What is process for upgrading skin directories?
- Article Type: Q&A
- Product: Voyager
Question
How to update customized Tomcat WebVoyage skin directories for upgrade?
Answer
Minor releases & service packs
- Gather Changed Files1 documents and create list of files to update.
- Published with minor releases and service packs.
- Contains list of skin files that have changed from the previous version, as well as specific changes in each file.
- Not cumulative. Refer to document for every release between current and upgrade version. E.g., upgrading for 8.0.0 to 8.2.0, review 8.1.0, 8.1.1, 8.1.2 and 8.2.0 documents and create a cumulative list of changes from all versions.
- Update skins ahead of upgrade with Preview Server. (See also: How to update WebVoyage customizations and test new features before upgrade?)
- Install local package on server.
- Separate from your production environment
- Contains a vwebv process & skin files that point to vxws & a database hosted by Ex Libris and running the upgrade version.
- For every changed skin file, make a copy of the updated file from exl_default, apply your customizations to the new file & replace old file in custom skin directory.
Major releases
With minor releases and service packs, Ex Libris includes a document of WebVoyage Changed Skin Files and Content1. The process for a major release is a bit different. Only the new skin directories are created in your /ui directory at upgrade. Any customized skin directories that you have created can be found in the directory where your previous version is archived.
Major releases often involve significant changes; therefore, it is essential that you start your OPAC customization process from the new skin files when crossing a major version. With the new files as the base, apply local customizations one at a time, adapting them to the new files. In some cases, the new and old files may be similar enough that you could essentially apply your previous customizations to the new file directly; but in other cases, customizations may need to be modified to work properly in the new release.
Since the process for a major release requires that you begin with the new version of all skin files, no list of changed files is published. Instead, use your own list of files that you have customized locally to guide you the customizations to the new interface.
Major releases often involve significant changes; therefore, it is essential that you start your OPAC customization process from the new skin files when crossing a major version. With the new files as the base, apply local customizations one at a time, adapting them to the new files. In some cases, the new and old files may be similar enough that you could essentially apply your previous customizations to the new file directly; but in other cases, customizations may need to be modified to work properly in the new release.
Since the process for a major release requires that you begin with the new version of all skin files, no list of changed files is published. Instead, use your own list of files that you have customized locally to guide you the customizations to the new interface.
Best practices
- Keep a list of changed files to reference at upgrade
- Add comments within files to keep track of what you've changed and why; include date and name or initials of editor.
Additional Information
- All upgrades replace the exl_default and sandbox directories.
- Because Tomcat WebVoyage allows extensive customization, upgrades do not update customized skin directories
- In order to obtain bug fixes & enhancements, you must update the files in your custom skin directories with the changed files.
1 File is called "WebVoyage Changed Skin Files and Content" through Voyager 9.1.0, and "WebVoyage and Configuration File Changes" for Voyager 9.1.1 and higher, where the file also includes changes to other non-WebVoyage configuration files on the server.
- Article last edited: 07-Mar-2020