Test Site That Comes with My Purchase

[Dustin Mattison]

Hello

Previously on a forum question I posted someone answered that you get a free test website so that you can test changes on your site without affecting the main live site. How do I get this?

Dustin

 

[Biker]

You set it up in a protected area on your server that only you have access to.

 

[James]

Your licence entitles you to one live and one protected setup, allowing you to make any changes on the protected setup before rolling them out live.

XenForo do not give you a website to play with, aside from the XenForo Demo.

 

[Dustin Mattison]

How do I set up the protected setup? Is this a subdomain?

 

[Digital Doctor]

Hello
How do I get this?

Run it locally on your own PC.
http://xenforo.com/community/resources/how-to-install-xenforo-locally-to-your-pc-using-xampp.355/

 

[James]

How do I set up the protected setup? Is this a subdomain?

You can create it on your main site under a sub-domain, as long as it's protected either via htpasswd or just disabled registrations via the software.

Alternative is as DD suggests.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Note: some things can't be transferred from a local or demo install to a real site.

 

[Paul B]

Localhost is one option.

Another option is a subdomain or different directory on your main domain.

Just password protect it so only you and your site staff can access it.

 

[Biker]

How do I set up the protected setup? Is this a subdomain?

If you're on cPanel, it's easy to do in a directory off your main account. You can password protect the directory, and install the second copy of XF there.

 

[Dustin Mattison]

Thanks. I am teaching students how to manage forums and I want them to practice on a test site. Do you know where I can find instructions for setting up a subdomain and installing XF there? If not, that's ok I will figure it out.

 

[psx]

Thanks. I am teaching students how to manage forums and I want them to practice on a test site. Do you know where I can find instructions for setting up a subdomain and installing XF there? If not, that's ok I will figure it out.

http://bit.ly/Zh4ro9 then upload the XenForo files to the subdomain in FTP

 

[Dodgeboard]

Dustin, if you need help, maybe I can take you by the hand in a screen sharing session and run you through it once. Since it's for educational purposes, I'll gladly donate my time. PM me if interested.

 

[PeteUK]

Following advice provided in another thread I'm moving my XenForo site to a new hosting company. As I have free space with the old company I'd like to turn my existing installation into a test site using a different domain name (because it would have to be different - but I'd change nothing else)? Or does it have to be on the same server as the live site?

How do I password protect the test site (excuse my ignorance)? Since I'm going to have real data on the test site is there a simple way of preventing emails being sent to users?

 

[Paul B]

The test install can be on a different server.

Use htacces auth to lock it down - adapt these instructions to appply it to the forum directory: http://xenforo.com/community/resour...and-the-install-directory-using-htaccess.353/

Add this to librarry/config.php to stop all emails being sent:

$config['enableMail'] = false;

 

[PeteUK]

Thanks, Brogan - brilliant!