Category: dhost

migrating wordpress.com}dhost #index

Posted on by BinTAN

https://move.wordpress.com/ has instructions specifically written on this process.

Warning: revision history on a given post is excluded.

==== media: the AA (old) and BB (new) blogs both have “media->library”
The exporter screen lets you download all media files as tarball, but probably not needed.

The importer screen has an important checkbox to download and import all media files.

I think the import/export process treats each media file as a first-class citizen just as a blogpost. There’s presumably no recognition that a blogpost may refer to a local media file.

— sugg for future:
Sugg: favor external images by default. However, external images can get removed by the owners 😦

Sugg: if you need to maintain the image yourself, then you can host it in a free subdomain of wordpress.com. Just ensure the subdomain is stable. Your dhost blog can reference it 🙂
====
— [d] blog users .. see separate blogpost
— [d] LG: print customization and layout
— [d] LG: customize editor
— [d] LG2 admin columns plugin
— [d] LG: set up email-post-changes and wp-mail-smtp plugin
For a second wpress to use the same gmail api project/credential/oath/… We may need to add a second authorized domain (first is tanbinvest…com without http://). Here’s where to do it:

OathConcentScreen-> Main panel has the Oath client id. look to its right -> EditApp

hMo3wjnnwNDgH59u_re7a6HI is the “secret”.

— export then import ###### all earlier steps should be done well in advance —————

— LG: greplace .. https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003304711-Changing-all-URLs-in-your-WordPress-database
Redo after changing domain name.
— LG2 some of the Media files (eg file1) are referenced in the previous blog (eg post2), but not referenced in the new blog. Need to locate post2 and add the reference. I think there’s no urgency.

dhost+WP user accounts

Posted on by BinTAN

— site-specific linux user account
I think victan6 is my dreamhost account name, but the linux account is the one used for ftp, ssh etc.

FTP&SshUsers -> ManageUsers -> then create a new (linux?) user with bash and ssh. Then attach the site to this user account.

Domains -> manageDomains -> find the user and click on the username ..

— blog users # found on the wp-admin -> left panel
I installed wordpress on my website tanbinvest.dreamhosters.com. I tried logging in on the admin site but I think the login id (tanbinvest_4hoeqd) was generated…hard to remember but immutable 😦 Solution:

  1. Don’t rely on email address update as it is unreliable. (Perhaps the system can’t send out email)
  2. log in from dhost panel (panel->domains->websites->pick one site->Wordpress button) to wp-admin, then create a dummy user with a password + a dummy email addr
  3. Then re-login as the dummy so as to delete the generated user name
  4. Then create a proper user name (3rd user) having the gmail address, and log in as him.
  5. delete all unneeded users.

create new domains

Posted on by BinTAN

— subdomain names : short and unique prefix: btv-

  1. — sequence of blogs to migrate
  2. vtb6drive.dreamhosters.com. rename to btv-drive? No hurry.
  3. btv-gz.dreamhosters.com #linux user btvgz
  4. btv-open.dreamhosters.com #linux user btvopen. No migration needed any time soon, but we can do it now.

Note after creating the domain (and installing WP), site may be unavailable for a few minutes.

— to install wp on an existing “website”,
panel->domains->oneClickInstalls or
panel->wpress->learnMore&install

##VPS+Wphp vendors

Posted on by BinTAN

See overview

— Why spend so many hours analyzing?

  • Current mood is positive without pressure, a valuable window and an enviable position. Still uncovering new findings each time.
  • Choosing a vendor is a real decision, not something /academic/ or imaginary
  • #1) once I commit on a vendor, I will spend dozens of hours interacting with them on migration, backup, site customization…. (Back-out will incur additional legwork.) Total tcost loss would add up.
  • $cost is much smaller than the initial tcost, but $cost over a few years would become a real factor in my idea of success and J4.

==== hosting providers:
https://www.hostingadvice.com/how-to/wordpress-approved-hosts/ and https://themeisle.com/blog/best-wordpress-hosting/ are unofficial rankings, while wordpress.org lists only 3 “endorsements”.

