Wordpress Upgraded to Version 2.1

6 February 2007

I upgraded the installation of wordpress to version 2.1 last night. It didn't go quite as easily as it should, although that was partly my fault.

One thing that got me about the installation process is the lack of separation between application and setting files and it's made more complex in that some of the application files have changed name.

To upgrade essentially involves

Backing Up Current Status / Files / Database
Deleting existing application files (excluding content and settings)
Installing the new files into the directory where the old files were deleted from
Running an install script

It was step 2 that I made a mistake. The upgrade instructions specify that some files should be deleted, but then list ones that shouldn't. I didn't remove wp-config.php, which was correct, but I also didn't overwrite wp-settings.php, which does need to be replaced.

I identified the problem by working my way through the source code (one of the great things about open source software), and then got the site up and running. I haven't noticed many changes so far, except that there is now an autosave working in the background. This autosave function is a good idea, as I have lost some of my posts before where I have forgotten to save the post and then closed the browser without realising.

Find out more about Wordpress from the official wordpress website.