Hello everyone, I'm a total Umbraco newbie and this huge project has just been dropped on me without me knowing a lot about the platform. For the past few months, I've been trying to get the hang of it but now I'm kind of stuck and could use some help.
A third-party company did the whole website on Umbraco 7 a few years ago and since then they've lost the source code and the people that made the original project are now gone too.
I'm having some API problems and numerous other problems that require me accessing the code through Visual Studio, but as I don't have the source code I've only been able to tweak the website through the browser (mywebsite.com/umbraco).
If someone could help me out with a step-by-step, I want to basically clone this website so I have the necessary code to work with, and while I'm at it I want to upgrade it from Umbraco 7 to the latest. I know our database is on SQL server so I see no problems there. Is there a plug-in or something that helps me migrate all my content, media, Document Types, Templates, PV, Stylesheets, Scripts, etc..? What about controllers and models? How can I replicate them?
I fear you are in a bit of a pickle there. Without the source-code, you can only do so much by ways of cloning the project and working on it. The fact that you have access to the database helps a lot when talking about content migrations and umbraco back-office changes, but it is near impossible to work on any of the code without actually having the source-code.
The only way you could continue working on the project and making code changes would be to clone the published site, try to decompile the published dll's, and try to make sense of that. That is the quite the task to do from a published website, and even then you'll still be missing out on a lot of the context from the compiled functions...
Safe to say, I fear that without the source-code you'll be getting yourself into more trouble than you'd wish for, but that would be my opinion đŸ˜…
If you don't have access to the source code of an Umbraco website and want to clone it to work with it in Visual Studio, there are a few steps you can follow. However, please note that without the source code, you may have limitations and potential challenges in fully replicating the website.
Here's a step-by-step approach to cloning the website and migrating it to the latest version of Umbraco:
Set up a new Umbraco installation:
Install a new instance of Umbraco 7 or the latest version (Umbraco 8 or Umbraco 9) on your local development environment or a server. Follow the installation instructions provided by Umbraco.
Connect to the existing database:
Identify the database associated with the existing Umbraco website. You mentioned that the database is on SQL Server, so ensure you have access to it.
In your new Umbraco installation, modify the connection string in the web.config file to connect to the existing database. Update the server name, database name, username, and password as needed.
Export and import content:
In your new Umbraco installation, use the "Courier" package or the "uSync" package (depending on the Umbraco version) to export the content from the existing website.
Import the exported content into your new Umbraco installation. This will migrate the content, Document Types, Templates, etc. Make sure to review and fix any inconsistencies or conflicts that may arise during the import.
Media files:
Copy the media files (images, videos, etc.) from the existing website to your new Umbraco installation. You can typically find them in the /media folder or a custom media folder defined in the web.config file.
Stylesheets and Scripts:
Retrieve the CSS and JavaScript files used in the existing website.
Create appropriate folders in your new Umbraco installation and copy the stylesheets and scripts into these folders.
Update the relevant templates or master pages to reference the updated file paths.
Controllers and Models:
Unfortunately, without access to the source code, you won't have the exact controllers and models used in the existing website.
You will need to create new controllers and models from scratch based on the website's functionality and requirements. Analyze the existing website and try to understand its structure and functionality to help guide your development efforts.
Testing and debugging:
Once you have migrated the content, templates, media files, and recreated necessary functionality, thoroughly test the website to ensure everything is working as expected. YourTexasBenefits
Use Visual Studio to debug any issues that arise and make necessary adjustments to your code and configuration.
Keep in mind that this process involves reverse-engineering the website and might not yield an exact replica of the original site. Additionally, the process can be complex and time-consuming, depending on the size and complexity of the website.
Consider involving experienced Umbraco developers or consultants if you encounter significant challenges or require additional expertise during the migration process.
Clone published website to visual studio without source code
Hello everyone, I'm a total Umbraco newbie and this huge project has just been dropped on me without me knowing a lot about the platform. For the past few months, I've been trying to get the hang of it but now I'm kind of stuck and could use some help.
A third-party company did the whole website on Umbraco 7 a few years ago and since then they've lost the source code and the people that made the original project are now gone too.
I'm having some API problems and numerous other problems that require me accessing the code through Visual Studio, but as I don't have the source code I've only been able to tweak the website through the browser (mywebsite.com/umbraco).
If someone could help me out with a step-by-step, I want to basically clone this website so I have the necessary code to work with, and while I'm at it I want to upgrade it from Umbraco 7 to the latest. I know our database is on SQL server so I see no problems there. Is there a plug-in or something that helps me migrate all my content, media, Document Types, Templates, PV, Stylesheets, Scripts, etc..? What about controllers and models? How can I replicate them?
Hi Jay,
I fear you are in a bit of a pickle there. Without the source-code, you can only do so much by ways of cloning the project and working on it. The fact that you have access to the database helps a lot when talking about content migrations and umbraco back-office changes, but it is near impossible to work on any of the code without actually having the source-code.
The only way you could continue working on the project and making code changes would be to clone the published site, try to decompile the published dll's, and try to make sense of that. That is the quite the task to do from a published website, and even then you'll still be missing out on a lot of the context from the compiled functions...
Safe to say, I fear that without the source-code you'll be getting yourself into more trouble than you'd wish for, but that would be my opinion đŸ˜…
Kind regards, Corné
If you don't have access to the source code of an Umbraco website and want to clone it to work with it in Visual Studio, there are a few steps you can follow. However, please note that without the source code, you may have limitations and potential challenges in fully replicating the website.
Here's a step-by-step approach to cloning the website and migrating it to the latest version of Umbraco:
Set up a new Umbraco installation:
Install a new instance of Umbraco 7 or the latest version (Umbraco 8 or Umbraco 9) on your local development environment or a server. Follow the installation instructions provided by Umbraco. Connect to the existing database:
Identify the database associated with the existing Umbraco website. You mentioned that the database is on SQL Server, so ensure you have access to it. In your new Umbraco installation, modify the connection string in the web.config file to connect to the existing database. Update the server name, database name, username, and password as needed. Export and import content:
In your new Umbraco installation, use the "Courier" package or the "uSync" package (depending on the Umbraco version) to export the content from the existing website. Import the exported content into your new Umbraco installation. This will migrate the content, Document Types, Templates, etc. Make sure to review and fix any inconsistencies or conflicts that may arise during the import. Media files:
Copy the media files (images, videos, etc.) from the existing website to your new Umbraco installation. You can typically find them in the /media folder or a custom media folder defined in the web.config file. Stylesheets and Scripts:
Retrieve the CSS and JavaScript files used in the existing website. Create appropriate folders in your new Umbraco installation and copy the stylesheets and scripts into these folders. Update the relevant templates or master pages to reference the updated file paths. Controllers and Models:
Unfortunately, without access to the source code, you won't have the exact controllers and models used in the existing website. You will need to create new controllers and models from scratch based on the website's functionality and requirements. Analyze the existing website and try to understand its structure and functionality to help guide your development efforts. Testing and debugging:
Once you have migrated the content, templates, media files, and recreated necessary functionality, thoroughly test the website to ensure everything is working as expected. YourTexasBenefits Use Visual Studio to debug any issues that arise and make necessary adjustments to your code and configuration. Keep in mind that this process involves reverse-engineering the website and might not yield an exact replica of the original site. Additionally, the process can be complex and time-consuming, depending on the size and complexity of the website.
Consider involving experienced Umbraco developers or consultants if you encounter significant challenges or require additional expertise during the migration process.
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