How does everyone keep track of their forum config?

[RallyFan]

Just wondering how others keep track of their forum configurations/changes?

Currently I'm just using the mother of all text documents, and documenting EVERYTHING (will probably later put into Word and reformat it).

Was interested to see how others keep note of their forum config though.

 

[sbj]

Keep track of what exactly?

I don't see a reason to have a record of something. Unless you are talking about logs which are saved in the ACP?

 

[l3ta]

Changes to styles, I keep on xmls. Changes to forum content are in the backup system. That's about it.

 

[RallyFan]

Keep track of what exactly?

I don't see a reason to have a record of something. Unless you are talking about logs which are saved in the ACP?

Changes to styles, settings you've used to configure plugins (and forum), etc etc.

Basically everything that gone into getting the forum to the point you can get users registering.

In my example I've made notes of every single setting (and what I've set it to), incase there is ever an issue or need to reinstall afresh (given that you cannot backup settings or config in Xenforo (with exception of style XMLs)).

 

[sbj]

For what do you have backups?

If I mess up something, I just take a 3 months old backup, load it on my localhost, look how it was previously, and apply the setting to my live site.

The backup has all records you need. No need to keep track of every single thing. For example, sometimes I need to revert the custom thread fields of some threads. As far as I know XF doesn't keep track of it. So, I load an old backup, see how it was before and done.

 

[RallyFan]

For what do you have backups?

If I mess up something, I just take a 3 months old backup, load it on my localhost, look how it was previously, and apply the setting to my live site.

The backup has all records you need. No need to keep track of every single thing. For example, sometimes I need to revert the custom thread fields of some threads. As far as I know XF doesn't keep track of it. So, I load an old backup, see how it was before and done.

My host runs file level hourly snapshots (including database) and then a daily backup which is sent to a secondary data centre.

My main concern is if you can't recover from backup (or there's a massive hack and everything wiped out), you have nothing to refer back on.

With everything noted in text, I can easily search what I'm after and figure out both the deault setting, and the setting I had configured.

Another consideration is if theres a major update which changes or resets style colours or settings or something.

Just wasn't sure if others went to that degree or not

 

[StarArmy]

I recently added a new "techops" section of the wiki where I have notes on how to run every aspect of my site from a webmaster point of view, in case anything happens to me my co-admins can use it as a manual. These types of things will go in there.

 

[DigNap15]

I'm with you StarArmy
I have a word doc where I try t note everyhting that has happend to my forum
Crashes, Add-on, changed settings, webhost problems etc
It must help me If every anything went wrong.
And likr you I am trying to write a manual fot moderators if I ever get any

 

[RallyFan]

That's exactly how I see it StarArmy and DigNap15.

Makes it heaps handy when you are looking for a setting that may not show up in search too, or if you aren't in a position to look up AdminCP and want to know something.

For me I'm just about to rebuild a forum from scratch, and the beauty will be that all settings and config (which is fully tested and working), I'll just be able to copy back in (given I can't export and reimport those settings).

Should help with disaster recovery too if ever there was a massive database crash, no backups and a rebuild was required.