If you have a Joomla! site you have probably heard it by now - MIGRATION. It might have always been there, breathing down on the back of your neck but preferred to not look back as it might be something scary. If this is the case, you were half right - it sounds scary but you can be prepared.
A lot of fuss was made when Joomla! 2.5 reached its end - basically it won't get any new updates. Don't worry this has happened before with Joomla! 1.1.x and 1.5. There are a couple of articles (Joomla! doc, magazine article) out there that will explain the benefits of walking down the migration path, but none of them state the obvious - costs and a considerable headache will be associated with this action.
"Migration is really an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to reassess goals, clean up messes, increase functionality, security, and efficiency."
Jennifer Gress
Why costs ?
The migration itself does require quite a bit of web related knowledge. If you haven't done this before you might hire someone do it for you. Luckily there is quite a market for this and you will have plenty to pick from. The price range varies quite a lot and it will depend on your site (template, extensions, configuration). Luckily the Joomla! folks created a step by step guide to help you determine if you are up to do this task for yourself.
Why headache ?
If you do decide to tackle this task you will eventually get a headache regardless of your knowledge level. It is a matter of time until you stumble upon something that was working as it should in the old site but isn't in the new one. Below you will find a collection of resources (articles and videos) that provide step by step instructions on how to tackle the tasks.
Videos
Courtesy of Brian Teeman, Joomla! speaker:
Joomla! 1.5 to Joomla! 3.x
Joomla! 2.5 to Joomla! 3.x.
How does RSJoomla! stand in this new light ? This was not surprise to us. We have been planning for this and our extensions shouldn't add to your headache. The product documentation (Frequently Asked Questions sections) has been updated and provides instructions on how such a migration can be performed for both scenarios (migrating from Joomla! 1.5 or 2.5). Though we won't be doing the migrations for you, our customer support service would gladly provide assistance if you encounter difficulties with our extensions.
"Migrating your website is more than putting a new template on your content and pushing the site live. Often you will be adding new extensions, changing your menu structure, removing old content which is no longer relevant, and any number of other changes."
Ruth Cheesley
Things to consider before migrating
- Technical Requirements
- SEO / SEF consistency
Different Joomla! versions require different technical requirements. Make sure your current (or future) hosting provider meets the Joomla! 3.x requirements.
I don't have to tell you that this is extremely important and will eventually add to your headache. I found the Joomla! Magazine two part article to be very helpful on this subject: Part 1 and Part 2.
Though RSSeo! is not an URL rewriting tool it will prove valuable in handling meta data and monitoring various SEO aspects. Oh yeah, it's on sale with 50% discount via our Facebook page. Instructions available in our General FAQ section.
Don't be lazy - if you decide to tackle the task on your own, go through the mentioned resources (articles, videos) before getting started. These contain valuable information and may spare you of unpleasant surprises.
Good luck!
It would be best to contact the customer support service and clearly explain your issue. Our staff members should be able to point you in the right direction.
QuoteRSFORM
need to include rsform for joomla3 but i coudnt find that version. so u used our old backup to build the form. its working bt i cant find its module or plug in. i am able to use rsform as a menu but i need its module what i need to do now
Quote