The following document contains tips for upgrading an old version of Discus or Discus Professional (numbered 3.01 or before) to Discus 3.10. Note that Discus 3.10 is no longer supported, nor are the versions before it. Therefore, it is recommended that after a board has been successfully upgraded to version 3.10, it should be upgraded to version 4.0 at that time.

In order to bring about a new template system and major efficiency improvements, the data structure in version 3.10 has been substantially changed from that present in past versions of the software. While it is not possible for version 3.10 to read some data created in a past version, an integrated upgrade utility will seamlessly import all data from past versions if the upgrade procedure is correctly followed. Thus, as has always been the case with Discus, all data created in past versions can be saved by the new version. What follows is an upgrade procedure that applies to upgrading from all versions of Discus to the new version 3.10:

1. Backup up existing data

   While maintaining regular backups is definitely important, it is absolutely critical that a backup be made when you know that the data structure is about to be changed substantially. You can make a backup in several ways:

   • In Discus Pro, use the Backup Manager to create a minimal backup of your board, which will save all of your messages and corresponding data files. If you have customized templates, you should also save a copy of your customized template files.

   • From the unix command line, use the "tar" command. If you need help, try "man tar" at the prompt.

   • If you have freeware Discus and no telnet access, FTP all of the files from under your "messages" directory and all of the *.txt files from your administration directory to your local machine.

2. Obtain your distribution

   • Upgrading by FTP: We regret that due to server changes, upgrading by FTP through the Version Manager is no longer possible (you will receive an error message if you click the FTP upgrade button there). You will need to obtain telnet, SSH, or console access to complete your upgrade to version 3.10.

   • Upgrading by telnet/SSH: You can download the new telnet distribution through the Discus download page (for the freeware version) or through the Discus Professional download area (for Discus Professional). Follow the upgrade instructions page to install the version 3.10 upgrade.

   • Upgrading by Windows console: You can download the new Windows console distribution through the Discus download page (for the freeware version) or through the Discus Professional download area (for Discus Professional). Follow the upgrade instructions page to install the version 3.10 upgrade.

     If you have done customization of templates or documentation files, you should be selective in which files you overwrite. However, it is essential to overwrite all scripts (*.cgi) and source files (src-board-subs-*). If you accidentally overwrote a customized file with your upgrade, simply restore the needed file from the backup you created in step 1. If you skipped step 1, don't blame us... :)

3. Upgrading file structure

   Regardless of whether you upgraded by FTP or by telnet, the data in the Discus files is in the format from your previous version and is not fully compatible with version 3.10. To upgrade your files, log in to your administration program as the superuser. You should be prompted to run the upgrade and be presented with a button in the right frame. Click the button to run the upgrade procedure. Note that a progress gauge will be displayed throughout the operation, and your browser will refresh several times. It is essential to leave your browser open during this procedure. Do not hit the STOP button or navigate to any other page while the upgrade is running. When the upgrade finishes, you will be prompted to register Discus. Upon registration, the upgrade will be complete.

   HINT: If you have a very large board, you may find it useful to use the "Faster Indexing" option. To enable this option, before you run the upgrade, click "Options Manager" from the main menu. Under the "General, Miscellaneous Options" section, check the box next to "Board Regeneration: Use faster indexing (no gauge)" and then save your options. Then, click the upgrade link from the main menu and run the upgrade procedure as noted above.

   NOTE: It is very important to run the upgrade procedure as soon as you have installed the distribution. To minimize potential damage, Discus will lock out all ordinary moderators from administration until the upgrade is complete.

   FINAL NOTE: If you somehow miss the file update procedure or the link is not displayed from the main menu, you can access it by going to your Version Manager and clicking the link at the bottom of the screen.

4. Choose a template and options

   By default, your new version 3.10 board will be generated with the "Classic" Discus templates, which closely resemble the display from previous versions of the software. However, additional looks are available in pre-made "skins." These allow the introduction of message counts and tables with alternating colors. If you would like to bring a new look to your Discus board, check out the Template Manager interface while logged in as the superuser.

   You will also find a significant expansion of the options available to you in your Options Manager interface. If you are unsure of what an option does, check the administration instructions for the Options Manager. All of the options are explained in detail in that document.