely remove the Umbraco package from my solution and start over but before running it i change the connectionstring to my database, run it... and errors: Invalid object name UmbracoUser.
This isnt the first time im having issues installing Umbraco i have written posts about it before and since then i have just given up really. Today i had nothing to do and thought that i would give it another go, but i just threw away 4 hours.
The biggest issue is the database and that the documentation lacks details or that it just neglects to mention little specifics which causes to fail the installation or that Umbraco is installed the wrong way and you can start all over. This is version 7, it should be really smooth by now! Windows installs faster!
What exact version of Umbraco 7 have you been trying to install? And what steps have you taken in the process? Do you choose to customize the installation so you can add your connection string for another database than the default CE SQL?
What database are you basing your Umbraco installations on?
Sounds to me like the issue about updating the connectionstring from using CE SQL to the one chosen during the installation should be reported on the issue tracker if it indeed does not update correctly.
I understand you're frustrated and I think we have all been there. Can you write down the exact steps you take when you're doing the installation and provide some information about your setup and how you're installing Umbraco (Using WebMatrix, Visual studio or manually)? In regards to your setup it would be nice to know the exact version of Umbraco you're using, which database, .NET framework etc.
The more information the better - I know that making the installation experience fast and nice is of high priority and importance to HQ since it should really not take more than a few minutes.
Im using Nuget now and it gives me 7.1.8. Im literally following the steps described on this page: http://our.umbraco.org/documentation/Installation/install-umbraco-with-nuget. The only customization im doing is changing the connectionstring in the web.config to my local sql server. The problem is, is that during installing im not asked if i want to use CE SQL it is just assumed and the documentation doesnt mention the option at all.
So the process goes like this. I create a Web application in VS 2012 and install Umbraco using Nuget. This all works fine. The next step in the documentation is run the website, thats it. But if i dont change anything it uses the wrong database, if i do change it i get errors like invalid object name UmbracoUser. This is probably because the account used in the connectionstring doesnt have enough rights to create tables, but document literally doesnt mention the words 'database' and 'sql'. The documentation should mention how i can use my own database and what capabilities an account should have to install an Umbraco database.
Like i said i tried installing Umbraco in numerous ways before and i followed the same guide i mentioned earlier a couple of months back. I posted something about it but nothing seems to have changed.
The reason why new installer for Umbraco 7 uses the SQLCE database by default, is to make it more eaiser to install an Umbraco installation for users that is not much familar with the database stuff, however it is possible to change the database when you are install Umbraco as you already has experienced.
You are totally right that it can be hard to find where you can change the database, during the installation, and I think it would be great to expand the documentation with a chapter on how to customize to another database.
I have seen other have the same "issues" on how to customize the database to an e.g MSSQL server.
Yeah as Dennis writes there is a customize button. But it should probably be more clear that it's there.
Would you mind adding an issue about that on the issue tracker?
It's crucial to avoid further misunderstanding due to the UI I think so it would be nice if you would take the time to add it to the tracker and perhaps reference this post.
One of the issue regarding installing Umbraco, well it's an issue when you need to figure out how people are trying to install Umbraco, is how they're doing it since there is quite some options to choose from and in each scenario there is different things to take into account when trying to figure out what the potential issue could be - Hence me asking about more specific stuff :)
Glad you got it working - Remember to mark the post as solved btw.
Installation process of Umbraco... not so good
First off, let me say that i have used Umbraco (from version 4) to my and my clients satisfaction foro years.
But the installation process of Umbraco is, whichever way you to choose to do it, too cumbersome.
Warning: The following post is written out of frustration.
I have been trying to install Umbraco in numerous ways from 8 AM this morning and STILL havent been able to actually run it. Wait actually once, but then i noticed that it uses a CE connectionstring by default and not my own database. This isnt mentioned int the documentation (!) or in the documentation for installing Umbraco using Nuget (http://our.umbraco.org/documentation/Installation/install-umbraco-with-nuget).
Then i check the forums (still one of the best communities out there by the way), which mention that should just change the connectionstring and run the install again. This was suggested for an older version (4.5) but still i tried it. No cigar.
