3.2 Upgrading VolanoChat

Upgrading versions

The latest release of VolanoChat is version 2.6, with several important new features and bug fixes. You can download the latest version of VolanoChat from the Download VolanoChat page.

There have been significant changes to the property files for VolanoChat from previous versions. We strongly recommend that you complete a clean install and then modify the property files according to the documentation. The version-by-version changes are documented in the changes.txt file for the server and client sides:

conf/changes.txt: the changes to the server properties
webapps/ROOT/vcclient/changes.txt: the changes to the client applet properties

However, if you want to use your existing property files, you will need to take the following steps:

Install the update.
Copy your server configuration.
Copy your applet configuration.
Update your properties.
Restart the server.
Request a new key.

General instructions

Step 1 - Install the update

Install the new version of VolanoChat into its own directory, for example vchat2.6.1.

Step 2 - Copy your server configuration

Copy the server configuration files from the older VolanoChat directory to the new installation's conf subdirectory. For example, on Unix enter a command like the following:

cp vchat2.5.1.1/conf/*.txt vchat2.6.1/conf

and on Windows, enter:

copy vchat2.5.1.1\conf\*.txt vchat2.6.1\conf

On Windows, you may instead use the Windows Explorer to drag and drop these files from your old vchat2.5.1.1 folder to the new vchat2.6.1 folder.


Step 3 - Copy your applet configuration
Do the same for your applet configuration files, along with any image, sound, or Web files you have modified. For example, on Unix enter commands like the following:
cp vchat2.5.1.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient/*.txt  vchat2.6.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient
cp vchat2.5.1.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient/*.gif  vchat2.6.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient
cp vchat2.5.1.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient/*.jpg  vchat2.6.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient
cp vchat2.5.1.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient/*.au   vchat2.6.1/webapps/ROOT/vcclient

and on Windows, enter:
copy vchat2.5.1.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient\*.txt  vchat2.6.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient
copy vchat2.5.1.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient\*.gif  vchat2.6.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient
copy vchat2.5.1.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient\*.jpg  vchat2.6.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient
copy vchat2.5.1.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient\*.au   vchat2.6.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient

On Windows, you may instead use the Windows Explorer to drag and drop these files from your old vchat2.5.1.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient folder to the new vchat2.6.1\webapps\ROOT\vcclient folder. If you have published the old vcclient directory through your Web server, make sure to remove it and publish the new vcclient folder. You cannot use older applets with the newer server.
Step 4 - Update your properties
You'll want to update your older property files to include the new server and applet properties available in the latest version.
Step 5 - Restart the server
Stop the VolanoChat server and restart the new version in the vchat2.6.1 directory. See the [4.0] Installation chapter for details on how to start and stop the VolanoChat server for your operating system.
Step 6 - Request a new key
VolanoChat uses a new text-based license key. If you're upgrading to version 2.6 from version 2.1 or earlier, you will need to write to Volano Support <service@volano.com> for details on how to obtain a new key. Once you receive this key, copy it into your conf/key.txt file over the existing trial key file. Make sure the license string itself is on just one line in the file and not word-wrapped onto one or more lines. Then restart the VolanoChat server.



   
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