—  DreamHost: #1 contender in WPHp category

  • 🙂 SharedUnlimited USD 4.95/M x 36M prepaid plans. Second 3Y is $8/M x 36M (current price tag). https://themeisle.com/blog/dreamhost-vs-bluehost/#pricing (agreeing with me) points out the $8/M after initial term.
  • 🙂 97D free cancellation is unheard-of by hostingadvice.com review. Probably no need to try with Exabyte.
  • 🙂 🙂 after 97D, prorated refunds subject to approval at 80% success rate, but don’t abuse it.
  • 🙂 🙂 free xxx.dreamhoost.com subdomain
  • migration — Human assistance available, but I told them I prefer DIY
  • free daily backup
  • software upgrade Can disable
  • top-rated specialized wordpress support chat 21:30 – 13:30 SGT (I doubt it). Paid phone support. In terms of overlap with SGT, PT is better than EDT. I can either work with them late night, or during morning.
  • .. 😦 Live chat is only available if there aren’t many people managing support tickets.

https://www.hostingadvice.com/how-to/wordpress-approved-hosts/ seems to be promoting the three vendors:

  • Not sure how relevant this would be to me … “The company (dreamhost) knows the platform (wordpress) inside and out, and the expertise shows up in the in-house solutions DreamHost continues to roll out to better serve the WordPress community.”
  • “The DreamHost platform features top-of-the-line infrastructure and a genuine dedication to friendly, helpful customer support.”
  • DreamPress (30D free cancellation) is the premium product esp. in terms of expert support, but SharedUnlimited sounds good enough.

— hostinger: reviewed at https://themeisle.com/blog/hostinger-review/.  The SharedPremium plan mentions wordpress but may not be good enough. Instead, here I focus on WordPressStarter:

  • $3/M x 48M. $8/M for 2nd 4Y term
  • .. single-site $0.99/M x 48M. $3/M for 2nd 4Y term
  • 30D free cancellation
  • refund?
  • free subdomain?
  • migration .. “You can move your WordPress website from another host to your Hostinger account via our easy-to-use migration tool. Don’t feel like it? No worries, our WordPress specialists can do it for you! For free!”
  • weekly backup
  • no hotline. Only 24/7 chat.

— bluehost:

  • Plus plan (unlimited sites) USD 5.45 x 36M introductory prices. 2nd 3Y is $12/M x 36M
  • 30D free cancellation. After 30D, no refund as confirmed twice.
  • 😦 assigned “temp domain name” is random but stable
  • 😦 automatic backup for ChoicePlus not Plus plan
  • 🙂 I tried phone support and chat support

— https://www.exabytes.sg/web-hosting/wordpress-hosting

  • refund upon termination
  • WPPlus plan can host 5 blogs, but higher price than bluehost
  • migration: request full site backup file from wordpress.com
  • wordpress software version: auto upgrade can be disabled.
  • phone support but is it 24h?
  • — #1 contender in VPS category
  • Plesk is minimum according to KC (67272277-ext-1). higher cost than vultr, but with local phone support
  • For an initial learning, can terminate after 3M and pay $28/m x 3m

— vultr: #1 contender in VPS category, for long-term. https://www.vultr.com/docs/one-click-wordpress/ shows

  • 🙂 root access with command line
  • 🙂 mysql command line access
  • 🙂 full access to wordpress source code
  • 😦 self-backup
  • 🙂 minimum 1Y? No ! no monthly bills
  • 😦 no phone support, according to the email reply on 3 Nov (election day), just like robinhood and uber. However, this could be a blessing in disguise as no-phone-support is a key enabler for
  • .. fast email response, but every question, every /nuance/, must be discussed by email as illustrated in [Ticket:BSS-24YNZ]… Unprecedented experience!
  • .. low monthly cost. USD 420 for 10 years. In contrast, a laptop lasts 2-4 years and used to cost me USD 300 – 1000. Prices dropped recently.