So i completely remove the Umbraco package from my solution and start over but before running it i change the connectionstring to my database, run it... and errors: Invalid object name UmbracoUser.
This isnt the first time im having issues installing Umbraco i have written posts about it before and since then i have just given up really. Today i had nothing to do and thought that i would give it another go, but i just threw away 4 hours.
The biggest issue is the database and that the documentation lacks details or that it just neglects to mention little specifics which causes to fail the installation or that Umbraco is installed the wrong way and you can start all over. This is version 7, it should be really smooth by now! Windows installs faster!
Hi Bunnynut
Sounds like a terrible experience.
What exact version of Umbraco 7 have you been trying to install? And what steps have you taken in the process? Do you choose to customize the installation so you can add your connection string for another database than the default CE SQL?
What database are you basing your Umbraco installations on?
Sounds to me like the issue about updating the connectionstring from using CE SQL to the one chosen during the installation should be reported on the issue tracker if it indeed does not update correctly.
I understand you're frustrated and I think we have all been there. Can you write down the exact steps you take when you're doing the installation and provide some information about your setup and how you're installing Umbraco (Using WebMatrix, Visual studio or manually)? In regards to your setup it would be nice to know the exact version of Umbraco you're using, which database, .NET framework etc.
The more information the better - I know that making the installation experience fast and nice is of high priority and importance to HQ since it should really not take more than a few minutes.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
/Jan
Hi Jan, thank you for your reply.
Im using Nuget now and it gives me 7.1.8.
Im literally following the steps described on this page: http://our.umbraco.org/documentation/Installation/install-umbraco-with-nuget.
The only customization im doing is changing the connectionstring in the web.config to my local sql server. The problem is, is that during installing im not asked if i want to use CE SQL it is just assumed and the documentation doesnt mention the option at all.
So the process goes like this. I create a Web application in VS 2012 and install Umbraco using Nuget. This all works fine.
The next step in the documentation is run the website, thats it. But if i dont change anything it uses the wrong database, if i do change it i get errors like invalid object name UmbracoUser. This is probably because the account used in the connectionstring doesnt have enough rights to create tables, but document literally doesnt mention the words 'database' and 'sql'. The documentation should mention how i can use my own database and what capabilities an account should have to install an Umbraco database.
Like i said i tried installing Umbraco in numerous ways before and i followed the same guide i mentioned earlier a couple of months back. I posted something about it but nothing seems to have changed.
Hi Bunnynut,
The reason why new installer for Umbraco 7 uses the SQLCE database by default, is to make it more eaiser to install an Umbraco installation for users that is not much familar with the database stuff, however it is possible to change the database when you are install Umbraco as you already has experienced.
You are totally right that it can be hard to find where you can change the database, during the installation, and I think it would be great to expand the documentation with a chapter on how to customize to another database.
I have seen other have the same "issues" on how to customize the database to an e.g MSSQL server.
http://our.umbraco.org/forum/getting-started/installing-umbraco/57109-Tricky-installation-still
/Dennis
There is a Customize button! I'm no designer but white button + white background == almost invisible.
Got it running, thanks a million.
Hi Bunnynut
Yeah as Dennis writes there is a customize button. But it should probably be more clear that it's there.
Would you mind adding an issue about that on the issue tracker?
It's crucial to avoid further misunderstanding due to the UI I think so it would be nice if you would take the time to add it to the tracker and perhaps reference this post.
One of the issue regarding installing Umbraco, well it's an issue when you need to figure out how people are trying to install Umbraco, is how they're doing it since there is quite some options to choose from and in each scenario there is different things to take into account when trying to figure out what the potential issue could be - Hence me asking about more specific stuff :)
Glad you got it working - Remember to mark the post as solved btw.
/Jan
Hi Bunnynut and Jan,
I think that you (Bunnynut) should add your experience with the new Umbraco 7 installer on the issue here: http://issues.umbraco.org/issue/U4-5584
And make a vote for it.
/Dennis
is working on a reply...