Upgrading via Fantastico
If you're like me you prefer installing WordPress upgrades manually as opposed to using your host's Fantastico service. I have seen too many botched installs/upgrades using automated processes like Fantastico that I just as soon stay away from using them. The other thing I don't like about it is that it takes seemingly forever for Fantastico to deliver the update to your host for you to use. Case in point, the latest WordPress upgrade from 2.3.2 to 2.3.3 which fixes an important XML-RPC vulnerability. It took Fantastico damn near a month to deliver the upgrade to my host.
The problem with upgrading manually is that as soon as Fantastico delivers the update it thinks you're still using a previous version. Each time you login to your CPanel you're greeted by an annoying message telling you to immediately update your WordPress install. This is even more annoying if you have enabled the 'email me when an update is available' feature. Fortunately the fix for this is simple.
Look in your blog's root folder for a file named fantversion.php. This is the file that tells Fantastico what version of WordPress you're using. This is what mine said,
<?php
$version = '2.3.2' ;
?>Simply edit the file to show the correct version of WordPress you're using, in this case 2.3.3 and upload the change. Voila! Fantastico now knows you're using the most current version and will no longer nag you to upgrade.
Len has been blogging for over 10 years and is a rabid WordPress fan. In addition to blogging here you can find him writing the occasional article and toiling away in the forums at WeblogToolsCollection.com. He also hangs out at the WordPress support forums lending a hand where he can. You can also find him at his other blog LenKutchma.com
For my mirror blog hosted on WordPress, I always use fantastico to update the software -- never had any problems with it (apart from the fact that fantastico is always about two weeks behind the latest WordPress version).
I have also heard enough horror stories from people much more knowledgeable about codes and programming than me who ended with major errors and troubles after installing WordPress manually. Personally, I would never do that.
Hi Werner,
I see this is in the support forum all the time. Fact of the matter is WP is extremely easy to install/upgrade - people just have a hard time following the directions for whatever reason. Any and all glitches can be attributed to either a screwup on the part of the user or something with the way the host has configured the server.
As I help out in the forum alot, here is a perfect example: I have seen many botched installs which resulted in a blank page with some variant of this error message - "unable to send headers, headers already sent, output started...". The cause is an empty space before the opening <?php tag in the config file.
By the way, it's good to see you my friend. I haven't done much blogging recently due to a combination of several things - helping out at BloggerForum, the WP support forum and working on several projects including designing this blog's new theme. I'll pop by your site later today - have tea ready.
I have looked at the instructions once or twice, and for some reason, every time I see them, my mind puts up a mental block and I tuned out ...
All I can say is that for me fantastico has worked every single time without any problem (maybe it's connected to the hosting service you use for your WP and fantastico; maybe that's where these problems originate).
Sure, come over to my blog, or online column and blog, I should say, because http://www.wernerpatels.com is now what I call an "online column", whereas my blog is found at http://www.ideas-issues.com.
As with anything else it's always difficult at first but once you get into it the easier it gets. I would say the same thing for your line of work. Learning a new language at this point in my life I think would be very difficult - but then again I haven't tried.