https://spinupwp.com/doc/how-to-install-wordpress-on-vultr/ is an 3rd-party tutorial

wpch: beyond the free wp.com option

Posted on by BinTAN

See ##Vendors

WPCH means “wordpress commercial hosting” which includes two categories
1) wphp i.e. “wordpress hosting plan”
2) VPS

— Thanksgiving plan:

  • Within 97 days, migrate drive (slow-moving target)
  • start editing blogposts on dhost and decommission the wp.com site
  • LG2: check out automated backup
  • LG2: consider grep-update of hyperlinks. Consider the search_replace plugin

— automated migration .. is valuable when I maintain both new clone + existing free blog of the same content. Such a parallel set-up requires repeated migrations, ideally without vendor help.
— $budget: $1200~2400 for 5Y(60M) but I can allocate additional $600 for first year. Once I’m confident I could migrate to a cheaper vendor

  • J4: Nowadays I spend 1-3 hr/day using wordpress…
  • xp: paid for tanbin.com for 10Y? Useful for the first 3-8 years.
  • xp: paid Andrew Yap $75 to put together my php listing? This time my cost won’t be abandoned.
  • xp: I bought UltraEdit and EditPlus but didn’t use for a year. Painful experience that I try to forget
  • similar to my purchase of faster home broadband
  • similar to my aircon usage
  • similar to my yoga membership .. dirt cheap at USD 33/mo in Bayonne. My Barclays gym membership was $95/mo.
  • similar to my weekend spend on train commute to office
  • similar to my current collection of 5 laptops, though I don’t absolutely need so many

— tcost: need to watch out as the cumulative tcost would generate growing guilt and self-hate.

  1. — the least-tcost route:
  2. If good subdomains unavailable …. no domain name. Just use IP. Perhaps borrow a subdomain name from XingHe.
  3. put one site (tanbinvest) on exabytes for a few months without haste. Exabyte offers phone support 🙂
  4. If everything fine and I gain enough confidence, then sign up with a U.S. wpch.

— gradual, no-hurry but high-tcost plan of action. I might have a fear of unknown and an inertia.

  • set up vultr and slowly play with install, migration. Destroy the host each time 🙂

Paying Xinghe a decent fee is possibly good income for him and saves me initial legwork. How about $200-500 as payment for effort + domain parking. “No urgency.” If he sees it as a tough job, then  engage him as a consultant with a token of appreciation.

— Q: start with a wphp first or vultr first?
if I start with wphp first, i will feel the 97D deadline to finish vultr experiment and come to a decision.

Deadline? After the 97D, best possible refund would require good will. I don’t want to abuse the good will.

Vultr has no deadline, so I can experiment without haste.  I can also (start vultr experiment by the 3rd year and then) relocate to vultr after 3Y.

— self-install experiment:
need lots of quiet time to settle down and focus
need lots of food to strengthen the absorbency.

==== goals of xampp self-learning as compared to piano, yoga, workout..
Here’s an immediate, measurable goal — set up a windows wordpress site

  • to re-build confidence about linux self-install. Self-install in VPS is uncertain and could cost days. This is 99% of the payout.
  • .. This fear is also the invisible shackle and the mountain on my shoulder.
  • to find out how to simplify the UI of admin interface
  • — Key findings
  • considering my wishlist, no hacking needed in the foreseeable future (2Y?). Therefore, Wphp suitability is improving.
  • in conclusion, WPHp costs more than VPS but saves time, legwork and stress in the long run, and initial set-up effort

dhost panel

Posted on by BinTAN

— backup  #under Billing&Acct
“you will be emailed once we finish. The backup will include the current contents of all your FTP users, mailboxes, and MySQL databases.”

How about wordpress.com? Not offered. You can assume they back up all sites just in case… similar to gmail or hotmail backup. However, if you need to restore, they don’t have an obligation to help you.

— live chat transcript: #panel->support->supportHistory

— You can list all open tickets: #panel->support->contactSupport.
However, sometimes clicking contactSupport doesn’t load them, when screen is in portrait 😦